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djublonskopf t1_j71ffx9 wrote

In 1693, the Dutch anatomist Philip Verheyden performed a dissection of his own leg (after it was amputated). Upon reaching the tendon we now call the Achilles Tendon, he jokingly (or poetically) referred to it as chorda Achillis, or "Achilles' sinew". This was the first recorded connection between a real part of human anatomy and the myth of Achilles, and several sources credit Verheyden with coining the association. (EDIT: This account appears to be apocryphal; apparently in his writings he credits several colleagues with coming up with the name.)

As for specifically calling it the Achilles tendon, that name was coined (in Latin, as tendo Achillis) in the early eighteenth century by German anatomy professor Lorenz Heister.

As to other mythological body parts:

  • The atlas vertebrae holds up the skull, just as the titan Atlas held up the sky in Greek mythology
  • The Latin lympha is derived from the Greek nymphe; lympha meaning "clean and pure water" after the Greek story of the nymphs. Our bodies' own lymph is so named.
  • See this paper investigating (with good citations) a whole bunch more.
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superkoning t1_j718yqc wrote

A bit related: https://physicaltherapyweb.com/human-anatomical-terms-with-interesting-origins/

among which

Adam’s Apple – The cartilaginous laryngeal prominence in males is believed to be so named because, in ancient times, it was supposedly thought to be a piece of forbidden fruit caught in Adam’s throat. There are conflicting arguments however, with the main counter-argument being that it is simply a mistranslation from another language.

... which is mythological for some people

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TeamMemberDZ-015 t1_j74vca2 wrote

Iris is the Greek goddess of rainbows. Lymph is the Latin derivation of Nymph (water spirits). The Atlas bone C1 vertebrae has been mentioned.

There are several small structures in the brain whose names are derived from Greek or Egyptian via Greece mythological characters. The nucleus edymalis (aka nucleus reuniens), which is part of the thalamus is named for the boy Zeus fancied & offered a gift. He chose eternal youth who slumbers forever. The thalamus has been described as cushion armrests. Interestingly, we now know the nucleus edymalis & thalamus in general is connected to sleep regulation. That wasn't known when the naming was done.

The cornu ammonis is named for the Egyptian god Amun-Ra (aka Ammon) because it looks like ram's horns, which that god is often depicted as having.

There is a cerebral venous malformation that is sometimes called caput Medusa.

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