Meaning and background
The story behind Wishbone
Wishbone is the familiar name for the forked furcula, especially in a bird, which people have traditionally pulled apart while making a wish. That custom explains the English compound better than a mystical translation. Wishbone also has other technical uses for similarly shaped objects, such as suspension components in vehicles. The three-syllable word has a homely, slightly comic appeal as a dog name without implying anything about a pet's luck.
- Meaning
- English noun: a bird’s forked breastbone (furcula), traditionally broken in a wishing custom; also a similar forked mechanical part. Source
Try Wishbone out loud
Everyday moments“Wishbone, come here!”
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About Wishbone
Recorded as a dog’s name
Wishbone appears in 15 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
/wɪʃboʊn/
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
/wɪʃboʊn/ · primary stress on syllable 1W IH1 SH B OW2 N
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.