Dog name guide

Alec

The meaning, background and naming story of Alec.

Letters
4
Syllables
2Dictionary reading
Starts with
A

Meaning and background

The story behind Alec

Alec is a traditional English short form of Alexander rather than an independent word with its own separate translation. Its compact sound has long made it useful as a familiar form in conversation. The Alexander name family goes back to ancient Greek, but Alec itself is best understood through its English diminutive use, not treated as an original Greek spelling.

Origin
English short form of Alexander. Source
Pronunciation
English /ˈæl.ɪk/. Source

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About Alec

Recorded as a dog’s name

Alec appears in 3 dog licence records in the 2017 New York City dataset.

How to read this count

These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.

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Pronunciation and rhythm

/ælɪk/

US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.

Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.

View dictionary notation

/ælɪk/ · primary stress on syllable 1
AE1 L IH0 K

These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.

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Sources and research notes (2)
  • New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
  • Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation

References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.

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