Meaning and background
The story behind Zavala
Zavala is documented as a variant of Zabala. The linked Zabala entry identifies a place-based surname from Biscay and derives its vocabulary from Basque zabal, large or wide. The relationship therefore follows an explicit surname link rather than a translation guessed from similar letters. An owner choosing Zavala as a family-inspired dog name can preserve that Basque place connection while retaining the exact spelling used by the family.
- Origin
- Variant of Zabala, a Biscay place-derived surname from Basque zabal, large or wide. Source · Source 2
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About Zavala
Recorded as a dog’s name
Zavala appears in 2 dog licence records in the 2023 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
/zɑvɑlə/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the second syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/zɑvɑlə/ · primary stress on syllable 2Z AA0 V AA1 L AH0
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.