Meaning and background
The story behind Coward
Coward has a particularly important distinction in surname history. The dictionary traces the English surname to a cowherd’s occupation and explicitly separates it from the modern word for a fearful person. The identical spelling can therefore conceal unrelated origins. A dog named after a family member or another bearer of the surname need not be carrying an insult; the documented occupational explanation is the relevant history in that context.
- Origin
- The English surname Coward is occupational, from cowherd, and is explicitly unrelated to the modern word for a fearful person. Source
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About Coward
Recorded as a dog’s name
Coward appears in 2 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
/kaʊɚd/
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
/kaʊɚd/ · primary stress on syllable 1K AW1 ER0 D
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.