Ante

♂ Boy

Pronounced AHN-teh /ˈɑːn.tɛ/Low

Meaning: Ante is a well-established Croatian given name, the everyday short form of Antun (Anthony). It descends from the old Roman family name Antonius, whose own meaning is uncertain but long associated, through Saint Anthony, with worth and praise.Low

In 30 seconds: Ante is a Croatian short form of Anthony (Antun), from the Roman name Antonius. Carried to the US by Croatian families, it is said AHN-teh.

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Origin LowCroatian, Latin

MeaningAnte is a well-established Croatian given name, the everyday short form of Antun (Anthony). It descends from the old Roman family name Antonius, whose own meaning is uncertain but long associated, through Saint Anthony, with worth and praise.

U.S. rank (2022)#12472 ↘ Falling

2022 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1979

Total births (all-time)≈ 215

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Ante is the familiar Croatian equivalent of Anthony, standing on its own as a birth name rather than a mere nickname. Like all the Anthony forms it goes back to the Roman Antonius, a name carried across Europe by devotion to Saint Anthony.

In the United States it was never common, given to only about fifteen boys a year at its peak around 1979 and appearing mostly among Croatian-heritage families. In its homeland, by contrast, it has been a mainstream classic for generations.

Did you know? Ante is a genuinely common name in Croatia, honoring figures like the statesman Ante Starcevic, though in the United States it stayed rare and tied to Croatian immigrant communities.

Overall data confidence 45%

References - Ante — Croatian form of Anthony (Antun); Roman Antonius; carried by Croatian immigrant families.

Variations

AntunAntonAntonio

Nicknames

AnteTonci

Famous Bearers

★Ante Starcevic (1823-1896)
Croatian politician and writer, an influential figure in nineteenth-century Croatian nationalism.

If you like Ante…

Anton— a like Continental form of Anthony

Antonio— the fuller Latin form of the same name

Marko— a similar classic Croatian boy's name

Mateo— a comparable European form of a saint's name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ante mean?

It is the Croatian short form of Anthony (Antun), from the Roman family name Antonius, long linked through Saint Anthony to worth and praise.

How do you pronounce Ante?

In its Croatian form it is said AHN-teh /ˈɑːn.tɛ/ - two syllables.

Is Ante a boy or girl name?

Ante is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Ante?

It was rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year around its peak in the late nineteen-seventies, though it is a mainstream classic in Croatia.