Meaning and background
The story behind Finny
Finny is the nickname of Phineas in John Knowles’s A Separate Peace. The publisher’s excerpt places him at Devon School during the summer of 1942 and portrays an athletic boy drawing his companions into a daring jump from a tree into a river. That supplies a specific literary namesake, with friendship and rivalry forming part of the reading context. A dog owner may choose Finny after the character or a memorable book. This documented nickname does not establish a connection with Finn or define every use of the spelling.
- Association
- Nickname of Phineas in John Knowles’s A Separate Peace, documented in the publisher’s book excerpt. Source
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About Finny
Recorded as a dog’s name
Finny appears in 5 dog licence records in the 2022 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
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Sources and research notes (2)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
- City of Seattle Seattle Pet Licenses — DOG-only name aggregate, current source dated 6 October 2026 — Secondary spelling corroboration from dog-only licence rows. No cats, owner fields, national ranking or unique-dog claim.
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.