[Opinions] Virginia
Virginia is one of the names I loved many years ago. I disliked it for a while but from time to time I do find it appealing again.
Are Ginny and Ginger avoidable? I don't mind Ginny, but I think it cheapens the name somewhat. I hate Ginger with a passion. I also dislike Gin or Virgie or what else people could come up with. Could that be an issue?
What is your impression of the name and how would you imagine the parents of a Virginia?
The youngest I know is in her mid 20s. Do you know any young Virginias, under the age of 80 or so? Have you seen alternate spellings of it? The second youngest Virginia (and only one under 80 I know, except for the one mentioned above) spells it Virginya. She is in her early 30s.
Are Ginny and Ginger avoidable? I don't mind Ginny, but I think it cheapens the name somewhat. I hate Ginger with a passion. I also dislike Gin or Virgie or what else people could come up with. Could that be an issue?
What is your impression of the name and how would you imagine the parents of a Virginia?
The youngest I know is in her mid 20s. Do you know any young Virginias, under the age of 80 or so? Have you seen alternate spellings of it? The second youngest Virginia (and only one under 80 I know, except for the one mentioned above) spells it Virginya. She is in her early 30s.
Replies
I like Virginia. It's a family name for me and I'll probably use it as a middle name (Alice Virginia is my favorite). My great-grandmother Virginia was called Ginia (JIN-yə) for short.
I know a Virginia who is about 30 who goes by Ginny. I also know of a young Virginia (no nickname) who is about 8 years old.
I know a Virginia who is about 30 who goes by Ginny. I also know of a young Virginia (no nickname) who is about 8 years old.
I like it in theory, but I deem it unusable because of the VIRGIN factor.
I do know a little girl named Nia, and her actual name is Virginia. I like that. I think Ginny is really cute too, but I think of Harry Potter automatically. I hate Ginger too.
I'd imagine the parents of a Virginia to be bookish and well-educated. Soooo... kinda hipster. Or weirdly Christian. Purity! over literature.
I do know a little girl named Nia, and her actual name is Virginia. I like that. I think Ginny is really cute too, but I think of Harry Potter automatically. I hate Ginger too.
I'd imagine the parents of a Virginia to be bookish and well-educated. Soooo... kinda hipster. Or weirdly Christian. Purity! over literature.
That's my middle name!
My name is Jessica Virginia. Jessica is my father's favorite song, it's by the Allman Brother's Band and it never fails to lift his mood!
Virginia is after my maternal grandmother. I never really thought much about my middle name, but I actually like it a lot! I think it's sweet and kind of country. Although this image does not at all fit my parents, I imagine Virginia's parents to be calm, quiet, and sweet.
My name is Jessica Virginia. Jessica is my father's favorite song, it's by the Allman Brother's Band and it never fails to lift his mood!
Virginia is after my maternal grandmother. I never really thought much about my middle name, but I actually like it a lot! I think it's sweet and kind of country. Although this image does not at all fit my parents, I imagine Virginia's parents to be calm, quiet, and sweet.
Virginia is in my top 10. I love it. I worry about "virgin" teasing some, and about what it would be like to be a 13-year-old Virginia, but I love it. I think it sounds intelligent, strong, and gorgeously feminine, so I imagine the parents of a Virginia as people who would appreciate those qualities. I've never met a Virginia who was less than 50 years older than me. Considering that it has spent most of the past 120 years in the top 500, I'm always surprised by how few Virginias I've met.
I always say there's no such thing as unavoidable nicknames as long as both the parents and the child are committed to correcting anyone who tries to shorten the name. Unless you're dealing with jerks, most people will respect your wishes and call you what you want to be called. The problem with Virginia, though, is that I suspect a sensitive tween or teen Virginia might actually want a nn, at least for a few years, so she could adopt one you hate.
Out of curiosity, what is it about Ginny that you think cheapens Virginia? I often describe myself as not much of a nickname person, but I embrace Virginia's nicknames because I want to give my daughter an "out" if she has a hard time with her name at some point. Ginny is the nn I'd most likely use; I think it's as sunny and friendly as Jenny but with more pluck.
I always say there's no such thing as unavoidable nicknames as long as both the parents and the child are committed to correcting anyone who tries to shorten the name. Unless you're dealing with jerks, most people will respect your wishes and call you what you want to be called. The problem with Virginia, though, is that I suspect a sensitive tween or teen Virginia might actually want a nn, at least for a few years, so she could adopt one you hate.
Out of curiosity, what is it about Ginny that you think cheapens Virginia? I often describe myself as not much of a nickname person, but I embrace Virginia's nicknames because I want to give my daughter an "out" if she has a hard time with her name at some point. Ginny is the nn I'd most likely use; I think it's as sunny and friendly as Jenny but with more pluck.
