Meaning and background
The story behind Boswell
Boswell traces back to a French settlement in the dictionary account of the English and Scottish surname. The source identifies Beuzeville-la-Giffard, combining the personal name Boso with a word for settlement. It explains that the ending later came to resemble the familiar English place-name element well. This history makes Boswell more interesting than a literal reading of its modern spelling: the apparent spring or well ending is a later association.
- Origin
- Norman English and Scottish habitational surname from Beuzeville-la-Giffard, containing Boso and a settlement element; the ending was later altered. Source
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About Boswell
Recorded as a dog’s name
Boswell appears in 4 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.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/bɑzwɛl/
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
/bɑzwɛl/ · primary stress on syllable 1B AA1 Z W EH0 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.