Cephas

Cephas is a name of Aramaic origin, famously associated with Simon Peter, one of Jesus's twelve apostles. In the New Testament, Jesus bestows the name Cephas upon Simon, which means 'rock' or 'stone' in Aramaic. This name was then translated into Greek as 'Petros', from which the English name Peter derives. The significance of this renaming is profound in Christian tradition, symbolizing Peter's foundational role in the early Church.

The name Cephas itself is not widely used as a given name in modern times, but its historical and religious importance is immense. It serves as a direct link to the linguistic context of Jesus's ministry and the early Christian community. While Peter became the more common form due to its Greek translation, Cephas remains a powerful and evocative name for those familiar with its biblical roots.