Meaning and background
The story behind Othello
Othello is best known as the central character of Shakespeare's tragedy. The name may have been shaped by Otho, but specialist name reference treats that as a possibility rather than a proven line of descent. Shakespeare's dramatic use is not in doubt. For naming a dog, the literary reference is specific, while explanations such as 'wealthy warrior' overstate what the records can establish.
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About Othello
Recorded as a dog’s name
Othello appears in 6 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
/əθɛloʊ/
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
/əθɛloʊ/ · primary stress on syllable 2AH0 TH EH1 L 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.