Anthony Name Meaning: Facts Parents Should Know 2024

This article doesn’t only provide you with Anthony name meaning but also gives you exact answers to questions, such as “What is short for Anthony”, “Where does the name come from?”, or “How rare is it?”.

The name Anthony is used in various regions worldwide. It’s also the name of many notable saints and famous monarchs. Today, let’s discover the history and surprising facts about the name that not many parents know.

The Overview Of The Name Anthony

This name is very popular, but are you sure you know the ins and outs of Anthony? Let’s briefly scan general information about it before figuring out other detailed parts below.

Meaning	“Highly praiseworthy”, “priceless one”, or “flower” (no longer common)
Pronunciation	ahn-tuh-nee or ahn-thuh-nee
Origin	The exact origin of the name is uncertain. It could have been derived from the Roman family name Antonius.
Gender	Anthony is historically a masculine name.
Popularity	Since 1905, Anthony hasn’t dropped out of the top 50 most popular names for boys. It was ranked 43rd in 2021.
Variations	Anton, Antonio, Antoni, Antoine, Antonin, etc.
Nicknames	Ant, Anton, Tone, Anth, Tonito, etc.
Similar names	Armando, Abraham, Nicolas, Jonathan, Robert, etc.
Middle names	Pierce, Karson, Ocean, David, Jonas, etc.
Sibling names	For Brothers: Andrew, Aaron, Adrian, Aidan, etc. *For Sisters:* Aurelia, Claudia, Sabina, Eden, etc.

The True Meaning Of The Name Anthony

The masculine name Anthony (pronounced ahn-tuh-nee or ahn-thuh-nee) has ambiguous etymology and meaning. Many believe it can convey “highly praiseworthy” or “priceless one”.

Also, there was a time that many people believed this name came from the Greek word “anthos” for “flower”. But this opinion is no longer popular.

The Origin Of Anthony

Anthony can be of Latin origin and has been used since the Middle Ages. It comes from the family name Antonius. That is a Roman family with a long history, to which the prominent Roman politician Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) belonged. ⁽¹⁾

Some contemporary sources claimed that the Antonius clan was the descendants of Anton, a son of Hercules, hence the name.

However, the clan name could have originated in Etruscan (the language used by the Etruscan civilization in ancient Etruria, which is part of modern-day Italy). It was possibly derived from the name Ani, an Etruscan god of the sky. ⁽²⁾

How Popular Is The Name Anthony?

Not only in America, but Anthony is also a frequently picked name for boys in other countries such as Australia, England, Canada, Ireland, and Scotland.

According to the Social Security Administration data, it has been among America’s top 50 most popular names for boys since 1905. It was among the top 10 most common names between 2005 and 2008.

Anthony peaked in 2007 and 2008 when it ranked the 7th most popular male name. The 2021 ranking of the name slightly dropped to 43rd. ⁽³⁾

Variations Of Anthony

Another alternative selling of Anthony is Antony. However, there are also an array of other variations written in many languages.

Anton (Dutch, German, Romanian, Russian, etc.)
Antonio (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Maltese)
Antoni (Polish, Catalan, Slovene)
Antoine/Antonin (French)
Antun/Ante (Croatian)
Andonios/Andonis (Greek)
Antal/Tóni (Hungarian)
Ansonī (Japanese)
Antaine/Antóin (Irish)

Cute Nicknames For Anthony

Anthony is usually shortened to Tony. Nevertheless, you can call your little Anthony by other funny and lovely nicknames below.

Ant
Anton
Tone
Anth
Tonito
Thanos
Anson
Nemo
Pony
TonTon

Similar Names To Anthony

I’ll give you some ideas similar to the name Anthony. Many of them start with the letter A or have three syllables, like Anthony.

Name	Pronunciation	Meaning	Origin
Armando	ahr-mahn-do	Armed man or soldier	Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Abraham	ay-bruh-ham	Father of a multitude or Father of nations	Hebrew
Nicolas	nih-koh-las	Victory of the people	Greek
Jonathan	jaa-nuh-thn	God has given	Hebrew
Robert	rob-uht	Bright fame or shining glory	Germanic
Alonzo	ah-lahn-zoh	Noble or ready for battle	Spanish and German
Austin	aa-stn	Great, magnificent, and majestic	Latin
Maximus	mak-suh-muhs	Greatest	Latin

Best Middle Names For Anthony

I’ve pulled together middle names to complement Anthony. Also, I’ll give you brief information about the meaning and origin of each name.

