The first name Virgil
A boy’s name from Latin.
Pronounced /ˈvɝdʒɪl/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
From Middle English Vyrgyle, from Latin Virgilius, from the Roman clan name Vergilius, from Etruscan and of unknown meaning.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 4 boys were named Virgil, making it the 4,275th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2023, with 5 births (#3,523).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Virgil with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Virgil at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 129 boys born in the United States were named Virgil, the 1,417th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1921, when 1,830 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Virgil in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Virgil
20 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Virgil van DijkDutch association football player (born 1991)
- Virgil AblohAmerican fashion designer (1980-2021)
- Virgil WidrichAustrian director and scriptwriter (born 1967)
- Virgil ThomsonAmerican composer and critic (1896–1989)
- Virgil MisidjanDutch-Surinamese association football player, born 1993
- Virgil HillAmerican boxer, born 1964
- Virgil JacominiAmerican rower (1899–1984)
- Virgil DonatiAustralian drummer (born 1958)
- Virgil GriffithAmerican computer programmer, born 1983
- Virgil EarpDeputy US marshal and soldier (1843–1905)
- Virgil BerceaBishop of the Greek Catholic Diocese of Oradea Mare, born 1957
- Virgil FoxAmerican musician (1912–1980)
More Latin boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Virgil mean?
- From Middle English Vyrgyle, from Latin Virgilius, from the Roman clan name Vergilius, from Etruscan and of unknown meaning.
- What is the origin of the name Virgil?
- From Middle English Vyrgyle, from Latin Virgilius, from the Roman clan name Vergilius, from Etruscan and of unknown meaning.
- How popular is the name Virgil?
- In 2025, 4 boys born in England and Wales were named Virgil, ranking 4,275th. Its peak was 2023, with 5 births.
- Is Virgil a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 98% of the 73,453 US babies named Virgil since 1880 were boys.
- When was Virgil most popular?
- 1921 in the United States, when 1,830 babies were named Virgil, its highest rank at 98th.
- How do you pronounce Virgil?
- Virgil is /ˈvɝdʒɪl/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Virgil?
- Vergil.
- Is Virgil also a surname?
- Yes. Virgil is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.