Meaning and background
The story behind Shank
Shank has several unrelated-looking everyday senses that all belong to established English vocabulary. It can name the part of a leg below the knee or a long narrow component of a tool, while golfers also use it for a mishit shot. These meanings can give the name different associations without creating a universal story for any dog called Shank.
- Meaning
- The lower leg or long narrow part of a tool; also a golf shot struck with the hosel. Source
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Everyday moments“Shank, come here!”
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About Shank
Recorded as a dog’s name
Shank appears in 3 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
/ʃæŋk/
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
/ʃæŋk/ · primary stress on syllable 1SH AE1 NG K
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.