Meaning and background
The story behind Bashful
Bashful is an English adjective associated with shyness and easy embarrassment. As a name, it announces a character-like impression immediately, though that impression is an owner's interpretation rather than a diagnosis of a dog. The first syllable carries the emphasis in the dictionary reading. Consider whether the joke still feels affectionate when spoken in introductions to strangers. A shy-looking puppy may become more outgoing, so the appeal should be the name itself rather than a promise that the first impression will last.
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Everyday moments“Bashful, come here!”
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About Bashful
Recorded as a dog’s name
Bashful appears in 2 dog licence records in the 2026 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
/bæʃfəl/
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
/bæʃfəl/ · primary stress on syllable 1B AE1 SH F AH0 L
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.