Name origin Proteus's name suggests the "first" (from Greek "" , "first"), as () is the "primordial" or the "firstborn". It is not certain to what this refers, but in myths where he is the son of Poseidon, it possibly refers to his being Poseidon's eldest son, older than Poseidon's other son, the sea-god Triton. The first attestation of the name is in Mycenaean Greek, although it is not certain whether it refers to the god or just a person; the attested form, in Linear B, is , . At Google Books.
name origin proteus's name suggests the "first" (from greek ""  "first") as () is the "primordial" or the "firstborn" it is not certain to what this refers but in myths where he is the son of poseidon it possibly refers to his being poseidon's eldest son older than poseidon's other son the sea-god triton the first attestation of the name is in mycenaean greek although it is not certain whether it refers to the god or just a person; the attested form in linear b is   at google books