Griffin draws on two threads: a Welsh surname meaning something like "strong lord," and the mythical creature -- part eagle, part lion -- long used as a symbol of vigilant guardianship. Together they give the name a watchful, protective quality, strength kept in reserve rather than displayed.
The darkness of night and immobility interrupt the spirituality of diurnal celestial bodies; each star must be used in its own form. - Picatrix (Andalusia, ~1000.AD)