Meaning and background
The story behind Perseus
Perseus is a Greek mythological name, famously associated with the hero who killed Medusa. Its proposed connection with a Greek verb for destroying remains uncertain in the reference, so destroyer should not be printed as a settled literal translation. The story can still be an owner’s clear inspiration without that extra claim. The full name offers an elaborate classical choice for a dog. Consider whether the myth itself or the sound is what appeals, and keep that personal reason distinct from the debated etymology.
- Origin
- Greek mythological name with a possible, not certain, connection to a verb meaning destroy. Source
Try Perseus out loud
Everyday moments“Perseus, 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 Perseus
Recorded as a dog’s name
Perseus appears in 6 dog licence records in the 2026 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
/pɝsiəs/
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
/pɝsiəs/ · primary stress on syllable 1P ER1 S IY0 AH0 S
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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In NameKennel collections
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Sources and research notes (2)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — extract_year 2026 — Dog licence periods, not unique dogs; NYC only. No owner-level fields retrieved.
- 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.