Meaning and background
The story behind Menace
Menace is an English noun for something threatening or dangerous, and in informal speech it can mean a persistent nuisance. The word came through French from Latin forms connected with threats. Used for a dog it is an unmistakably ironic or mischievous-sounding choice, but that is an owner's style decision rather than evidence of a pet's behaviour. The two syllables are simple, while the word's stronger sense should be clear to readers.
- Meaning
- A threat or possible source of danger; informally, someone or something that causes trouble or annoyance. Source
Try Menace out loud
Everyday moments“Menace, come here!”
Say it as you would on a walk or at home. Does it feel natural alongside your usual commands and other pets’ names?
About Menace
Recorded as a dog’s name
Menace appears in 3 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
/mɛnəs/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.
Other dictionary readings and notation
/mɛnəs/ · primary stress on syllable 1M EH1 N AH0 S
/mɛnɪs/ · primary stress on syllable 1M EH1 N IH0 S
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.