Simon

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Simon male forename; Simon was the original name of the Apostle St Peter (see Peter1).
St Simon another Apostle, is also known as Simon the Zealot. According to one tradition he preached and was martyred in Persia along with St Jude. His feast day (with St Jude) is 28 October.
Simon Magus a magician, who in Acts 8 was baptized by Philip, and who tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit from Peter and Paul, and was rejected by them (see also simony). According to legend, Simon Magus was killed attempting to fly to demonstrate his superior magic powers.
Simon of Cyrene in the Bible, a man from Cyrene who in Mark 15:21 was made by the Roman soldiers to carry the Cross on the way to Calvary; Simon helping Jesus with his burden is one of the Stations of the Cross.
Simon-pure completely genuine, authentic, or honest, from (the real) Simon Pure, a character in Centlivre's Bold Stroke for a Wife (1717), who for part of the play is impersonated by another character.
Simple Simon a foolish or gullible person, probably from the name of a character who features in various nursery rhymes; the first known is recorded in a chapbook of the mid 18th century, but it is suggested that the name may be earlier by several centuries.

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