Etymology
Phrixos is the Greek form of the name Phrixus, which derives from the Greek word phrix (φρίξ) meaning "ripple, shiver" or "bristling, standing on end". Thus the name carries a sense of "thrilling" or "causing shivers." This etymology is reflected in the character's mythological association with the shiver of fear and the thrilling escape from sacrifice.
Mythological Background
In Greek mythology, Phrixos (commonly Latinized as Phrixus) was the son of Athamas, king of Boeotia, and the cloud goddess Nephele. He and his sister Helle became the target of their stepmother Ino, who schemed to have them sacrificed to Zeus by bribing an oracle to mislead the populace. However, the children were rescued by a flying ram with a golden fleece, sent by their divine mother Nephele. During their flight, Helle fell off and drowned in the strait later named the Hellespont in her honor. Phrixos safely reached Colchis, where he sacrificed the ram to Zeus and gave the Golden Fleece to King Aeëtes, who hung it in a grove guarded by a dragon. This fleece later became the object of the quest of Jason and the Argonauts.
Phrixos later married Chalciope (or Iophassa), daughter of King Aeëtes, and became the father of several sons including Argus, Phrontis, Melas, and Cytisorus. The myth of Phrixos is central to the story of the Golden Fleece, tying together the traditions of Boeotia and Colchis.
Cultural Significance
The name Phrixos is relatively rare in modern usage but holds a place in classical literature and mythology. Its meaning "bristling" evokes the static charge of fear and the miraculous escape from death. In ancient Greek culture, names often reflected key attributes of their mythical bearers, and Phrixos is a prime example of a name encoding a sense of trembling or thrill associated with his perilous adventure.
Sources: Wikipedia — Phrixus