Meaning and background
The story behind Mortimer
Mortimer comes through an English surname from a town in Normandy. Behind the Name explains the Old French place-name vocabulary as dead or still water. The quieter still-water interpretation and the more literal dead-water wording belong to the same recorded account. For a dog, the landscape image can be the intended attraction while the surname’s actual history remains a French place connection transmitted into English naming.
- Origin
- English surname-derived name from a Norman town whose Old French name means dead or still water. Source
Try Mortimer out loud
Everyday moments“Mortimer, come here!”
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About Mortimer
Recorded as a dog’s name
Mortimer appears in 6 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
/mɔɹtɪmɚ/
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
/mɔɹtɪmɚ/ · primary stress on syllable 1M AO1 R T IH0 M ER0
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.