In Greek mythology, Hermaphroditus or Hermaphroditos Listeni/hərˌmæf.rəˈdaɪ.təs/ (Ancient Greek: Ἑρμαφρόδιτος) was the son of Aphrodite and Hermes. According to Ovid, he was born a remarkably handsome boy with whom the water nymph Salmacis fell in love and prayed to be united forever. A god, in answer to her prayer, merged their two forms into one and transformed them into an androgynous form.[1] His name is compounded of his parents' names, Hermes and Aphrodite.[2] He was one of the Erotes. Because he was a son of Hermes, and consequently a great-grandson of Atlas, sometimes he is called Atlantiades (Greek: Ατλαντιάδης).[3] Hermaphroditus' father, Hermes, was also called Atlantiades because his mother, Maia was the daughter of Atlas. His name is the basis for the word hermaphrodite.