# What is the plural of Phoenix?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-plural-of-phoenix/233382>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 10, 2004, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-plural-of-phoenix/233382 "2004-03-10T00:23:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![coop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/87869e/32.png) [@coop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coop)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-plural-of-phoenix/233382/21 "2004-03-11T02:13:41Z")

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Is the plural of sheep - sheeps??? 😕

Obviously not, therefore the plural of Phoenix does not have to be a different word.

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-plural-of-phoenix/233382/22 "2004-03-11T03:01:37Z")

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> [@Chronos](#):
>
> While the Phoenix is unique, it seems to me that she ought to be considered less unique than Pegasus. After all, one might plausibly discuss various iterations, so to speak, of the Phoenix.

Nah. Just like you don’t talk about the “Doctor Whos” - you refer to the First Doctor, the Fourth Doctor, and so on. Same person, just in a different physical form.

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**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-plural-of-phoenix/233382/23 "2004-03-12T00:15:59Z")

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> [@Northern Piper](#):
>
> Nah. Just like you don’t talk about the “Doctor Whos” - you refer to the First Doctor, the Fourth Doctor, and so on. Same person, just in a different physical form.

And which of these Doctor **s** was your favorite?

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**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-plural-of-phoenix/233382/24 "2004-03-12T00:27:31Z")

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Hysterical claim: “You would never have an opportunity to use ‘Phoenix’ in the plural!”  
Counter: Many states have cities with the same names. There are many Springfields and Phoenixes, for example.

Second Counter: You would think that there have been many Phoenices, but they are in fact, one and the same creature.

Peace.

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