Alphäus

This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Alpheiós / Alfeiós (Ἀλφειός),” meaning “resourceful, changing, whitish.” Alphaios was in Greek mythology a river (the modern Alfeiós River) and river-god. Alpheius was a passionate hunter and fell in love with the nymph Arethusa. Still, she fled from him to the island of Ortygia near Syracuse and metamorphosed herself into a well, after which Alpheius became a river, which flows from Peloponnesus under the sea to Ortygia, there united its waters with those of the well Arethusa. Alfeo-Clopa is a figure of early Christianity. The name appears only once in the New Testament, specifically in John 19:25: Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. About the name Alphaeus, its etymology is connected to the Hebrew root (Halaf), meaning “return.” Besides, this name is attested to the evangelical form Halfàios (Ἁλφαῖος) and Alfios (Ἄλφιος). Among the Amorites (Hilfi) and (Hilfìi), among the Nabataeans (Halfò) and (Halfi).