What you do think about the name [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] nn [name_u]Pen[/name_u]? I like the name, but I worry about associations. My favorite animator is [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] [name_m]Ward[/name_m], but almost every other [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] I’ve encountered has been negative (correctional facility, Confederates, whiskey, military base, etc.) Would bad associations deter you from using a name? And do you like [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m]?
[name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] sounds like a stuffy English butler. I’m sorry, but I just don’t get it.
[name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] seems stuffy to me too, like @southern.maple said. Sorry to say 
It also reminds me of Paddington, from the bear movie that came out a few years ago.
If you like the nickname [name_u]Pen[/name_u], what about using [name_u]Spencer[/name_u] as a full name?
Others:
[name_u]Aspen[/name_u]
[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]
[name_m]Pennleigh[/name_m]
Carpenter
or just [name_m]Penn[/name_m] 
Let me know what you think!
My first thought with [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] was also Paddington the bear. And then I thought maybe it’s the name of a penguin character from something? Since I’m in the Northwest U.S., the strongest geographic association is [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m], Oregon, home of the [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] rodeo and [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] blankets, etc. It’s not an association everyone would want just because it’s so specific, but it’s certainly not a bad association.
[name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] sounds quite charming to me! [name_u]Pen[/name_u] is a spunky and fun nickname but I would spell it [name_m]Penn[/name_m], it looks more complete, and it’s still close enough to the name that it makes sense. I do get an aristocratic British vibe from it but don’t think that’s a bad thing. A positive association and what I thought of when I saw the name is British cyclist [name_f]Victoria[/name_f] [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m].
I am madly in love with [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m]! 
I don’t know the prison or the Confederate or the whisky so no bad associations for me.
I think of [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] shirts (very handsome) and a character from [name_f]Nancy[/name_f] [name_u]Drew[/name_u], also positive.
Plus I love [name_u]Pen[/name_u] and [name_m]Penn[/name_m] as nicknames. The world needs a [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m]!
And it is 5,000 times better than [name_m]Pennleigh[/name_m]. Ugh.
It sounds like it already has negative associations for you, though I would have to add itchy hipster blankets to the mix. And I agree with bonfireazalea, [name_m]Penn[/name_m] would be much better. It still works for the namesake and sounds a lot less stuffy.
I like [name_m]Penn[/name_m] just fine, but NOT [name_m]Pendleton[/name_m]. I think prison.
[name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] the US representative that led the vote AGAINST the 13th amendment. To me that’d be too negative a connotation to overcome. Sorry.
[name_m]Pendleton[/name_m] State University in 3rd [name_m]Rock[/name_m] from the [name_f]Sun[/name_f].
I immediately thought of the prison. Sorry.
I don’t like it. I Utomaticslly thought of the correction facility.