Meaning and background
The story behind Yates
Yates has roots as an English surname. Historical forms involve Middle English words for gates, and surname dictionaries discuss people who lived near a gate as well as related name developments. That makes it a family-name borrowing rather than a word whose literal meaning should simply be printed as 'gatekeeper' in all cases. Its clipped, one-syllable shape is practical to call, while its documentary interest lies in medieval English topography and naming.
- Origin
- English surname associated with Middle English yates, “gates”, often identifying someone by a gate; additional surname histories may apply. Source
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About Yates
Recorded as a dog’s name
Yates 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.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/jeɪts/
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
/jeɪts/ · primary stress on syllable 1Y EY1 T S
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.