Tony
Tony was the 784th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 325 babies. Its best year was 1965, when it ranked 48th; the most babies were born in 1961 (8,306). Over the last ten years it has moved down 284 places. More babies were named Tony in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Meaning short for Anthony (Roman family name) · Latin, English
Say it TOH-nee /ˈtoʊni/
- Rank in 2025
- #784 boys, down 154 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 325boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19618,306 babies
- Total since 1880
- 254,483babies recorded
What does the name Tony mean?
Tony is a clipping of Anthony or Antony, as Wiktionary notes. DMNES explains Anthony as Latin Antonius, a Roman family name, possibly of Etruscan origin, and lists a 4th-century Egyptian saint and a 13th-century Italian saint among its bearers. The meaning of Antonius is unknown; the popular link with Greek anthos, flower, finds no support in DMNES. Tony has been used in the US since 1880 and was most common around 1960.
Antōnius (Latin, “Roman family name (perhaps Etruscan)”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. DMNES: Roman gens name, possibly Etruscan; meaning unknown.
Other explanations you may read: Means 'flower' (Greek anthos) or 'priceless'. These are later associations; the Roman name's meaning is unknown..
Related names: Anthony, Antonio, Toni, Antoine.
See also: Latin names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Tony' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Anthony', DMNES (Durham University)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Tony popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 2,888 since 1889.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #784 | 325 |
| 2020 | #630 | 427 |
| 2010 | #383 | 751 |
| 2000 | #283 | 1,086 |
| 1990 | #147 | 2,183 |
| 1980 | #108 | 2,727 |
| 1970 | #57 | 5,480 |
| 1960 | #52 | 7,999 |
| 1950 | #149 | 1,757 |
| 1940 | #142 | 1,233 |
| 1930 | #163 | 912 |
| 1920 | #136 | 1,146 |
| 1910 | #151 | 212 |
| 1900 | #194 | 101 |
| 1890 | #278 | 39 |
| 1880 | #261 | 42 |
How popular is Tony, counting every spelling?
Tony is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #743 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #784 for Tony on its own. Together these spellings went to 337 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony | 325 | #784 | 1,699 |
| Toney | 6 | #11,855 | 34 |
| Tonny | 6 | #11,856 | 31 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Tony?
325 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Tony (0.09 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Tony born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 26 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Tony.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Tony?
About 181,600 people born in the US named Tony are alive today, with a median age of 57; half are between 42 and 65. That makes Tony a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Tony by state
How common Tony was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Alabama (1.9×), Louisiana (1.7×), Georgia (1.6×), North Carolina (1.5×). In 18 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Tony: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Tony, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Tony · Sibling names for Tony
Tony is also a nickname for Anthony, Antonio and Antoine.
Questions about the name Tony
What does Tony mean?
Tony is usually explained as “short for Anthony (Roman family name)”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.
How popular is the name Tony?
Tony was the 784th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 325 babies. Its best year was 1965, when it ranked 48th; the most babies were born in 1961 (8,306). Over the last ten years it has moved down 284 places. More babies were named Tony in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Is Tony a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Tony in the US.
Where is Tony most popular?
In 2021–2025, Tony was most common in Alabama (0.38 per 1,000 boys), followed by Louisiana and Georgia.