Meaning and background
The story behind Woods
Woods is often an English surname variant of Wood, linked to residence near woodland. Irish Woods surnames can have quite different histories, including anglicisations of Gaelic family names; it is incorrect to force those lineages into one English translation. The modern plural noun woods simply means a wooded area, but it is not proof of any particular family's ancestry. Its single-syllable sound also makes it a practical spoken pet name distinct from singular Wood.
- Origin
- English surname related to Wood and woodland; Irish examples include anglicised Gaelic surnames with independent histories. Source
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Everyday moments“Woods, come here!”
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About Woods
Recorded as a dog’s name
Woods appears in 2 dog licence records in the 2017 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
/wʊdz/
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
/wʊdz/ · primary stress on syllable 1W UH1 D Z
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.