Stephen's first name is the same as that of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. His last name, Dedalus, is the same as the Dedalus from Greek mythology.

Dedalus was a skillful craftsman, and the father of Icarus and Iapyx. The most famous story including Dedalus comes from  Ovid, in his Metamorphoses (VIII:183-235). Dedalus and his son Icaraus are prisoners on the island of Crete. They cannot leave by sea, since the king kept strict watch on all vessels, permitting none to sail without being carefully searched. Since Minos controlled the land and sea routes, Dedalus set to work to fabricate wings for himself and his young son Icarus using wax, feathers and string. Dedalus warned Icarus not to fly too high, because the heat of the sun would melt the wax, nor too low, because the sea foam would soak the feathers. Icarus, of course, flies too high and plunges to his death.