How to say it
vir · GIN · ia
vərˈdʒɪn.jə
Feminine
Virginia
Maiden
What it means
From the Latin Verginius, later tied to virgo, 'maiden' or 'virgin.'
Virginia comes from the Roman family name Verginius, later linked to the Latin virgo, 'maiden.' It is the name of the first English child born in the Americas, Virginia Dare, and of the US state honoring the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I. Writer Virginia Woolf lends it literary weight. Ginny is the short. Said vur-JIN-yuh.
How to spell Virginia
The standard spelling is Virginia. Common variants include Virginie, Virgina, but Virginia is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #6 in 1921, currently #526 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Ginny.
- Pop culture
Writer Virginia Woolf; the US state.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Virginia Woolf English novelist and a pioneering figure of literary modernism
Spelling variants
- Virginie
- Virgina
Names with the same feeling
See Virginia from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Virginia mean?
- From the Latin Verginius, later tied to virgo, 'maiden' or 'virgin.'
- What does Virginia mean in Latin?
- In Latin, Virginia means "Maiden." Virginia comes from the Roman family name Verginius, later linked to the Latin virgo, 'maiden.' It is the name of the first English child born in the Americas, Virginia Dare, and of the US state honoring the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I. Writer Virginia Woolf lends it literary weight. Ginny is the short. Said vur-JIN-yuh.
- How do you pronounce Virginia?
- Virginia is pronounced vərˈdʒɪn.jə. Say it as vir-GIN-ia, with the stress on the "gin" syllable.
- How do you spell Virginia?
- The standard spelling is Virginia. Common spelling variants include Virginie, Virgina.
- Is Virginia a boy or girl name?
- Virginia is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Virginia?
- Virginia ranked #526 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.