Anthony Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: AN-thuh-nee /ˈænθəni/
Origin: Latin; Greek
Meaning: Latin: 'priceless'; Greek: 'invaluable'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Anthony has its roots in the Latin name "Antonius," which is believed to derive from the Etruscan language, although its exact meaning remains uncertain. The name was popularized in the Roman world, particularly through the figure of Marcus Antonius, known in English as Mark Antony, a prominent Roman general and politician during the late Roman Republic.
The name entered the English language through the Latin form, becoming established in various forms across Europe, including "Antoine" in French and "Antonio" in Italian, before settling into its current form in English by the Middle Ages. One significant historical milestone for the name Anthony is its association with Saint Anthony of Padua, a Portuguese Franciscan friar and preacher who lived in the 13th century.
He was canonized in 1232 and became one of the most popular saints in Christianity, particularly revered for his ability to perform miracles. His feast day, celebrated on June 13, further contributed to the name's prominence in Christian contexts.
The name was also popularized in England by the Normans after the Conquest in the 11th century, leading to its widespread use in medieval society. Culturally, the name Anthony has been associated with various symbolic meanings, including valor and nobility, reflecting the characteristics of its historical bearers.
The name has also been linked to themes of protection and guidance, particularly through the veneration of Saint Anthony. Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Tony" have emerged, although they are more modern adaptations.
Overall, the name Anthony has maintained a significant presence in various cultures, often embodying qualities of strength and leadership, which have allowed it to endure through centuries.
Famous people named Anthony
In this section, you will find notable people named Anthony. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Anthony who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Anthony who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Anthony Hopkins is an actor best known for The Silence of the Lambs, The Father, and The Remains of the Day.
Anthony Bourdain was a chef and author best known for Kitchen Confidential, Parts Unknown, and No Reservations.
Anthony Mackie is an actor best known for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, 8 Mile, and The Hurt Locker.
Anthony Joshua is a professional boxer best known for being a two-time unified heavyweight champion.
Anthony Daniels is an actor best known for portraying C-3PO in the Star Wars franchise.
Anthony Rapp is an actor and singer best known for Rent, A Beautiful Mind, and Star Trek: Discovery.
Anthony Head is an actor best known for his role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the series Merlin.
Anthony LaPaglia is an actor best known for his role in Without a Trace and the film Lantana.
Anthony Quinn was an actor and writer best known for Zorba the Greek, The Guns of Navarone, and Viva Zapata!
Anthony Michael Hall is an actor best known for The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Weird Science.
Anthony Jeselnik is a comedian and writer best known for his stand-up specials and The Jeselnik Offensive.
Anthony Browne is an author and illustrator best known for children's books like Gorilla and Willy the Wimp.
Anthony Goldbloom is a data scientist and entrepreneur best known for founding Kaggle, a platform for data science competitions.
Anthony Scaramucci is a businessman best known for his brief tenure as White House Communications Director.
