David Bowie's Real Name: David Robert Jones

Quick answer: David Bowie's real name was David Robert Jones. He was born on January 8, 1947, in London, England, and died on January 10, 2016, in New York City. He adopted the stage name David Bowie to avoid confusion with Monkees singer Davy Jones. CSV category “actors” undersells him—musicians/singers is the better fit, though he also acted.

Real name and early life

Encyclopædia Britannica gives original name David Robert Jones; Library of Congress authority is Bowie, David (Britannica; LOC). Jones is the birth surname. He fronted 1960s mod-era bands before the 1969 hit “Space Oddity,” timed to the Apollo Moon landing. Albums such as The Man Who Sold the World (1970) and Hunky Dory (1971) set up the persona-shifting 1970s peak that made chameleonism itself part of his brand.

Career highlights

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) made him a defining glam-rock figure; later 1970s work ranged from Diamond Dogs and Young Americans to the Berlin-era Low, “Heroes,” and Lodger with Brian Eno. The 1980s brought the hit album Let’s Dance. Acting credits include Nicolas Roeg’s The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976). Late-career returns The Next Day (2013) and Blackstar (2016)—released days before his death from cancer—reaffirmed critical stature. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Film roles beyond The Man Who Fell to Earth included Labyrinth (1986) and other cameos that keep “actors” searches tied to his name. Across personae, the civil birth name remained David Robert Jones; the stage surname Bowie is the famous professional identity.

He issued “Bowie Bonds” in 1997 against pre-1990 royalties—an unusual finance move that returned catalog rights after the bonds matured—and remained a prolific studio artist across nearly five decades.

Name notes for searchers

Bowie is a chosen stage surname, not a middle name. Prefer Britannica and LOC over rumor timelines. Wikipedia is useful only as a pointer after primary citations.