Tristan or Felix - thoughts?

[BettyBi0]

I'm interested in hearing people's gut instinct on these 2 names. No matter how prejudiced, blunt, or irrational.

What kind of profession could you imagine either one having? I'm worried that they both sound a bit drippy or even faddy but there are so few names me and DP agree on!

I think Felix is really cool and Tristan a bit wet.

I have a Felix, he'll be two in June. He's named after the lead singer of an Australian band that my husband and I love so we have very happy associations with the name! DD always asks if we can "listen to Felix" in the car, so she loves their music too.

My uncle didn't like it when Mum called him to let him know, like other posters here his immediate reaction was "like the cat". He even asks after little Felix the cat almost two years down the line but I think it's quite sweet. He's in his 70s and said himself he's quite old fashioned in that respect.

Not met another one as yet - other than a very very hunky Dad at the nursery. Gorgeous black guy, a drippy Felix he was not!

Felix for me.

I think Tristan is a really old (English?) name and know about the whole Tristan and Izolde connection, but for some reason it sounds to me like a more modern name like Cody maybe or Kayden. There is nothing wrong with what I think are more modern names, but I just don't happen to love them. It's definitely not a 'posh' name where I'm from though, so if that's a concern I wonder if it depends where you live.

I'm not a huge fan of either, though I prefer Tristan.

Felix seems quite popular around here at the moment, though, so obviously it has its fans :)

I prefer Tristan. Felix is cat food. Also, there are loads of them (6 at the school I work at).

I have a Felix. I'm a bit perturbed that it's getting popular because we chose it five years ago when expecting DC1. I think it's cool and strong and the cat connection doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Out of either of them, I would prefer Tristan.

My cat eats Felix cat food, so that would put me off Felix.

I like Tristan. We've considered Trystan, the Welsh version (pronounced trust-anne) which I think is pretty cool :)

To me Tristan is an overly posh name. I imagine a floppy haired inept simpleton who has advanced to a position of achievement thanks to family connections.

I don't love Felix, but definitely prefer it. It has less immediate associations so the owner can make it their own!

I like both names. Prefer Tristan a bit (probably because there was an absolutely stunning student called Tristan at our local uni when I was in 6th form who we all had a crush on. Looked like Rob Lowe.) I know two Felixes. One is gentle and a bit forgetful. The other has an ego the size of England.

SpeakNoWords you're absolutely right that the Celtic etymology of Tristan is from a sound / tumult of the the clashing of swords.

However, the connection with the French 'triste' is very old indeed, certainly back to Gottfried von Strassburg's version of Tristan from the 12th century. Tristan's parents were doomed lovers: his father, Rivalin, died in battle and his pregnant wife, Blanchefor, died of grief in childbirth. Gottfried makes it clear that Tristan's adoptive parents name him with this tragedy in mind.

Literary nerd attack over!