Kevin as I said the word Bowie has been applied to pretty much any kind of knife! In my opinion, (and you know what they say about opinions) the attributes for the word Bowie became blurred as soon as the term was coined!! The term Bowie came about because of the name behind it. The sandbar fight put the name Bowie into its first page of history. Then the stories about Jim Bowie and his brother, Rezin are where the idea comes from. I can't reference the text at the moment but, Rezin set out to make his name after Jim was killed at the Alamo!! He was jealous of the younger brother's name.
Anyway back to the subject at hand. A knife of any kind in the hands of a man/woman that knows how to handle it, can be lethal!! It is not like the movies show it. I was taught some while in the Army. Never had to use and never wanted too. Hand to hand combat is basically a fight for your life.!!
I can't really imagine swinging a knife with the heft and weight of a true Bowie. Its kind of like going three rounds boxing, with 20 Oz. gloves. Until you try it you do not realize how heavy 20ozs will get in 3, three minute rounds. Not only are you swinging but you better keep your gloves up and then throw in the footwork and wow. At the end of three rounds your arms are tired!!
A Bowie is whatever you call it!! Folks get too hung up on names but, and here is the but, when you put that knife up for sale. In today's world of the net. Searches latch on to whatever name is attached to that particular knife!! Some will be impressed if they follow the search back to any man's version of a Bowie.
If it is what they want, then good!. How ever there are traditionalist that look at where their search took them and they might go WTH!! That may not be a good thing, because then they associate your name to the results of their search.
Build each knife to the best of your ability! Don't get yourself hung up on names and call it what it feels like to you and let the chips fall where they may!! The only name that really turns me off is the Zombie, this and that! As soon as I see Zombie, I am gone. I like science fiction but...………!