Meaning and background
The story behind Dada
Dada has a Yoruba personal-name entry in Behind the Name’s main reference, which associates it with curly hair. That documented tradition is distinct from other words or cultural movements that happen to share the spelling. A curly coat can make the association memorable for a dog, but the cultural connection should be stated clearly. The reference supports this Yoruba name route without making it the only possible reason someone might choose Dada.
- Origin
- Yoruba personal name associated with curly hair. Source
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Everyday moments“Dada, come here!”
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About Dada
Recorded as a dog’s name
Dada 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
/dɑdɑ/
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
/dɑdɑ/ · primary stress on syllable 1D AA1 D AA2
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.