Pierce: Pierce can be derived from the name Peter, meaning “rock” or “stone”. It conveys “son or descendant of Piers/ Peter”. The origin of this name can be English, Welsh, and Irish.
Karson: Karson is a gender-neutral name and can be a variant of the Scottish and Irish surname Carson, which refers to “son of the marsh-dwellers” or “son of Carr”.
Ocean: This unisex name comes from the Greek name Oceanus. It’s a nature-inspired name indicating “sea” and is suitable for both genders. Plus, Oceanus can refer to a Titan god or the river that flowed around the Earth in Greek mythology.
David: David is a Hebrew name that conveys “beloved”. In the Hebrew Bible, David is an important figure who killed Goliath and later became the second king of ancient Israel. He conquered Jerusalem and made it become Israel’s capital.
Jonas: Jonas is taken from the Hebrew male name Jonah. The meaning of this name is explained as “dove”, “accomplishing”, and “gift from God”. The prophet Jonah is the central figure of the Book of Jonah, who was swallowed by a whale after fleeing from God’s summons to prophesy against the wicked city of Nineveh.
Wyatt: Wyatt stems originally from the Old English name Wigheard, composed of wig (“war”) and heard (“brave”). As a result, the name represents “brave at war”. On the other hand, Wyatt can originate from the Norman surname Guyot, meaning “wood”.
Rex: Rex is a male name meaning “king” and originates from Latin. This name is reminiscent of an English actor, Rex Harrison, who starred in classics such as Cleopatra (1963), My Fair Lady (1964), and Doctor Dolittle (1967).
Oscar: Rooted in Irish, Oscar is composed of two elements: os (“deer”) and car (“loving” or “friend”), so its meaning indicates “friend of deer”. Besides, some claim that it also means “God spear” and “champion warrior”.
Eric: Eric originates from the Old Norse name Eiríkr, referring to “sole ruler” or “eternal ruler”. It’s the name of many kings in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Its feminine forms are Erica and Erika.
Christian: Christian means “follower of Christ” and has its root in the Latin Christianus. During the 17th and 18th centuries, it was given as a name for girls in Scotland. However, today, it’s typically a male name and is popular in many regions worldwide.

Ideal Sibling Names For Anthony

As for sibling names, parents can choose ideas starting with the letter A or having a similar sound to Anthony.

For Brothers

This collection of strong boy names is rooted in various origins. Most of them are popular names and bear great meanings.

Andrew: Andrew comes from the Greek name Andreas and is interpreted as “man”, “manly”, “brave”, “strong”, “warrior”, and “courage”. In the New Testament, Saint Andrew is well-known as a son of Jonah and an apostle of Jesus.
Aaron: Aaron is a variant of Aharon in Hebrew. Many explain this masculine name can refer to “mountain of strength”, “high mountain”, “exalted”, “enlightened”, and even “bearer of martyrs”.
Adrian: Adrian is a form of Adrianus, a Latin name meaning “from Adria”. Adria is a former river flowing through the town of Adria in Veneto, Italy. You may also know about the Adriatic Sea, the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea..
Christopher: This boy’s name has its origin in the Greek male name Christoforos. It combines Christós, meaning “Christ”, and “phero”, indicating “to bear”. Thus, its meaning conveys “Christ-bearer”.
Aidan: Aidan, also spelled Aiden, is rooted in the name of the Celtic sun god Aodh in Irish mythology. His name mentions “fiery”, “bringer of fire”, or “born of fire”. The name Aidan is popular in Ireland, Welsh, Scotland, Australia, Canada, America, etc.
Jackson: It is associated with the surname of the “King of Pop”, Michael Jackson. The name translates to “son of Jack” and is common in English-speaking countries. Its origin is in the Old-English language.

For Sisters

Let’s find out the greatest names for Anthony’s future sisters. Many of the suggested names below have been used for a long time.

Abigail: Abigail is a Hebrew name for girls, which signifies “my father’s joy” or “my father is exalted”. According to the Bible, Abigail is described as the wife of King David. Another figure, also named Abigail, is the mother of Amasa and King David’s sister.
Aurelia: Aurelia comes from the Latin surname Aurelius, derived from aureus meaning “golden”. In addition, the aureus was a gold coin in ancient Rome from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD.
Claudia: This feminine name indicates “lame” and “enclosure” and is of Latin origin. However, Claudia also refers to a family member of Claudia in ancient Rome. Some variations of the name include Claude, Claudio, Claudine, etc.
Sabina: Sabina is a Latin female name and is interpreted as “a Sabine”. The Sabines are an ancient Italic tribe that lived in the mountainous region of ancient Italy. In legend, the Romans invited the Sabines to a feast and abducted the women from the tribe to increase the population.
Eden: The name appears in the Biblical Garden of Eden, an earthly paradise in which Adam and Eve stayed before eating the forbidden fruit. The meaning of Eden can be understood as “delight” or “place of pleasure and delight”.
Arden: If parents want to pick a nature-inspired name, Arden is a great option. It’s a unisex name and can originate from the English placename of the Forest of Arden in England. Arden is believed to have the meaning of “great forest” or “valley of the eagle”.

