The name Gina is of Italian origin and means "graceful." It is derived from the Italian word for "grace," which is "grazia." The name has been popular among Italians for centuries and has also gained popularity in other parts of Europe, as well as in North America.
Gina was originally a diminutive form of the Italian feminine given name Virginia. In fact, Gina was used more commonly than Virginia in Italy during the 20th century. Over time, Gina became recognized as an independent given name rather than simply a nickname for Virginia.
The name Gina has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such figure is Gina Lollobrigida, an Italian actress and photojournalist who was one of the most popular European actresses in the 1950s and 1960s. Another famous Gina is Gina Davis, an American film director and producer known for her independent films.
In literature, Gina also appears as a character name in several works, such as Gina Spagnoli in E.M. Forster's novel "A Room with a View" and Gina Capola in John Fante's novel "Ask the Dust." These appearances in literature have further contributed to the name's popularity and recognition over time.
Overall, the name Gina is of Italian origin and means "graceful." It has been popular among Italians for centuries and has also gained popularity internationally. The name has been associated with several notable figures throughout history and appears as a character name in various works of literature.
Based on the statistical data provided, the name Gina has had a varied trend in popularity over the years in the United States. From 1959 to 1973, the number of babies named Gina ranged from a low of 5 births in 1981 and 1982 to a high of 26 births in 1972. However, starting from 1974, there was a significant decrease in the popularity of the name Gina, with fewer than 15 births per year until 1992.
The peak years for the name Gina were between 1968 and 1973, with the highest number of births occurring in 1972. During this period, there was an increase in popularity, reaching a total of 26 babies named Gina born that year. This trend continued into the early 1970s, but by 1974, the popularity began to decline.
Overall, between 1959 and 1992, there were a total of 405 babies named Gina born in the United States. While the name Gina was popular for a period in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it has since become less common as a baby name choice.