Fictional characters named Anthony
The following list of fictional characters named Anthony is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Anthony Stark is a fictional character from the Marvel Comics universe. He is a genius billionaire and the superhero known as Iron Man.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Anthony, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Anthony. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Anthony was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Anthony has ranked as high as #21 nationally, which occurred in 1990, and has been most popular in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Anthony has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Anthony is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Anthony was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Anthony (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 898 | |
| TX | 730 | |
| FL | 523 | |
| NY | 483 | |
| PA | 243 | |
| IL | 233 | |
| NC | 184 | |
| MA | 181 | |
| GA | 174 | |
| OH | 157 | |
| AZ | 157 | |
| MI | 149 | |
| VA | 129 | |
| TN | 123 | |
| MD | 117 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Anthony.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 6,326 |
| 2023 | 6,265 |
| 2022 | 6,597 |
| 2021 | 6,787 |
| 2020 | 7,030 |
| 2019 | 7,722 |
| 2018 | 8,045 |
| 2017 | 8,872 |
| 2016 | 9,899 |
| 2015 | 10,660 |
| 2014 | 11,611 |
| 2013 | 12,293 |
| 2012 | 13,226 |
| 2011 | 14,289 |
| 2010 | 15,508 |
| 2009 | 16,325 |
| 2008 | 18,413 |
| 2007 | 19,637 |
| 2006 | 19,413 |
| 2005 | 19,385 |
| 2004 | 19,613 |
| 2003 | 20,149 |
| 2002 | 19,590 |
| 2001 | 19,737 |
| 2000 | 19,655 |
| 1999 | 19,472 |
| 1998 | 19,634 |
| 1997 | 20,033 |
| 1996 | 20,507 |
| 1995 | 20,482 |
| 1994 | 21,602 |
| 1993 | 21,789 |
| 1992 | 23,176 |
| 1991 | 24,447 |
| 1990 | 25,087 |
| 1989 | 24,423 |
| 1988 | 23,643 |
| 1987 | 23,123 |
| 1986 | 21,959 |
| 1985 | 22,099 |
| 1984 | 20,958 |
| 1983 | 19,832 |
| 1982 | 19,651 |
| 1981 | 18,574 |
| 1980 | 17,608 |
| 1979 | 17,517 |
| 1978 | 16,809 |
| 1977 | 16,804 |
| 1976 | 16,603 |
| 1975 | 16,488 |
| 1974 | 16,390 |
| 1973 | 16,415 |
| 1972 | 17,459 |
| 1971 | 19,225 |
| 1970 | 21,176 |
| 1969 | 20,904 |
| 1968 | 20,230 |
| 1967 | 20,884 |
| 1966 | 20,627 |
| 1965 | 20,329 |
| 1964 | 20,125 |
| 1963 | 20,242 |
| 1962 | 20,108 |
| 1961 | 20,204 |
| 1960 | 19,492 |
| 1959 | 17,975 |
| 1958 | 17,426 |
| 1957 | 17,059 |
| 1956 | 15,565 |
| 1955 | 14,172 |
| 1954 | 13,123 |
| 1953 | 11,694 |
| 1952 | 11,186 |
| 1951 | 9,838 |
| 1950 | 8,614 |
| 1949 | 8,451 |
| 1948 | 7,879 |
| 1947 | 8,014 |
| 1946 | 6,771 |
| 1945 | 5,686 |
| 1944 | 5,605 |
| 1943 | 6,200 |
| 1942 | 6,210 |
| 1941 | 5,239 |
| 1940 | 4,769 |
| 1939 | 4,609 |
| 1938 | 4,689 |
| 1937 | 4,339 |
| 1936 | 3,978 |
| 1935 | 3,909 |
| 1934 | 3,840 |
| 1933 | 3,974 |
| 1932 | 4,223 |
| 1931 | 4,310 |
| 1930 | 4,674 |
| 1929 | 4,733 |
| 1928 | 4,718 |
| 1927 | 4,918 |
| 1926 | 5,058 |
| 1925 | 5,041 |
| 1924 | 5,191 |
| 1923 | 5,121 |
| 1922 | 5,091 |
| 1921 | 5,239 |
| 1920 | 4,944 |
| 1919 | 4,737 |
| 1918 | 5,168 |
| 1917 | 5,027 |
| 1916 | 4,749 |
| 1915 | 4,722 |
| 1914 | 3,695 |
| 1913 | 2,781 |
| 1912 | 2,480 |
| 1911 | 1,288 |
| 1910 | 980 |
| 1909 | 758 |
| 1908 | 690 |
| 1907 | 593 |
| 1906 | 542 |
| 1905 | 490 |
| 1904 | 422 |
| 1903 | 399 |
| 1902 | 420 |
| 1901 | 323 |
| 1900 | 406 |
| 1899 | 291 |
| 1898 | 325 |
| 1897 | 249 |
| 1896 | 276 |
| 1895 | 221 |
| 1894 | 257 |
| 1893 | 220 |
| 1892 | 255 |
| 1891 | 170 |
| 1890 | 189 |
| 1889 | 219 |
| 1888 | 193 |
| 1887 | 153 |
| 1886 | 174 |
| 1885 | 153 |
| 1884 | 179 |
| 1883 | 143 |
| 1882 | 139 |
| 1881 | 128 |
| 1880 | 130 |