Probably the Gin-part that kind of disappears in Virginia because it's so long, but is really noticeable in Ginny. It makes me think of alcohol.
I love it, it's one of the three names on our "backup" list. I think any nickname is avoidable, even if your name is like... Thomas.
I don't think I know any Virginias at all of any age. My brother had a Vergidale in his class who went by Vergie, and I always thought it was short for Virginia (never saw Vergie spelled). But nope. I've known two Gingers before too, but in their case that was their full name.
I don't think I know any Virginias at all of any age. My brother had a Vergidale in his class who went by Vergie, and I always thought it was short for Virginia (never saw Vergie spelled). But nope. I've known two Gingers before too, but in their case that was their full name.
The youngest I know would be a couple years older than me. She was in elementary school with me. I heard about a friend's cousin naming their daughter Virginia about ten or eight years ago.
I don't really like Virginia but it's not too bad. The ones I have known were just called Virginia, so a nn might be avoidable, but remember, as a Virginia grows up, you no longer have much say in what anybody else calls her or what she prefers to be called.
Gina could work as a nn. I think yo're definitely safe from Virgie, this one went out with the Depression.
I don't really like Virginia but it's not too bad. The ones I have known were just called Virginia, so a nn might be avoidable, but remember, as a Virginia grows up, you no longer have much say in what anybody else calls her or what she prefers to be called.
Gina could work as a nn. I think yo're definitely safe from Virgie, this one went out with the Depression.
It's not one of my favorites. The "virgin" part of it distracts me too much I think. I also think of the state. It just doesn't seem like a name to me anymore, even though I know it is.
However, I think you could easily avoid the nicknames you don't like. Just call her what you want. You can always correct people. Honestly, I wouldn't automatically call a Virginia anything but Virginia.
However, I think you could easily avoid the nicknames you don't like. Just call her what you want. You can always correct people. Honestly, I wouldn't automatically call a Virginia anything but Virginia.
I knew a Virginia who is now 18 (I knew her when she was about 12-15 years old). She went by Ginny or Gin.
I would avoid Virginia because of the massive potential for teasing. I know any name can be prone to teasing but the fact it actually contains the word "virgin" (and sounds a bit like "vagina" as well) is just asking for trouble.
I think Ginger or Ginny are avoidable, but it's quite a long name to use without any sort of nickname!
I would avoid Virginia because of the massive potential for teasing. I know any name can be prone to teasing but the fact it actually contains the word "virgin" (and sounds a bit like "vagina" as well) is just asking for trouble.
I think Ginger or Ginny are avoidable, but it's quite a long name to use without any sort of nickname!
This message was edited 6/28/2012, 10:46 AM
I knew of one Virginia and knew one other. Way back around 1970, my sister was engaged to the guy who would become her first husband, but there was a period of time during which they broke up and he started seeing another girl named Virginia. I never saw Virginia, but I remember that period of time when my sister would talk about the Virginia that her ex-fiance was now dating. Of course, according to my sister, Virginia was very ugly and very charmless.
My sister and her ex eventually got back together and got married, but it left my sister with a lifelong hatred of the name Virginia, and it left me with a mental picture of Virginia as an ugly, charmless, man-stealing hussy.
Some years later, I knew a Virginia in college. She was always called Ginny. She was a nice enough person, but very overweight, not too physically attractive, and quite masculine.
So I guess that first Virginia would be about sixty now and the second one about fifty. I've never known a young Virginia. I do think that a nickname is avoidable, because I remember that my sister always called that first Virginia Virginia and not a nickname.
I have no particular impressions of the parents of a Virginia and I've never seen an alternate spelling. I've never cared for the name, and I usually have a thing for girls' names that start with a V and are long. It's always had a clunky image to me, like a Virginia will be a big, clumsy, horsey girl. And a man-stealing hussy.
My sister and her ex eventually got back together and got married, but it left my sister with a lifelong hatred of the name Virginia, and it left me with a mental picture of Virginia as an ugly, charmless, man-stealing hussy.
Some years later, I knew a Virginia in college. She was always called Ginny. She was a nice enough person, but very overweight, not too physically attractive, and quite masculine.
So I guess that first Virginia would be about sixty now and the second one about fifty. I've never known a young Virginia. I do think that a nickname is avoidable, because I remember that my sister always called that first Virginia Virginia and not a nickname.
I have no particular impressions of the parents of a Virginia and I've never seen an alternate spelling. I've never cared for the name, and I usually have a thing for girls' names that start with a V and are long. It's always had a clunky image to me, like a Virginia will be a big, clumsy, horsey girl. And a man-stealing hussy.