Mephisto is a variant of Mephistopheles, the name of a demonic figure from German legend, most famously portrayed in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's tragic play Faust. The name has become synonymous with a tempter who bargains for souls.EtymologyThe etymology of Mephistopheles is highly uncertain. Scholars have speculated on both Hebrew and Greek origins. One Hebrew theory combines mefits (scatterer) and ṭafal (liar), suggesting a meaning like "disperser of lies." A Greek derivation posits mē (not), phos (light), and philos (friend/lover), yielding "not a lover of light." Many other etymologies have been proposed, but none is definitive.Literary SignificanceIn Goethe's Faust, Mephistopheles is the devil who makes a pact with the scholar Faust: offering magical powers and earthly pleasures in exchange for Faust's soul. This story, based on earlier German folklore, has cemented Mephisto as a byword for a diabolical bargainer. Outside of literature, the name has been used in various media, including the Marvel comics character Mephisto.Other UsesIn taxonomy, Mephisto is also the name of a genus of spikefishes (family Triacanthodidae), though this is a separate, purely biological application.Meaning: Variant of Mephistopheles; possibly "scatterer of lies" or "not a lover of light"Type: Given name (literary)Origin: German legendUsage: Predominantly in fictional contexts