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Anthony

♀ Girl

Pronounced AN-thuh-nee /ˈæn.θə.ni/High

Meaning: Anthony comes from Antonius, an old Roman family name whose original meaning is genuinely unknown - the popular gloss 'priceless, praiseworthy' comes from a later, mistaken link to the Greek anthos, 'flower'. It is overwhelmingly a boy's name; its listing here for a girl is the rare exception, which we state plainly.Low

In 30 seconds: Anthony is a Roman family name of unknown meaning. It is overwhelmingly a boy's name - its use here for a girl is a rare exception, which we state plainly (said 'AN-thuh-nee').

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Origin MediumLatin

MeaningAnthony comes from Antonius, an old Roman family name whose original meaning is genuinely unknown - the popular gloss 'priceless, praiseworthy' comes from a later, mistaken link to the Greek anthos, 'flower'. It is overwhelmingly a boy's name; its listing here for a girl is the rare exception, which we state plainly.

U.S. rank (2023)#10385 ↗ Rising

2023 U.S. births9 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1987

Total births (all-time)≈ 7,104

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

Anthony descends from Antonius, an ancient Roman family name borne by Mark Antony. Its original meaning is genuinely unknown; the familiar gloss 'priceless' or 'flower' arose much later from a mistaken association with the Greek anthos, and we do not repeat it as fact. The name spread through Christian Europe with Saint Anthony of Egypt and Saint Anthony of Padua. It is overwhelmingly a boys' name in the U.S. and everywhere else; its appearance here for a girl is a rare exception, and we say so plainly rather than pretend otherwise (said 'AN-thuh-nee').

For girls it appears only very rarely in the U.S., against overwhelming boys' use. Rare for girls; a long-standing classic for boys.

Did you know? The 'flower' meaning often given for Anthony is a later mistake - the Roman Antonius has no known meaning. And plainly: Anthony is overwhelmingly a boy's name; listed here for a girl, it is the exception (said 'AN-thuh-nee').

Overall data confidence 55%

References - Anthony — Latin Antonius, meaning unknown; 'flower' gloss a later folk etymology. Overwhelmingly a boys' name.

Variations

AntoniaAntonioAnthonie

Nicknames

ToniAntTony

Famous Bearers

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If you like Anthony…

Antonia— the established feminine form of the same name

Toni— the usual girls' short form

Antonella— a like feminine form in Italian

Albany— shares Anthony's Latin roots

Germany— shares the -ny ending

Explore names like Anthony

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Anthony mean?

Anthony comes from the Roman family name Antonius, whose original meaning is unknown. The common 'flower' or 'priceless' gloss is a later mistake, which we note.

How do you pronounce Anthony?

It's said AN-thuh-nee /ˈæn.θə.ni/ - three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Anthony a boy or girl name?

Anthony is overwhelmingly a boy's name. It is recorded here for a girl, which is a rare exception - we state that plainly. Antonia and Toni are the usual feminine forms.

How popular is Anthony?

For girls Anthony is very rare; for boys it is a long-standing and well-used classic.