Antonio
Meaning
the Italian and Spanish form of Anthony, from the Roman name Antonius, of uncertain Etruscan origin
Goes by Tonio, Tono, Tony
Famously borne by Antonio Maceo, the Afro-Cuban general known as the Bronze Titan.
The story
Antonio is the Spanish and Italian form of the old Roman family name Antonius, whose deeper origin remains uncertain. Italy has used Antonio widely since at least the late Middle Ages, while in Spain it became especially dominant for boys in the 1950s and 1960s. The name has also carried familiar short forms such as Toño, Toni, and Tonio without losing its formal shape. Its US curve tells a quieter but unusually steady story. Antonio appears throughout the full record, rises gradually across the later twentieth century, reaches its broad high point in the 2000s and 2010s, and softens only slightly in the 2020s. That is not the profile of a foreign name arriving once and fading. It is the profile of a durable classic maintained by generations of Spanish-speaking, Italian, Croatian, and multilingual families. Antonio travels well because the form is specific, while the family behind it is ancient and international.
Antonio around the world
One shared root links 8 names across 4 languages.
Shared root: from the Roman family name Antonius, of obscure and likely Etruscan origin; "priceless" is folk etymology this family politely declines
The constellation
More branches
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Antonio peaked in the 2000s and the 2020s in nearly equal measure.
Popularity in Brazil
2,241,094 people · the #5 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 91 · median age 53
Among people named Antonio living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 1960s than in any other decade.
The census also counted 34,480 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Antonio
Most people given the name Antonio in the United States were born between 1970 and 2009. The Antonio you meet today is most often in his 20s or 30s.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Antonio deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Antonio truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Antonio fits with your family’s names and surname.
Where Antonio travels
Mexican American · the Spanish form of Anthony, from the Roman name Antonius, of uncertain Etruscan origin
Spanish · the Spanish form of Anthony, from the Roman name Antonius, of uncertain Etruscan origin
Italian American · the classic Italian form kept alive across generations
Filipino American · the Spanish and Italian form of Anthony, from the Roman name Antonius, of uncertain Etruscan origin
Italian · the Italian form of Anthony, from the Roman name Antonius, of uncertain Etruscan origin
Filipino · the Spanish form of Anthony, from the Roman name Antonius, of uncertain Etruscan origin (national hero Antonio Luna)
Keep exploring
Nicknames for Antonio · Italian baby names · Italian American baby names · Spanish baby names · Filipino baby names · Filipino American baby names · Mexican American baby names
Does Antonio fit YOUR family?
nametree reads your family’s names and finds the ones that belong. Free, private, no ads.
Add Antonio to your family’s tree →