Meaning and background
The story behind Dilley
Dilley is a recorded English and German family name rather than one with a single transparent translation. An English surname account tentatively connects it with the unrecorded Old English personal name Dylla, while German and French connections provide alternative histories. The word 'possibly' is important here: the earliest root is a proposal, not a certainty. As a dog name, Dilley has a conversational two-syllable rhythm.
- Origin
- Surname with possible English Dylla-derived and alternative German/French histories Source
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About Dilley
Recorded as a dog’s name
Dilley appears in 2 dog licence records in the 2026 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
/dɪli/
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
/dɪli/ · primary stress on syllable 1D IH1 L IY0
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.