I’m looking for general thoughts on [name_m]Phineas[/name_m]. Likes, dislikes, associations, imagery, whatever.
I had never looked the name up, and was recently surprised to find out just how unusual the name is and always has been in the US. No sugar coating required with your response, though if you say you hate it or it’s ugly, I’d like to know why you feel that way. [name_f]My[/name_f] love of the name won’t change, I’m more interested in learning what my son would experience with the name [name_m]Phineas[/name_m]. The only ‘bad’ association I can think of would be the cartoon, which I just know by name, so I’m not even sure if it’s ‘bad’ or just an association, and that still leaves me wondering why it’s never been popular, as the cartoon is only a few years old.
I’d like to use [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] [name_u]Robin[/name_u]. Thoughts on the combo and any issues you see with it are appreciated, but not necessary. I’ve already noticed the initials are PBR, which doesn’t bother me much.
I think [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] is handsome. [name_f]My[/name_f] favorite “[name_u]Finn[/name_u]” names are [name_u]Finley[/name_u] and [name_u]Finn[/name_u] but [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] and [name_m]Finian[/name_m] are tied for third. I do not know much about the cartoon, I have only heard the name (the cartoon’s) a handful of times. [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] is a strong name that I can easily picture on a boy and a man. The name [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] I can see on many different personalities.
I like the upbeat, bookish feel of [name_m]Phineas[/name_m]. I considered it for my own list at one point, but I couldn’t decide if I thought it was versatile enough. [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] seems like it would fit the intellectual or artistic type guy but not so much any other type. I think [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] [name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] sounds better.
[name_m]Phineas[/name_m] is my favorite boy name and has been since I discovered it by way of A Separate [name_u]Peace[/name_u] in middle school. The character is confident and charming, though tragic. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband is on board with using this name, but we had to get around the fact that the name only reminded him of [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] [name_m]Gage[/name_m] and his railroad-spike TBI… which also feels tragic (or miraculous?). And then you have P.T. [name_m]Barnum[/name_m] and his circus not helping matters. I think that the name is just so rarely used that the associations are strong, but many people might not even make these connections.
I am not familiar with the cartoon at all.
[name_m]Phineas[/name_m] might be unusual but natural nickname [name_u]Finn[/name_u] is definitely popular enough that people will be comfortable using it.
I don’t know if I’ve made a great case, but these are the things that I’ve considered… and I still love the name.
Oh, and I think PBR is kind of funny and not at all troublesome (unless you are actually a huge PBR fan… then no) but I agree with the previous poster about the flow/rhythm of [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] [name_u]Robin[/name_u] [name_u]Blaise[/name_u]. For what it is worth, I also love the name [name_u]Robin[/name_u].
I really like [name_m]Phineas[/name_m]. I have only positive thoughts about the name. The only association I have with it is that [name_f]Julia[/name_f] [name_m]Roberts[/name_m] named her son [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] maybe 10 years ago. It’s a pretty ancient association and will pretty definitely not effect your son. [name_f]My[/name_f] only thought would be that if you plan on calling him [name_u]Finn[/name_u], there may be a lot of other boys with varying names that arrive at that name in different ways. Otherwise [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] [name_u]Robin[/name_u] is really nice.
Hmm, so it is liked, just not used often. I’ll have to see if I can find the cartoon and see why people who are familiar with the cartoon consider it unusable.
Being able to go by [name_u]Finn[/name_u] is what makes [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] work, imo. If he’s uncomfortable with the “bookishness” of [name_m]Phineas[/name_m], [name_u]Finn[/name_u] feels more casual.
@maple and dotdraper: I probably will switch the middles. I’m not very bothered by PBR, but I do notice it.
Honestly, you’ve all made me love it even more. I was expecting lots of “ewws” and “do not likes”, so this was a pleasant surprise. [name_m]Phineas[/name_m] is here to stay!