I don’t want to use it, just curious if things like [name_m]How[/name_m] I Met Your Mother have made this name more useable than it was previously?
I think it’s perfectly usable. Never seen HIMYM, but I don’t think the purple dinosaur or the Flintstones character have the association that it used to among kids as I don’t think they’re screened the same amount as when a lot of us members were young. And [name_m]Barnes[/name_m]/[name_m]Barnaby[/name_m]/[name_m]Barnabus[/name_m] are all solid full names to back it up as well if required. I’m actually quite a fan of [name_m]Barney[/name_m] as a name.
I think that it would be usable as a nn for [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] or [name_m]Barnabus[/name_m], as essjay said, but I don’t think it’s usable as a stand alone fn. The first thing I think of is the big purple dinosaur, the second thing I think of is [name_u]Neil[/name_u] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] [name_m]Harris[/name_m]. But personally, I don’t think that his character has made it any more usable. [name_f]Every[/name_f] time I see an episode of HIMYM, I just think how incongruous his name is compared to his character.
We watched [name_m]Barney[/name_m] all the time at the daycare.
That being said, I still think it’s a perfectly usable nickname. I don’t like it as a full name. I think with [name_m]Barnabus[/name_m] or [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] or one of those longer names, it’s be fine.
I agree with dantea and leahmarie and though it maybe a fine nickname I do not think it could be a stand alone firtsname.
For me, despite the celebrity of the [name_m]Barney[/name_m] Stintson character… I only think of the purple dinosaur when I hear the name and not him.
For me at least, I am not sure if the name will ever outlive the association.
I watched [name_m]Barney[/name_m] as a kid and of course that’s the first thing I think of, but I also think of the brilliant character in [name_m]How[/name_m] I met you Mother which makes me love that name so much more.
I think it’s totally usable.
I think of Flintstones & the purple dinosaur before [name_u]Neil[/name_u] [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] [name_m]Harris[/name_m]. I don’t think it’s unusable, but I’m sure someone will make the occasional comment so if that would bother you a lot, maybe find a name with less associations. [name_m]Plenty[/name_m] of people use [name_m]Felix[/name_m] & [name_m]Casper[/name_m], but plenty of other find them too cartoonishly cat or ghostlike. I think all of these names are fine unless hearing someone reference any of these namesakes makes mom or dad cringe!
Also- I don’t really watch TV so while I am aware of these associations I have no idea how popular any of these shows are…are the children’s ones still on?
I’m watching this thread with interest because I love the name [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m], which I think will almost inevitably be shortened to [name_m]Barney[/name_m]. [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m] is great, but I’m not sure about [name_m]Barney[/name_m]. Im a little too old for the purple dinosaur, but watched plenty of Flintsones and [name_u]Andy[/name_u] [name_m]Griffith[/name_m] ([name_m]Barney[/name_m] [name_u]Fife[/name_u]) as a kid.
I just relate it to a St. [name_m]Bernard[/name_m] I once knew.
I don’t think it’s useable as a first name either. My first associations are [name_m]Barney[/name_m] [name_u]Fife[/name_u] and the purple dinosaur, which I refuse to let my daughter watch. I don’t think these connections with the name will go away for awhile.
Not to sidetrack the thread, but I’m curious why you refuse to let your daughter watch [name_m]Barney[/name_m]?
It’s great as a nickname for [name_m]Barnaby[/name_m], which is one of my two favorites for a boy. 