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Bleh... I've managed to avoid reading Calvin for most of my life until recently. I've heard of writing called milk, I've heard of writing called meat, now I've finally found writing that can properly be called fat. It's excessive, annoying and indigestible.

Anyhow, in RE: your theory about how and why Calvin refers to the BVM...

In his "commentary" on LUKE 2:48-52 "48. And his mother said to him Those who think that the holy virgin spake in this manner, for the purpose of showing her authority, are, in my opinion, mistaken." "The holy virgin would a thousand times rather have died, than deliberately preferred herself to God"

In the commentary on John 2:1-11 "the Papists call us malignant and envious; and — what is worse — they maliciously slander us as deadly foes to the honor of the holy Virgin." "The holy Virgin acknowledges both, for she abstains from addressing him any farther" "Here the holy Virgin gives an instance of true obedience which she owed to her Son"

And finally an extended citation:

Luke 11:27. Blessed is the womb. By this eulogium the woman intended to magnify the excellence of Christ; for she had no reference to Mary, whom, perhaps, she had never seen. And yet it tends in a high degree to illustrate the glory of Christ, that she pronounces the womb that bore him to be noble and blessed. Nor was the blessing inappropriate, but in strict accordance with the manner of Scripture; for we know that offspring, and particularly when endued with distinguished virtues, is declared to be a remarkable gift of God, preferable to all others. It cannot even be denied that God conferred the highest honor on Mary, by choosing and appointing her to be the mother of his Son. And yet Christ’s reply is so far from assenting to this female voice, that it contains an indirect reproof.

Nay, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God. We see that Christ treats almost as a matter of indifference that point on which the woman had set a high value. And undoubtedly what she supposed to be Mary’s highest honor was far inferior to the other favors which she had received; for it was of vastly greater importance to be regenerated by the Spirit of God than to conceive Christ, according to the flesh, in her womb; to have Christ living spiritually within her than to suckle him with her breasts. In a word, the highest happiness and glory of the holy Virgin consisted in her being a member of his Son, so that the heavenly Father reckoned her in the number of new creatures.

My use of the citations in no way are an endorsement of his opinions, only to show that "When Calvin referred to her as the "Virgin Mary" he was speaking about those Scriptures which detailed Christ's birth" does not seem to hold water.

... Mary’s highest honor was far inferior to the other favors which she had received; for it was of vastly greater importance to be regenerated by the Spirit of God than to conceive Christ, according to the flesh, in her womb; to have Christ living spiritually within her than to suckle him with her breasts.
In a word, the highest happiness and glory of the holy Virgin consisted in her being a member of his Son, so that the heavenly Father reckoned her in the number of new creatures.

Did you really read this? This is telling us that Marys greatest joy was not the virgin birth or nursing the son of God.. but to be regenerated by God, to become a sister to Christ through adoption as are all those that are saved..

Regarding Calvin calling Mary "the holy virgin," we still call Jimmy Carter "President Carter," but that doesn't mean he's still President, does it?

RnMomof7 was correct to point out Calvin's excellent understanding of Mary's true grace --

"...for it was of vastly greater importance to be regenerated by the Spirit of God than to conceive Christ, according to the flesh, in her womb; to have Christ living spiritually within her than to suckle him with her breasts. In a word, the highest happiness and glory of the holy Virgin consisted in her being a member of his Son, so that the heavenly Father reckoned her in the number of new creatures."