Meaning and background
The story behind Meiji
Meiji is a Japanese historical era name, written 明治 and conventionally rendered “enlightened rule”. It belongs to the reign associated with Japan's transformation from 1868 to 1912, not to a modern personal-name meaning automatically transferable to every bearer. Columbia University's historical teaching material confirms both the name and its association with the Meiji Restoration. As a dog name it is concise and carries a clearly traceable historical reference.
- Origin
- Japanese historical era name 明治, conventionally translated “enlightened rule”, associated with the emperor’s reign and the Meiji Restoration beginning in 1868. Source
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Everyday moments“Meiji, come here!”
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About Meiji
Recorded as a dog’s name
Meiji 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
/meɪdʒi/
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
/meɪdʒi/ · primary stress on syllable 1M EY1 JH IY2
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.