Given name & surname
Tony
“a flourishing man; from an ancient Roman family”
In English use, Tony is a diminutive of Anthony. One Latin interpretation is “a flourishing man; from an ancient Roman family.” Its derivation is not certain. Tony is a variant of Toni. In English use, Toni carries the interpretation “priceless and highly praiseworthy; a flourishing flower.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Tony carries the interpretation “a flourishing man; from an ancient Roman family.” In English use, Tony is a diminutive of Anthony. One Latin interpretation is “a flourishing man; from an ancient Roman family.” Its derivation is not certain. Tony is a variant of Toni. In English use, Toni carries the interpretation “priceless and highly praiseworthy; a flourishing flower.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
In English use, Tony is used as a shortened form of Anthony.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In Italian use, Tony is a diminutive of Antonio. The history of Antonio gives this family its wider story. Antonio has a place in Shakespeare’s plays.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Tony through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 254,483
- 251,595 boys · 2,888 girls
- Most popular year
- 1961
- 8,368 babies
- 2025
- 325
- #784 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −31%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 325 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 784 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 30.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 8,306 in 1961. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (49). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 191,115 as a first name in 2020; 1,105 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Tony’s family of names
In English usage, Tony is a diminutive of Anthony. Tony has a related form in Toni. In English usage, Tony is a short form of Anthony.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Tony has relatives in 16 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 24
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Tony
- Tony BlairPrime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007born 1953
- Tony AbbottPrime Minister of Australia from 2013 to 2015born 1957
- Tony CurtisAmerican actor (1925–2010)
- Tony BennettAmerican singer (1926–2023)
- Tony ParkerFrench basketball player (born 1982)
- Tony ScottBritish film director and producer (1944–2012)
- Tony IommiBritish rock guitarist (born 1948)
- Tony RobbinsAmerican author, professional speakerborn 1960
- Tony Tan7th President of Singaporeborn 1940
Characters named Tony: Tony Montana (Scarface), Tony Stark (the Marvel Cinematic Universe), Fat Tony (The Simpsons franchise), Tony Soprano (The Sopranos).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Tony, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“a friend of ships; a man of the river”
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Randy
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Rusty
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98% boys · 2% girls
Dale
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Ron
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Lee
“from the meadow”
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Lyndon
“from the hill of lime trees” · “from the lime tree”
84% boys · 16% girls