In this simple review we discuss some important anatomical and functional aspects of the first cervical nerve (C1). The C1 has considerable clinical importance, and the particulars of this nerve are conflicting among several authors, thus, the present review shall be essential for health sciences and those who keep some interest in pathologies associated with the nerves of the neck. For the preparation of this text were consulted papers published in English and textbooks. The articles were accessed from a basic search on SciELO, MEDLINE, PubMed, LILACS, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect.