The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Figurehead \Fig"ure*head`\, n.
   1. (Naut.) The figure, statue, or bust, on the prow of a
      ship.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A person who allows his name to be used to give standing
      to enterprises in which he has no responsible interest or
      duties; a nominal, but not real, head or chief.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

figurehead
    n 1: a person used as a cover for some questionable activity
         [syn: front man, front, figurehead, nominal head,
         straw man, strawman]
    2: figure on the bow of some sailing vessels

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

171 Moby Thesaurus words for "figurehead":
   Charlie McCarthy, a nobody, a nothing, adherent, advocate,
   alter ego, alternate, amicus curiae, armory, attorney, backup,
   backup man, badge, badge of office, badges, baton, beak, blazonry,
   bow, bowsprit, brassard, bust, button, cap and gown, carving,
   chain, chain of office, champion, cipher, class ring, cockade,
   collar, common man, creature, cross, decoration, deputy, disciple,
   doll, dolly, dress, dummy, eagle, emblems, ensigns,
   executive officer, exponent, fantoccini, fasces, figure, figurine,
   fleur-de-lis, flunky, follower, forecastle, foredeck, forepeak,
   front, front man, gillie, gingerbread man, goon, hammer and sickle,
   hanger-on, henchman, heraldry, insignia, insignificancy, jackal,
   jackstraw, jib boom, lackey, lapel pin, lay figure, lieutenant,
   lightweight, little fellow, little guy, livery, locum,
   locum tenens, mace, man, man of straw, manikin, mannequin, mantle,
   marionette, markings, medal, mediocrity, minion, model, monument,
   mortarboard, mouthpiece, myrmidon, nebbish, nobody one knows,
   nominal head, nonentity, nose, obscurity, old school tie,
   paranymph, pin, pinch hitter, pip-squeak, pleader, portrait bust,
   procurator, prore, prow, proxy, punk, puppet, regalia,
   representative, ring, rose, rostrum, runt, satellite, scarecrow,
   school ring, scrub, sculpture, second in command, secondary,
   shamrock, shrimp, sigillography, skull and crossbones, small fry,
   small potato, small potatoes, snowman, sphragistics, squirt, squit,
   staff, stand-in, statuary, statue, statuette, stem, stooge,
   straw man, substitute, surrogate, swastika, sycophant, tartan,
   thistle, thug, tie, understudy, uniform, utility man, verge, vicar,
   vicar general, vice, vicegerent, votary, wand, wax figure, waxwork,
   whiffet, whippersnapper, wood carving