Meaning and background
The story behind Banshee
The banshee is a figure from Irish folklore, traditionally a female spirit whose wailing foretells a death in a family. The English word reflects Irish bean sídhe, associated with a woman of the fairy people. Banshee therefore has a genuine mythological background, not merely a vague meaning of “loud”. Its striking sound could suit a dog name, although the original story is unsettling rather than cheerful.
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Everyday moments“Banshee, come here!”
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About Banshee
Recorded as a dog’s name
Banshee appears in 5 dog licence records in the 2022 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.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/bænʃi/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Other dictionary readings and notation
/bænʃi/ · primary stress on syllable 2B AE0 N SH IY1
/bænʃi/ · primary stress on syllable 1B AE1 N SH IY0
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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Sources and research notes (3)
- 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
- City of Seattle Seattle Pet Licenses — DOG-only name aggregate, current source dated 6 October 2026 — Secondary spelling corroboration from dog-only licence rows. No cats, owner fields, national ranking or unique-dog claim.
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.