What's the origin of the word halcyon?

Search: halcyon

Why: On the Babble list of "Facebook's Five Most Annoying Parents":

The Cool Parent

Oh, the good old halcyon days of all-night clubbing and indie rock concerts. Those were good times. The problem is they're over and have been replaced with broken sleep cycles and Laurie Berkner concerts...

Answer: From the Greek myth of Alcyone:

Alcyone married Ceyx, son of Eosphorus, the Morning Star. They were very happy together and often sacrilegiously called each other "Zeus" and "Hera." This angered Zeus, so while Ceyx was at sea, the god threw a thunderbolt at his ship. Ceyx appeared to Alcyone as an apparition to tell her of his fate, and she threw herself into the sea in her grief. Out of compassion, the gods changed them both into halcyon (kingfisher) birds, named after her.

Source: Wikipedia

The More You Know: The term halcyon days refers to a period of 7 days in winter when storms don't occur. These were originally the 7 days each year (either side of the winter solstice) during which Alcyone (as a bird) laid her eggs and made her nest on the beach. Her father Aeolus, god of the winds, restrained the winds and calmed the waves so she could do so in safety. The phrase has since become a term used to describe a peaceful or "golden" time.