Feature Friday: Virginia

Hey guys! You all know what time it is! It’s Feature Friday time!! This week is a friend and a youtuber named Virginia! I found Virginia on youtube, where she makes baby name videos, and fell in love with her videos. Her youtube is http://www.youtube.com/user/VirginieLorraine. She makes some cool videos if you ask me! It was so nice to talk to someone whose videos I look up to. So let’s get started with the interview.

Me: How did you get into baby names?

Virginia: I've always been interested in names since I was a kid for no particular reason. I really love playing Sims and making them have tons of children just so I can name them! I think that was what made me more interested in names, and then I started reading the Q & As on babynames.com. From there I saw some of AnastasiaRuby's videos and then I decided I wanted to do more research on names. :) 

Me: I did the same thing! Sims is the best game out there! How old were you when you first started liking baby names?

Virginia: I don't really remember, probably around 10, but I didn't think of them as baby names. I just liked drawing girls and naming them lol. 

Me: haha I named everything! What are your current favorite baby names?

Virginia: Hmm well I just did an updated top 10 on my Youtube channel a few days ago. But some faves that come to mind right now... Girls: Joyce, Josephine, Willa. These weren't in my top 10 but I'm also currently loving Amory, Hannah, Andromeda and Wren. Boys: Salem, Dale, Theodore. I'm really loving Theodore right now.

Me: I love your names! They seem so you!   If you remember, what were your first favorite baby names?

Virginia: Well like I said I didn't think of them as 'baby' names back then lol. But I was really obsessed with country singer Loretta Lynn's name for a long time haha, and I also had a huuuge obsession with the name Rilee (with that spelling, oddly enough) and Jordan. I also used to love the boys' name Lee.

Me: It's funny the names we use to like. Haha Why did you decide to start making videos and join formspring?

Virginia: I didn't have much to do during the day while I was still looking for a job, and I started watching AnastasiaRuby's videos which made me want to make my own. :) I started with the A-Z names list and from there I started doing more videos. I just joined formspring because it seemed a lot of people interested in names were on there, and I didn't know where else to meet people interested in names. :) 

Me: It's a great way to spend your free time! What has been the most fun about making videos and formspring?

Virginia: Finding new names that I hadn't heard before and having people to talk to about names who are interested in it too. My family gets pretty annoyed if I talk on and on about names to them most of the time, lol.

Me: I love finding new names! All of my top names are from talking withnpeople on formspring. What has been your favorite video and/or formspring question (rename, collages, etc.)  you have done?

Virginia: Hmm, I really love doing rename games or just games where you have to make combos with specific initials :) My favorite name video that I've done is probably my Bird-Inspired names video, just because I love sooo many of those names! I just noticed the description under the video that I wrote too lol it says :"These are names inspired by all different types of birds. This is possibly one of my favorite videos I've made so far! I hope you guys enjoy it!"  So I guess it really was one of my favorites even at the time haha. I didn't remember writing that. 

Me: I love the games and I loved that video! What a coincidence! Are you working on any videos?

Virginia: I just uploaded one! It's a rename game. :) I'm thinking of updating my A-Z video with my current favorites. That was the first name video I made, and I've discovered soooo many new names since then! 

Me: I just saw it! I'm going to go watch it. I can't wait for that video! What do you love about baby names?

Virginia: Well I really love languages so I think that may be part of why I like names. I also really like writing (as in the physical act of pen on a paper, not creating stories necessarily) and the way certain words look. 

Me: I have found that people who like baby names like languages too. What types of baby names to do like (ex. Trendy, vintage, etc.)?

Virginia: I am not a fan of trendy names at all because I would never want my kid to have the same name as everyone else their age. However I don't like crazy weird unique names that people won't know how to pronounce. For me the perfect name is a name that everyone has heard before, but hasn't met someone with that name. I like classic traditional names that have fallen out of style over the years (though of course there are exceptions of names that should never come back in style!)

Me: I like the way you think! When did you tell your friends and family about your love to baby names?

