I mean if you put "dower" there it gets even more ambiguous and arguably "nefarious", because it appears you're hiding what you're doing behind an arbitrary term.

Most people don't know what dower is. "Bride price" is an accurate enough description, it's a payment for a bride, and you can at least get that concept across first before talking about the historical background.

Also it turns out that's the right term.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bride_price

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dower

"Dower" is specifically a Muslim tradition if it involves groom paying bride.