Meaning and background
The story behind Goodman
Goodman is older and more varied than the modern phrase 'good man' suggests. English surname sources trace it to personal names such as Godeman, to a social designation for the head of a household, and in some families to names related to Gudmund. German, Dutch and Jewish surname routes are also recorded. It is a firmly attested family name, but not one with a single universal derivation.
- Origin
- Surname with several routes, including Old English Godeman, a Middle English household status term, and other historical personal-name or continental surname forms. Source
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About Goodman
Recorded as a dog’s name
Goodman 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
/ɡʊdmən/
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
/ɡʊdmən/ · primary stress on syllable 1G UH1 D M AH0 N
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.