Meaning and background
The story behind Chilli
Chilli is the usual British-English spelling of the hot pepper, with the borrowed word traced back to Nahuatl chilli. In British speech it can also occur in names of spicy dishes. This is a culinary word history, quite separate from the etymology of Chile the country or chilly meaning rather cold. The spelling gives the dog name a familiar food reference, but not a defensible claim that its bearer has a spicy personality.
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About Chilli
Recorded as a dog’s name
Chilli appears in 9 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 (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.
- 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.