Meaning and background
The story behind Prime
Prime is a familiar English word for first rank, peak condition or a special mathematical category of number. It has roots in Latin primus, meaning 'first'. Those established dictionary senses give a dog name an upbeat, economical sound, though the noun, adjective and mathematical uses are not all one literal meaning. The single syllable is easy to call; it carries no evidence about a dog's age, ability or standing.
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About Prime
Recorded as a dog’s name
Prime appears in 3 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
/pɹaɪm/
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
/pɹaɪm/ · primary stress on syllable 1P R AY1 M
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.