Meaning and background
The story behind Custer
Custer has several occupational surname routes. The Dictionary of American Family Names records Americanized German forms related to a sexton, Swiss German use, and an English or Scottish name of Norman origin for a maker of feather beds or cushions. It also lists other surname variants. These alternatives are more informative than assuming the spelling refers to one famous bearer: family origin decides which historical account is relevant.
- Origin
- Surname with German and Swiss German routes and an English/Scottish Norman occupation involving bedding or cushions. Source
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About Custer
Recorded as a dog’s name
Custer appears in 3 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
/kʌstɚ/
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
/kʌstɚ/ · primary stress on syllable 1K AH1 S T ER0
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.