Virginia: Just recently actually, since I started making the videos. I did worry that people would think I was obsessed with babies or something or wanted to have a baby lol. I do want to have kids but not for a while!

Me: haha I think that's what everyone thinks baby namers want, a baby. How did/do your family and friends react to your love for baby names?

Virginia: They thought it was a little odd but didn't really say much about it. I've made a few videos with my youngest siblings because I think hearing kids' opinions on names is interesting. I also talked with my grandma about names a little bit and that was interesting too, she was actually more interested in names than anyone else I talked to. I'd love to do a video with her sometime, but she's in Florida for the winter right now.

Me: I liked the videos with your siblings and one with your grandma would be great! On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your love/addiction/obsession for baby names?

Virginia: Hmm, I would probably rate it an 8. I know some people are just constantly thinking about names a little more than I am (or so it seems) but I do really enjoy it and love finding interesting names in my everyday life. For example when I'm ringing up people at work I love looking at their credit cards while the register is processing to see what their first name is haha. 

Me: 8 seems to fit you. I loved hearing people's names when I worked at a bridal shop. What is the reason behind your youtube and formspring name?

Virginia: My Youtube name is VirginieLorraine. My name is Virginia Lorraine so it's pretty straightforward lol. But VirginiaLorraine was taken, so I went with the French version of Virginia since Lorraine is also French and I really love France. :) My formspring I think is ginnybug.. ? Lol. This is a nickname my grandma has called me since I was little and my mom dressed me as a ladybug for my first Halloween. 

Me: It's a nice meaning. awwww your grandma has a cute nickname for you! Do you have a favorite baby namer (YouTube, blog, formspring, etc.)?

Virginia: Well I really love AnastasiaRuby's videos. She hasn't been posting many name videos lately but I am really enjoying watching her pregnancy vlogs. I also like watching Kristen (kriscouture) on Youtube, even though we have very different naming styles!

Me: I love both of them! Do you have a #1 fan on your videos and/or formspirng or someone who you talk to a lot because of them?

Virginia: I'm not really sure, I don't have that many subscribers yet - 28 last I checked I think! I have one subscriber named Claude who comments fairly often, and quite a few people from formspring I think who are subscribed to me. To be honest I'm HORRIBLE at remembering screen names and people that way...

Me: You should have more subscribers! What inspired you to make a formspring and videos besides baby names?

Virginia: I'm slowly gaining more! :) The formspring really was only for baby names. I like making videos in general and have had 2 other channels on Youtube before. Originally this channel was going to be for name videos only but I kind of just like putting whatever I feel like on there. :)

Me: Yeah! I like the different videos you put up. They're fun. Where do you find your baby names at?

Virginia: Thanks! My favorite site is babynamespedia.com but I also use babynamewizard.com fairly often. Nymbler is fun to play around on sometimes too. :) 

Me: You're welcome! I love playing around on nymbler!  Do you know anyone in real life that has a formspring/youtube/blog?

Virginia: Not pertaining to names!

Me: It's still cool! We are down to the last 3 questions! Random fact about you?

Virginia: No problem! I actually just recorded a video about 19 random facts about me last night haha, but I haven't posted it yet. Umm, another one... I still have a flip phone! xD

Me: I can't wait to see it! What did you think of this interview?

Virginia: I thought it was a lot of fun, thanks for including me! :)

Me: You're welcome! I had fun too! Is there anything else you would like to add?

Virginia: Not that I can think of! Except that I just realized my 19 random facts video is only like... half the video... so I'm gonna have to redo it later :(

Me: awwww boo :( Thanks for doing the interview! I really had fun!

So that is the interview. I had so much fun doing the interview and I am so glad Virginia was able to do it. Thanks again Virginia for doing the interview. So you guys have to go check out her videos and subscribe. That’s all for now. I hope you like this and don’t forget to comment. Bye for now :). 

Photo Credit: http://www.youtube.com/user/VirginieLorraine