Anthony: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, & Inspiration

Updated February 15, 2024

Table of contents

Boy name origins & meanings

Latin : Priceless
Greek : Flourishing

What does Anthony mean and stand for?

The name Anthony is of Latin origin and means "priceless one." Anthony is derived from the Roman family name Antonii, and evolved in the 17th Century to the version we know today: Anthony.

Syllables: 3

Boy name variations

How Popular Is The Name Anthony

Family name origins & meanings

English : from the personal name Anthony, Latin Antonius. See also Anton. This, with its variants, cognates, and derivatives, is one of the commonest European personal names. Many of the European forms have been absorbed into this spelling as American family names; for the forms, see Hanks and Hodges 1988. Spellings with -h-, which first appear in English in the 16th century and in French (as Anthoine) at about the same time, are due to the erroneous belief that the name derives from Greek anthos ‘flower’. The popularity of the personal name in Christendom is largely due to the cult of the Egyptian hermit St. Anthony (ad 251–356), who in his old age gathered a community of hermits around him, and for that reason is regarded by some as the founder of monasticism. It was further increased by the fame of St. Anthony of Padua (1195–1231), who long enjoyed a great popular cult and who is believed to help people find lost things.
South Indian : this is only a given name in India, but has come to be used as a family name among Christians from South India in the U.S.
John Anthony of Hampstead, Middlesex, England (now part of north London) migrated to Boston, MA, in 1634. By 1640 he had moved to Providence, RI, where his descendants are still established.

Famous people with this first name

Anthony Edwards

Famous people with this last name

Marc Anthony

Popularity

Aaccording to Social Security Administration data, Anthony has been consistently popular, remaining in the top 30 between 2000 and 2016, and even keeping a spot in the top 10 from 2005 to 2008.

However, it is the 38th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Anthony was at its peak popularity in June 2018.

Anthony, originally spelled without the "h," has consistently been popular throughout the entire world. It is the name of the patron saint of Italy and of the poor. Shakespeare's play "Anthony and Cleopatra" contains a very famous Anthony, as well. There are also some modern celebrity Anthony name holders: Anthony Hopkins, Anthony Quinn and Antonio Banderas; singers Tony Bennett and Anthony Kiedis; chef/author Anthony Bourdain; former British prime minister Tony Blair; and skateboarder Tony Hawk.