Find out how popular the first name Antonio has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Antonio by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Antonio is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Antonio being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 2,018 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Antonio.

The history of the first name Antonio

The name Antonio has its origins in ancient Rome, derived from the Latin name Antonius. It is a cognomen or family name that became a praenomen or personal name over time. The root of the name is thought to be derived from the Oscan or Etruscan word "anto" meaning "inestimable" or "invaluable".

In the 1st century BC, the name was made famous by the Roman politician and general Mark Antony, a contemporary of Julius Caesar and a member of the Second Triumvirate. His full name was Marcus Antonius. The name continued to be used in various forms throughout the Roman Empire and into the Middle Ages.

As Christianity spread across Europe, the name Antonio became associated with various saints and religious figures. One of the earliest recorded examples is Saint Anthony the Great, also known as Anthony of Egypt or Anthony the Abbot, who lived from around 251 to 356 AD and is considered the founder of Christian monasticism.

Another notable bearer of the name was Antonio of Padua, a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar born in 1195. He was canonized as a saint in 1232 and is venerated as the patron saint of lost things. His feast day is celebrated on June 13th.

During the Renaissance period, the name gained further popularity, particularly in Italy. Antonio Vivaldi, the famous Italian Baroque composer, was born in 1678 and is known for his iconic work "The Four Seasons" among other compositions.

In the world of literature, Antonio is the name of one of the main characters in William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest", believed to have been written in 1610-1611. The character is the brother of Prospero, the play's protagonist.

Other notable figures throughout history who bore the name Antonio include Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737), the renowned Italian luthier and craftsman of string instruments; Antonio Gaudí (1852-1926), the Spanish architect known for his unique and whimsical style; and Antonio Machado (1875-1939), a famous Spanish poet and one of the leading figures of the Spanish literary movement known as the Generation of '98.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Antonio was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Antonio, please contact us.

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