Meaning and background
The story behind Honolulu
Honolulu is the capital of Hawaiʻi, on Oʻahu. Hawaiian-language reference dictionaries give the place-name the literal sense 'sheltered bay' or 'protected bay'. This is a geographical derivation supported by Hawaiian scholarship, not a guess based on the sound of the word. The four-syllable form is distinctive as a spoken dog name, though it could reasonably be shortened in everyday use. The origin of the city name should remain separate from other Hawaiian personal names.
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About Honolulu
Recorded as a dog’s name
Honolulu appears in 2 dog licence records in the 2016 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
/hɑnəlulu/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the third syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/hɑnəlulu/ · primary stress on syllable 3HH AA2 N AH0 L UW1 L UW0
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.