EPONYMOUS (Gr. [6voya, a name] ), a word originally meaning "given as a name" or "named after" a person or thing, and coming in time to mean "that which gives a name" to a person or thing, a term especially applied to the mythical or semi-mythical personages, heroes, deities, etc., from whom a country or city took its name. Thus Pelops is the giver of the name to the Peloponnese. At Athens the chief archon (q.v.) of the year was known as the apxwv Eirwvvjos, as the year was known by his name.