Cephalus

Cephalus is the Latinized form of the Greek name Κέφαλος (Kephalos), which derives from κεφαλή (kephale) meaning "head". In Greek mythology, Cephalus is a hero-figure with two distinct traditions: one as the son of Hermes and Herse, and another as the son of Deion (or Deioneos). The latter narrative centers on his marriage to Procris, a daughter of Erechtheus. The goddess Eos (Dawn) fell in love with Cephalus and abducted him, but he was eventually returned. The story concludes tragically when Cephalus accidentally killed his wife Procris while hunting, mistaking her for an animal in the bushes.

Notable Bearers

Beyond mythology, several historical figures bore the name Cephalus. The most notable is Cephalus of Syracuse (5th century BCE), a wealthy metic (resident alien) and arms manufacturer living in Athens who appears as a character in Plato's Republic, engaging in dialogue with Socrates about justice and old age. He was the father of the orator Lysias, the philosopher Polemarchus, and Euthydemus. Other historical bearers include an Athenian orator active after the rule of the Thirty Tyrants, and a Molossian who sided with King Perseus of Macedon during the Third Macedonian War.

Related Forms

The original Greek name Kephalos (Kephalos) is a direct variant. The root element kephale appears in scientific terms such as "cephalic" and in the taxonomic affix -cephalus used in the names of animals with distinctive heads.

• Meaning: head
• Origin: Greek
• Type: mythological hero name; personal name in antiquity
• Usage regions: Ancient Greece