Virgil

Updated: May 5, 2022 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Virgil is a classical baby name. It originated with the author of “Aeneid” and an Irish saint. Dante Alighieri also made this name popular because of “Dante's Inferno.” As of 2021, Virgil is a top 3,900 option at rank 3,867.

Meaning of the name Virgil:

Latin: unknown

Origin of the name Virgil:

Virgil originated from a Roman surname, Vergilius. Vergilius had an unknown meaning, but it first became popular in the first century. Roman poet Publius Vergilius Maro was the writer of the “Aeneid,” and he went by Virgil. Virgil became popular because of this nickname. It migrated to the English-speaking world in the 1800s.

Symbolism of the name Virgil:

Virgil originated as a play on the Roman surname, Vergilius. It has the same meaning as this latter option. No one knows what Vergilius meant. Publius Vergilius Maro, whose nickname was Virgil, was a well-respected man in his community.

Style of the name Virgil:

Classical

Gender of the name Virgil:

Virgil is a classical name for boys.

Pronunciation of the name Virgil:

VUR-jil

Number of syllables in the name Virgil:

Two

Emotion evoked from the name Virgil:

Virgil is a mature and formal baby name. It is upper class and refined.

Alternative spellings for the name Virgil:

Vergil
Vergyl
Virgyl
Vurgil
Vurgyl

Nicknames for the name Virgil:

Virg
Vir
Gil
Gill
Gilly
Gillie
Vee
Iggy

Popularity of the name Virgil:

Virgil was a top 100 baby name for a few years in the first half of the twentieth century. It ranked highest in 1907 at rank 93. Virgil remained on the top 1,000 list of the Social Security Popularity Index until 1991 when it was number 861. As of 2021, Virgil is a top 3,900 option.