Dog name guide

Sire

The meaning, background and naming story of Sire.

Letters
4
Syllables
2Dictionary reading
Starts with
S

Meaning and background

The story behind Sire

Sire is an older word for a father, and it remains a specific term for the male parent of an animal. That latter sense gives it a notable connection with animal breeding terminology. The name sounds similar to Sir, but the two words should not be given interchangeable definitions. No actual breeding status or family role follows merely from using the name.

Meaning
The male parent of an animal; also an archaic term for a father or lord. Source

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About Sire

Recorded as a dog’s name

Sire appears in 3 dog licence records in the 2022 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.

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Pronunciation and rhythm

/saɪɚ/

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

/saɪɚ/ · primary stress on syllable 1
S AY1 ER0

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.

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