Meaning and background
The story behind Koto
Koto names a Japanese stringed instrument. Merriam-Webster describes a long zither with thirteen strings, movable bridges, and playing techniques that use finger picks and changes in string tension. This gives the spelling a precise musical association, especially for someone who values its sound or instrument tradition. The dictionary entry concerns the instrument word; it does not establish the meaning of every Japanese personal name romanized Koto.
- Association
- Koto names a Japanese stringed instrument. Source
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About Koto
Recorded as a dog’s name
Koto appears in 9 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
/koʊtoʊ/
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
/koʊtoʊ/ · primary stress on syllable 1K OW1 T OW0
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.