Folk etymology

Besides a word for truth meaning "reality", Greek has a word for "truth" as in sure or real but it is not used in the GNT (Greek New Testament) or the LXX (Septuagint).

The ancient Greek word "ἔτυμος" ≈ "true, real, sure".
The ancient Greek word "ἐτεός" ≈ "true, genuine, reality".
The modern Greek word "ετυμολογία" (eh-tee-mo-lo-Y-a) ≈ "etymology".

This word is the basis for the word "etymology" which means, literally, the "true word", as in the field of study of the history and meanings of words.

More: Greek truth as reality

The English word "hunt" appears to be similar to "hound", but they are not related.

The Bosporus straight connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea and separates the small part of Turkey (containing Istanbul) from the rest of Turkey. The name Bosporus means, literally, a "cattle passage".

The modern Greek word "βους" (vus) ≈ "cow, ox".
The modern Greek word "πόρος" (PO-ros) ≈ "passage" from which we get the English word "pore".

The word apparently has a mythical origin and sounded so close to "cow passage" that the story became a folk legend or folk etymology.

A folk etymology is that the ancient Greek word "πάνθηρ" ≈ "panther" comes from the ancient Greek word "πᾰν" ≈ "all", as in "pandemic" and the ancient Greek word "θήρ" ≈ "beast" or the ancient Greek word "θήρα" ≈ "hunt".

More: The panther as an all-beast

The Roman god Mercury is the Greek god Hermes from the ancient Greek word "Ἑρμῆς" ≈ "Hermes, Mercury" the messenger of the gods who is related to commerce, deception, etc. The modern Greek word "Ερμής" (EHr-MEES) ≈ "Hermes, Mercury".

Hermes is considered the inventor of language and speech - as both an interpreter and a deceiver. Such language could lead to truths or to non-truths.

A folk etymology is that it is related to the ancient Greek word "ἑρμηνεύς" ≈ "interpreter" as to the meaning of something and was used by Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834 )to coin the word "hermeneutics" as the study of the meaning of words and texts.

Aristotle wrote a work the ancient Greek work "Περὶ Ἑρμηνείας" ≈ "On Interpretation" which has the Latin name "De Interpretatione" ≈ "On Interpretation". This work defined the technical Greek word "ἑρμηνεία" ≈ "interpretation, meaning".

This and related words appears often in the GNT.

This word appears to be pre-Greek so there may be some unknown connection between this word and the word for "Hermes".

Acts 14:12

All

KJV: And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

Greek: εκαλουν τε τον μεν βαρναβαν δια τον δε παυλον ερμην επειδη αυτος ην ο ηγουμενος του λογου

Latin: et vocabant Barnaban Iovem Paulum vero Mercurium quoniam ipse erat dux verbi

Tyndale: And they called Barnabas Iupiter and Paul Mercurius because he was the preacher.

Geneva: And they called Barnabas, Iupiter: and Paul, Mercurius, because hee was the chiefe speaker.

Luther: Und nenneten Barnabas Jupiter und Paulus Mercurius, dieweil er das Wort führete.

Slavonic: Нарицаху же убо Варнаву Диа, Павла же Ермиа, понеже той бяше началник слова.

Russian: И называли Варнаву Зевсом, а Павла Ермием, потому что он начальствовал в слове.

Spanish: Y a Bernabé llamaban Júpiter, y a Pablo, Mercurio, porqueéste era el que llevaba la palabra.

John 1:42

All

KJV: And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

Greek: και ηγαγεν αυτον προς τον ιησουν εμβλεψας δε αυτω ο ιησους ειπεν συ ει σιμων ο υιος ιωνα ιωαννου συ κληθηση κηφας ο ερμηνευεται πετρος

Latin: et adduxit eum ad Iesum intuitus autem eum Iesus dixit tu es Simon filius Iohanna tu vocaberis Cephas quod interpretatur Petrus

Wessex: & hyo ledden hyne to þam halende. Þa be-heold se halend hyne & cwaeð. Ðu eart symon iohannes sunu. þu beost ge-nemned cephas. þaet ys ge-reht petrus.

Wycliffe: And Jhesus bihelde hym, and seide, Thou art Symount, the sone of Johanna; thou schalt be clepid Cefas, that is to seie, Petre.

Tyndale: and brought him to Iesus. And Iesus behelde him and sayde: thou arte Simon the sonne of Ionas thou shalt be called Cephas: which is by interpretacion a stone.

Luther: Und führete ihn zu Jesu. Da ihn Jesus sah, sprach er: Du bist Simon, Jonas Sohn; du sollst Kephas heißen (das wird verdolmetscht: ein Fels) .

Slavonic: И приведе его ко Иисусови. Воззрев же нань Иисус рече: ты еси Симон сын Ионин: ты наречешися Кифа, еже сказается Петр.

Russian: и привел его к Иисусу. Иисус же, взглянув на него, сказал: ты-Симон, сын Ионин; ты наречешься Кифа, что значит: камень (Петр) .

Spanish: Y le trajo a Jesús. Y mirándole Jesús, dijo: Tú eres Simón hijo de Jonás; tú serás llamado Cefas (que quiere decir piedra) .

Do sparrows eat asparagus?
The English word "asparagus" comes, through French and Latin, from the ancient Greek word "ἀσφάραγος" ≈ "asparagus" which appears to have a pre-Greek origin.

Because of the sound of the word "asparagus" some in England would call it "sparrow grass". This is just a folk etymology for similar sounding words.
An asparagus plant can be extensive. Birds eating the seeds as the plant goes to seed might give the impression that it is, indeed, "grass for sparrows" or "sparrow grass".

More: Matthew 10: Taking care of the sparrows