Meaning and background
The story behind Kila
Kila has several documented Hawaiian word senses rather than one simple translation. The Pukui–Elbert dictionary distinguishes a rare use connected with strength or a high place from other entries, including steel and English-derived terms. An owner choosing a Hawaiian connection should identify the sense intended instead of combining them into a single story. The four-letter spelling also leaves room for different household readings, so pronunciation deserves its own check. A resemblance to another name does not establish the same background.
- Meaning
- The Hawaiian word has several senses, including a rare strong/high-place use and a separate steel sense; it has no single universal naming translation. Source
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About Kila
Recorded as a dog’s name
Kila 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
/kɪlə/
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
/kɪlə/ · primary stress on syllable 1K IH1 L AH0
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.