Meaning and background
The story behind Barack
Barack is familiar as the first name of the former US president Barack Obama. In his family, it comes through Swahili Baraka, “blessing”, itself connected to Arabic baraka. This is not the same name history as the Hebrew Barak, usually translated “lightning”, despite the similar sound. Distinguishing them matters more than applying a single flattering word to every spelling.
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About Barack
Recorded as a dog’s name
Barack 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
/bɑɹək/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Other dictionary readings and notation
/bɑɹək/ · primary stress on syllable 1B AA1 R AH0 K
/bæɹɑk/ · primary stress on syllable 2B AE0 R AA1 K
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.