Meaning and background
The story behind Lecter
Lecter carries a recognisable adult-thriller association through Hannibal Lecter in Thomas Harris’s fiction. Penguin Random House’s account of Red Dragon identifies him as a cannibalistic serial killer whom investigator Will Graham consults while pursuing another murderer. A reader choosing the surname for a dog may intend a dark literary joke, and that established association will shape how others understand it. It is a fictional surname reference, not a positive personality label or a verified explanation of the name’s linguistic origins.
- Association
- Surname of Hannibal Lecter, the fictional cannibalistic serial killer introduced in Thomas Harris’s Red Dragon. Source
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Everyday moments“Lecter, come here!”
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About Lecter
Recorded as a dog’s name
Lecter appears in 2 dog licence records in the 2023 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
/lɛktɚ/
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
/lɛktɚ/ · primary stress on syllable 1L EH1 K T ER0
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.