Phineas

Phineas is a masculine given name of English usage, derived from the Hebrew Bible name Pinḥas (Phinehas). The form Phineas appears in older English texts, while Phineas or Phinehas are common in modern usage. The name has been used since the early modern period and appears in religious, literary, and historical contexts. It is occasionally used as a middle name and remains in use in contemporary naming, though it is relatively uncommon.

Notable individuals named Phineas include Phineas Gage (c. 1823–1860), an American railroad foreman whose survival of a severe brain injury contributed to the understanding of personality and frontal lobe function; Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810–1891), the American showman and cofounder of Barnum & Bailey Circus; Phineas Fletcher (c. 1580s–1650), an English poet known for The Purple Island; Phineas Banning (1800–1885), an American entrepreneur and founder of Wilmington, California; and Phineas Newborn Jr. (1931–1989), an American jazz pianist.

In popular culture, the name is used for fictional characters such as Phineas Flynn, the inventive boy protagonist of the animated series Phineas and Ferb.