Meaning and background
The story behind Modesto
Modesto has Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian surname histories through the personal name Modesto or a descriptive nickname involving modesty. The dictionary distinguishes those two formation routes even though their vocabulary overlaps. A dog owner may choose the name as a family tribute or for the quality it evokes, but the historical account does not require a new bearer to behave in a particular way to suit the name.
- Origin
- Spanish, Portuguese and Italian surname from a personal name or a modest/unassuming nickname. Source
Try Modesto out loud
Everyday moments“Modesto, come here!”
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About Modesto
Recorded as a dog’s name
Modesto appears in 6 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
/moʊdɛstoʊ/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the second syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/moʊdɛstoʊ/ · primary stress on syllable 2M OW0 D EH1 S 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.