Meaning and background
The story behind Woody
Woody has a documented use as an English short form of Woodrow, but it can also be a nickname inspired directly by wood. Pop-culture bearers include the cowboy toy from Toy Story, which adds a modern reference independent of the surname's origins. The name's two open syllables give it a casual feel compared with formal Woodrow. A woody landscape or wooden object might inspire a particular owner's choice, but cannot be assumed from the spelling alone.
- Origin
- English diminutive of Woodrow; also a nickname related to the English word wood. Source
Try Woody out loud
Everyday moments“Woody, come here!”
Say it as you would on a walk or at home. Does it feel natural alongside your usual commands and other pets’ names?
About Woody
Recorded as a dog’s name
Woody appears in 37 dog licence records in the 2026 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
/wʊdi/
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
/wʊdi/ · primary stress on syllable 1W UH1 D IY0
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
Compare your favourites
Put Woody beside another name before you decide.
Explore names like Woody
Narrow the finder by the features you want to keep.
Sources and research notes (2)
Gender association: NYC licence-period records. Any dog can use this name.
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — extract_year 2026 — Dog licence periods, not unique dogs; NYC only. No owner-level fields retrieved.
- 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.