Meaning and background
The story behind Locke
Locke has several surname routes. The dictionary records English, Dutch and German variants of Lock, an Americanized Norwegian Løkke associated with a farm name, and a Chinese variant of Lok. The enclosure meaning belongs to the Norwegian explanation, not automatically to all Locke families. For a dog, a particular family or namesake can establish the intended connection while the spelling's wider history remains deliberately open.
- Origin
- Surname with English, Dutch and German Lock variants, Norwegian Løkke and Chinese Lok routes. Source
Try Locke out loud
Everyday moments“Locke, come here!”
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About Locke
Recorded as a dog’s name
Locke appears in 3 dog licence records in the 2026 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
/lɑk/
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
/lɑk/ · primary stress on syllable 1L AA1 K
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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Sources and research notes (3)
- 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
- City of Seattle Seattle Pet Licenses — DOG-only name aggregate, current source dated 6 October 2026 — Secondary spelling corroboration from dog-only licence rows. No cats, owner fields, national ranking or unique-dog claim.
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.