Zephyrus was the Greek god and personification of the west wind, traditionally associated with gentle breezes, flowers, springtime, and early summer. His name also became the English word “zephyr,” meaning a soft or mild breeze.
Zephyrus belonged to the Anemoi, the directional wind gods. Hesiodic tradition makes him the son of Eos, goddess of the dawn, and Astraeus, a deity associated with the stars. His brothers included Boreas, the north wind; Notus, the south wind; and Eurus, the east wind.
The west wind was generally viewed as the mildest and most favorable. In the story of Hyacinthus, Zephyrus is sometimes portrayed as a jealous admirer whose wind helps cause the youth’s death, although other versions make Apollo’s throw an accident and omit Zephyrus. His Roman equivalent was Favonius. Boreas is the common mix-up: he was the north wind, not the spring-associated west wind.