Jinny

English, diminutive of Virginia, American place-name and Latin

"virginal"

Jinny Origin and Meaning

The name Jinny is a girl's name.

Jinny is traditionally a diminutive form of Jennifer or Virginia, though it can also stand as an independent given name. With English origins, it emerged as a familiar nickname with a friendly, casual quality. The name Jennifer comes from the Cornish form of Guinevere meaning 'white wave' or 'fair one,' while Virginia derives from Latin, meaning 'maiden' or 'pure.' Jinny enjoyed modest popularity as a nickname in the mid-20th century but was rarely recorded as a formal given name. It has a youthful, spirited quality and a simple two-syllable rhythm that gives it an endearing charm. Today, it might appeal to parents seeking short, sweet names with a vintage feel.

Famous People Named Jinny

• Jinny Jacinto Canadian Cirque du Soleil contortionist

The name Jinny in Pop Culture

• Jinny one of the characters whose interior monologue makes up Virginia Woolf's novel The Waves (1931)
• Jinny Austin jealous central character ("I want to be Brunhilde, and I'm only Frou,Frou!") in Clyde Fitch's 1905 play The Girl With the Green Eyes
• In England this is an old,fashioned nickname for Jennifer, particularly in the West Country where it was very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries