Kalliope

 Kalliope is an Ancient Greek female name, from Καλλιοπη, meaning “beautiful voice,” from the Greek elements καλλος (beauty) and οψ (voice).  The name is borne from Ancient Greek mythology as one of the Muses; in fact, Kalliope is often depicted as the chief Muse as the inspiration behind the art form most important to the Greeks: epic poetry.  Kalliope and her eight sister-muses – Clio (history); Poylhymnia (mime); Euterpe (flute); Terpsichore (light verse and dance); Erato (lyrical sing-song poetry); Melpomene (tragedy); Thalia (comedy) and Urania (astronomy) – were the daughters of Mnemosyne (memory) and Zeus, the supreme god of gods. Together they were the source of inspiration to artists, writers and musicians of Ancient Greece who were, in turn, obliged to credit the Muses as their source of creativity. The nine sisters were most often depicted as wood-dwelling virgins supervised by Apollo, the Greek god of the arts. Probably the most famous of the muses (said to have inspired Homer’s writing of the Iliad and the Odyssey), Kalliope is also notable as the mother of Orpheus either by Apollo or the Thracian king Oeagrus (myths vary).  Apollo presented the boy with a lyre and through the inspiration of the Muses, Orpheus was said to have composed the most beautiful poetry and music the ancient world had ever known.  Not many parents are using these nine ancient female names on their daughters in modern times, but some are still in circulation (although rare). Kalliope (Latin: Calliope) can always be shortened to K/Callie.