Cephalus (; ,
Kephalos) is a name, used both for the hero-figure in
Greek mythology and carried as a
theophoric name by historical persons. The word
kephalos is Greek for "head", perhaps used here because Cephalus was the founding "head" of a great family that includes
Odysseus. It could be that Cephalus means the head of the Sun who kills (evaporates)
Procris (dew) with his unerring ray or 'javelin'. Cephalus was one of the lovers of the dawn
goddess Eos.