Mephs: I was reading a series of old magazines called Man Myth & Magic (prolly worth something on ebay now, they're from the 60s or 70s but I cut loads of pictures out of them, and ruined any value they might have had), from Mephistophiles, or Mephistopheles, the demon in Goethe's Dr Faustus, to whom said doctor sold his soul.
According to the article it might have been from Hebrew meaning something along the lines of 'he who does not like light'. I particularly liked his almost wolverine-esque haircut in one painting of it (I can't find the painting online, or I'd link).
Anyways, long story short, I wasn't sure which spelling to choose, and decided for brevity 'Mephs'.
I've had this nick for at least 6 or 7 years (back before the internet was popular, and you could trick almost any noob into installing Back Orifice etc)...aah, happy times.
I love reminiscing about ye olde internet days...