Anthony In Pop Culture

This name gained popularity due to the famous play Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare, with Antony as the Roman politician Mark Antony I’ve mentioned earlier. Besides, several artworks mentioning this name are:

Anthony Wiggle: The blue Wiggle portrayed by Anthony Field in the children’s musical film The Wiggles Movie
Anthony Bridgerton: The oldest Bridgerton son from the TV series Bridgerton
Anthony: A character in the Filipino fantasy franchise Encantadia
Anthony Gonsalvez: A fictional character in Indian comic books published by Raj Comics
Anthony Mark “Tony” Banta: Veteran and boxer portrayed by Tony Danza in the sitcom Taxis
Anthony Edward Stark: American superhero in the comic books published by Marvel Comics, also known as Tony Stark and Iron Man

Famous Bearers Of The Name Anthony

Anthony is associated with numerous prominent people in different professions. They can be artists, writers, sportsmen, soldiers, etc.

Anthony Trollope (1815-1882): English novelist best known for being the author of the series the Chronicles of Barsetshire
Anthony Wayne (1745-1796): American general during the Revolutionary War
Anthony Hopkins (born 1937): Welsh actor, producer, and director
Anthony Daniels (born 1946): English actor and mime artist
Anthony Mackie (born 1978): American actor best known for portraying the Marvel superhero Falcon/ Captain America
Anthony Kiedis (born 1983): American singer and songwriter and a member of the band Red Hot Chili Peppers
Anthony Davis (born 1993): American professional basketball player
Anthony Kennedy (born 1936): Former Supreme Court of the United States

FAQs

Don’t skip this part because I’ll answer frequently asked questions from readers. You can get more interesting information about the name Anthony.

The name Antony is the early form of Anthony. Antony appeared in the tragedy Antony and Cleopatra, written by William Shakespeare. In the 17th century, because many believe it came from the Greek word “anthos”, the letter H was added to the name.

Generally, many people today agree that Anthony comes from Antonius, so the H is silent, and you can pronounce it as ahn-tuh-nee. However, it’s also acceptable to pronounce Anthony without dropping the H sound like ahn-thuh-nee.

Moreover, the name’s pronunciation is still disputed since its origin is uncertain. And the pronunciation may vary depending on different regions.

In Japanese, the name Anthony can be written in many ways. One of them is 安素仁偉 written in Kanji. In this case, its meaning is the combination of “peace of mind”, “plain”, “charity”, and “grand”.

Yes, Andy can be a shortened version of the name Anthony. It can also be another form of the masculine name Andrew or the feminine Andrea.

There are a village and a coastal civil parish bearing this name in Cornwall, England. Besides, Anthony can refer to some neighborhoods in Florida, Kansas, Indiana, New Mexico, Texas, and New Jersey in the United States.

Anthony Is A Timeless And Gorgeous Name

Although Anthony has been used for a long time, it has never been out of trend. If you have any recommendations for middle and sibling names for Anthony, let me know by commenting below the post.

Many other interesting articles are available on the website for you to discover exact meanings and hidden facts about other names. Let’s check them out before you leave! Lastly, don’t forget to share this information with other parents if you find it helpful. Goodbye!

References

En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Anthony – Wikipedia.
En.wiktionary.org. 2022. Anthony – Wiktionary.
Social Security. 2022. Popularity of a Name.

Helen Doanna

Editor in Chief, Educational Specialist, and Senior Content Creator

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Child Development Specialist, Child-care Coordinator, Family Support Specialist, Content Writer, Communications Specialist, Educational Consultant, STEAM Teacher

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1. University of Social Science and Humanity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Program: Bachelor’s degree in Faculty of Literature and Journalism
Focus: In-depth knowledge of Literature, knowledge and skills to perceive, create literature or work in related fields; Basic knowledge of communications.

2. University of Social Science and Humanity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Program: Bachelor’s degree in Education Faculty
Focus: Core knowledge of social sciences and humanities – the root for the development of progressive values of education, Multicultural communication in education, Contemporary education in the context of globalization, Learning in the digital technology era, Basic issues of STEAM education, Classroom Management, Special education.

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Focus: Different stages of development, from infancy to adulthood; Develop a strong foundation for a career in early childhood programs or classrooms; Learn strategies for supporting young children’s development in early childhood settings.

Helen is an experienced educational specialist and content creator, known for her innovative approach to children’s learning. With a background in literature and child development, she composes engaging educational content for SimpleKids.net. Her work emphasizes creativity, engagement, and simplicity, aiming to make learning enjoyable and accessible for children and their families.