Meaning and background
The story behind Banzai
Banzai is the Japanese cheer 万歳, used to celebrate or express enthusiasm. Its characters literally refer to “ten thousand years”, a traditional wish for long life rather than a mathematical promise. The word’s modern celebratory use is far more relevant to someone choosing it for a dog. It is a lively three-beat call name, but there is no evidence here that it began as a Japanese given name.
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Everyday moments“Banzai, come here!”
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About Banzai
Recorded as a dog’s name
Banzai appears in 3 dog licence records in the 2016 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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Sources and research notes (1)
- 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.
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.