| Greater occipital nerve | |
|---|---|
 Posterior primary divisions of the upper three cervical nerves. (Great occipital nerve labeled at center top.) | |
| Details | |
| From | C2 |
| Innervates | Semispinalis capitis, scalp |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | nervus occipitalis major |
| TA98 | A14.2.02.008 |
| TA2 | 6366 |
| FMA | 65443 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy | |
The greater occipital nerve is a nerve of the head. It is a spinal nerve, specifically the medial branch of the dorsal primary ramus of cervical spinal nerve 2. It arises from between the first and second cervical vertebrae, ascends, and then passes through the semispinalis muscle. It ascends further to supply the skin along the posterior part of the scalp to the vertex. It supplies sensation to the scalp at the top of the head, over the ear and over the parotid glands.[citation needed]