There is not a direct link with a Norse God, but since many dwarves in Norse mythology were blacksmiths, he could be linked with Brokkr. The Egyptians affiliated him with Ptah and the Romans with Vulcan. Many epithets were used to describe his brilliance and his work, like Khalkeus (coppersmith), Polymetis (resourceful) and Polyphron (inventive) as well as Klytotekhnes (famous artificer). Other common epithets, describing his attributes were Amphigyeeis (crippled on both sides) and Kyllopodion (the one with dragging feet).
The name is also linked with the Linear B a-pa-i-ti-jo, further showing that Hephaestus is actually a theophoric name.Ī common epithet of Hephaestus was Aitnaios (Aetnaean) because he built his workshop under mount Aetna in Sicily. It seems that the name is theophoric, meaning a name that shows what the god is “the god of”. The name Hephaestus reveals the linking of the God with volcanoes, as the greek word for volcano is «ηφαίστειον» (haphaistion). Fire, Smiths and Crafters, Metallurgy, Volcanoes
