Meaning and background
The story behind Bunker
Bunker has Scottish word history and several later uses. The early recorded sense was a seat or bench; golf sand hollows, coal storage and dug-out fortifications followed in different contexts. The deeper origin is uncertain. For a dog, a golfer and a history enthusiast could therefore choose the same name for quite different reasons. Clarifying that intended association gives the name more personal substance than calling it merely strong. Its practical appeal can remain the sound, with the word history available as an interesting second layer.
- Origin
- Originally recorded as a Scottish seat/bench word; later golf, storage and fortification senses, with deeper origin uncertain. Source
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About Bunker
Recorded as a dog’s name
Bunker 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
/bʌŋkɚ/
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
/bʌŋkɚ/ · primary stress on syllable 1B AH1 NG K ER0
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.