English Name

Phoenix's name certainly does not sound like a normal name at all. A phoenix, as most people are aware of, is a mythological bird made of flames. A phoenix is said to be able to live forever -- when it reaches old age, it burns itself up, and from its ashes, a new baby phoenix is born.

At first glance, this doesn't seem to have much to do with Phoenix and his character, but upon closer inspection, it fits quite nicely. Phoenix (the character) is known for being able to turn the tides of a court battle in his favor. Even when it looks like the opposition is about to win, Phoenix is able to rise from the bottom and to the top, winning the case. The mythological phoenix bird is supposed to reference to Phoenix being able to rise from the ashes.

Phoenix is also affectionately called Nick by Maya. At first, I wasn't sure where Maya got the name 'Nick' from, and it wasn't until the third game that a lightbulb went off in my head. Nick is taken from the second syllable of PhoeNIX. I'm pretty sure most people got it, but for anyone whose head was stuck under a rock like mine, well, now you now.

As for Phoenix's last name, it is merely a pun. Phoenix always turns out to be Wright, right?

Japanese name

Phoenix's Japanese name os Ryuuichi Naruhoudou. Ryuuichi is a normal Japanese name, with no real reason behind choosing it other than they liked the name.

His last name, Naruhoudou, means "I see" or "Is that so?" in Japanese. Phoenix's creator (and voice actor) explained that people say 'naruhoudou" even when they are confused, and I guess he found it amusing in that sense, so he used it as the last name for the lawyer.