Meaning and background
The story behind Pica
Pica has several Italian and Catalan surname accounts. The dictionary records an Italian magpie nickname and a medieval personal-name route. Catalan explanations concern named places or pointed-object and pricking vocabulary. The bird connection is therefore a supported possibility, but it does not explain every Pica family. A dog’s name can preserve whichever particular family or image connection the owner intends without blending those separate histories.
- Origin
- Italian surname from magpie vocabulary or a medieval personal name; separate Catalan place and pointed-object explanations. Source
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Everyday moments“Pica, come here!”
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About Pica
Recorded as a dog’s name
Pica appears in 3 dog licence records in the 2024 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
/paɪkə/
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
/paɪkə/ · primary stress on syllable 1P AY1 K AH0
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.