boy's name
Antonio
an-TOH-nee-oh
- Origin Etruscan
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 4
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 293,124
the United States
#176
2025 births
Antonio is a boy's name of Etruscan origin whose meaning is unknown. It comes from the Roman family name Antonius, which predates Latin — the "priceless" reading universally given is a later invention.
- Antonio is a name of Etruscan origin.
- Peaked in 1997, when 5,089 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,611 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 4 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Antonio over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 320 |
| 1890s | 340 |
| 1900s | 860 |
| 1910s | 4,145 |
| 1920s | 7,272 |
| 1930s | 5,307 |
| 1940s | 6,171 |
| 1950s | 11,745 |
| 1960s | 18,818 |
| 1970s | 33,739 |
| 1980s | 42,125 |
| 1990s | 46,791 |
| 2000s | 46,350 |
| 2010s | 28,368 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 12,619 |
What Antonio means
Antonio has no recoverable meaning. The Roman gens name Antonius is Etruscan, a language only partly deciphered, so the widely repeated priceless or praiseworthy readings are guesses attached long afterwards.
Where Antonio comes from
Antonio descends from the Roman family name Antonius, one of the oldest gens names in Rome and almost certainly Etruscan rather than Latin in origin. Because Etruscan is only partially understood, the name's meaning is genuinely lost. The common gloss priceless comes from a much later association with the Greek anthos, flower, or with inaestimabilis, and has no basis in the Roman name. Mark Antony is its famous bearer, and Saint Anthony of Padua carried it through the medieval period.
Antonio in use
Our data shows Antonio falling, peaking in 1997, and it first appears in our records in 1880. It is one of very few names on this site whose meaning is genuinely unrecoverable rather than merely disputed — the language it comes from is itself only half read.
How popular is Antonio?
In 2025, Antonio was given to 2,058 babies in the United States, ranking #176 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Antonio is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Antonio is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Antônio | Antônio is a rare spelling of Antonio, written with a circumflex and recorded about 15 times, mostly in France. | 15 |
Names that peaked alongside Antonio
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Antonio also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Antonio over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
4 nicknames for Antonio
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Antonio in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Antonio
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Antonio — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Antonio
What does the name Antonio mean?
Its meaning is unknown. The Roman family name Antonius is Etruscan, a language only partly deciphered.
Does Antonio mean priceless?
No. That gloss was attached much later and has no basis in the Roman name.
Are Antonio and Anthony the same name?
Yes — both descend from the Roman gens name Antonius.
How popular is the name Antonio?
In 2025, Antonio was given to 2,058 babies in the United States, ranking #176 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Antonio a girl's or a boy's name?
Antonio is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Antonio?
Antonio has 4 syllables.
When was Antonio most popular?
Antonio peaked in 1997, when 5,089 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Antonio?
Antonio is usually shortened to Tony, Toni, Nino and Anton.
Is Antonio a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Antonio currently ranks #176 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.