The Meaning Of The Words
Kefalonia, Cephalonia and Kefallinia
Introduction
As one pages through information on the island of Kefalonia, he
will see the following words - Kefalonia, Cephalonia and Kefallinia and wonder
why there are so many names for one island. KEFALONIA
The name Kefalonia is derived from the mythological hero Kefalos,
who came to the island as a refugee from Athens. According to the myth, he
conquered the inhabitants of the region of Tafi, located on the peninsula of
Paliki. After conquering Paliki, he became the king of the island.
See Outline History of Kefalonia CEPHALONIA
Cephalonia is the Anglicized form of Kefalonia. The word
Cephalonia is pronounced Sefalonia. The English governed the island from
1809 until 1864, and the Anglicized Cephalonia has remained in the
literature. For the English Period of the history of Kefalonia see
Outline History of Kefalonia KEFALLINIA
Kefallinia is the Greek name for the province, which includes
the islands of Kefalonia, Ithaca and the small islands off the eastern coast:
Atokos and Arkoydi. The capital of the province of Kefallinia is Argostoli,
which is on the island of Kefalonia; thus leading some people to call the island
Kefallinia. Properly, however, the word Kefallinia refers only to
the name of the province in which Kefalonia is located. See Political
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