According to State Symbols USA, Virginia's most familiar state nickname was created by King Charles II, after the Restoration, in recognition of Virginia's loyalty to the Royalist cause during the English Civil War, and afterwards during the Commonwealth.
This would seem to make it somewhat incongruous that Virginia is itself designated as a Commonwealth, along with Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Massachusetts.
Another nickname for Virginia is 'the Mother of Presidents', because it is the birthplace of eight US presidents.
© Haydn Thompson 2021