How to say it
AN · tho · ny
ˈæn.θə.ni
Masculine
Anthony
Roman family name, root uncertain
What it means
From the Roman gens name Antonius. It's old, well-attested, and of genuinely uncertain pre-Roman origin (most likely Etruscan).
Antonius was one of the great Roman family names, including Mark Antony's. The root predates Latin and probably comes from Etruscan, where the trail goes cold. Christianity carried it forward through Saint Anthony the Great (the desert father of Egypt) and Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of lost things. The Spanish Antonio is where the name lives most strongly today: a top-ten boys' name across the Spanish-speaking world, and in the US the form most commonly behind an English-speaking Anthony, especially in Latino and Southwestern communities. Both Antonio and Anthony share the everyday short form Tony, often the daily-life name for someone formally registered Antonio at home. The 'th' in the English spelling is a Renaissance error. Tudor scholars guessed at a Greek root anthos (flower) that doesn't actually apply, but the spelling stuck.
How to spell Anthony
The standard spelling is Anthony. Common variants include Antony, Antonio, Anton, Antoine, Tony, but Anthony is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #7 in 2007, currently #46 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Tony is the near-universal short. Latino and Italian families sometimes use Tony as a short for Antonio rather than Anthony.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Mark Antony Roman general and politician, partner of Cleopatra
- Anthony Hopkins Welsh actor, The Silence of the Lambs and The Father
- Anthony Bourdain Chef, writer, and travel-show host
- Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic patron saint of lost things
Spelling variants
- Antony
- Antonio
- Anton
- Antoine
- Tony
Names with the same feeling
See Anthony from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Anthony mean?
- From the Roman gens name Antonius. It's old, well-attested, and of genuinely uncertain pre-Roman origin (most likely Etruscan).
- What does Anthony mean in Latin?
- In Latin, Anthony means "Roman family name, root uncertain." Antonius was one of the great Roman family names, including Mark Antony's. The root predates Latin and probably comes from Etruscan, where the trail goes cold. Christianity carried it forward through Saint Anthony the Great (the desert father of Egypt) and Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of lost things. The Spanish Antonio is where the name lives most strongly today: a top-ten boys' name across the Spanish-speaking world, and in the US the form most commonly behind an English-speaking Anthony, especially in Latino and Southwestern communities. Both Antonio and Anthony share the everyday short form Tony, often the daily-life name for someone formally registered Antonio at home. The 'th' in the English spelling is a Renaissance error. Tudor scholars guessed at a Greek root anthos (flower) that doesn't actually apply, but the spelling stuck.
- Is Anthony short for Antonio?
- Yes. Anthony is a short form of Antonio, and it carries the same meaning, "Roman family name, root uncertain." These days many parents use Anthony as a given name in its own right, not only as a nickname.
- How do you pronounce Anthony?
- Anthony is pronounced ˈæn.θə.ni. Say it as AN-tho-ny, with the stress on the "an" syllable.
- How do you spell Anthony?
- The standard spelling is Anthony. Common spelling variants include Antony, Antonio, Anton, Antoine, Tony.
- Is Anthony a boy or girl name?
- Anthony is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Anthony?
- Anthony ranked #46 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.