The first name Tony
A boy’s name.
Pronounced /ˈtoʊni/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Clipping of Anthony /Antony. The statuettes awarded by the American Theatre Wing are formally known as “Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre”; they are named for Antoinette Perry (1888–1946), an actress, director, producer and co-founder of the American Theatre Wing, who was nicknamed Tony.
Tony is a short form of
.From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 18 boys were named Tony, making it the 1,466th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 204 births (#167).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Tony with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Tony at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 325 boys born in the United States were named Tony, the 784th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1961, when 8,306 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Tony in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Tony in Italian too.
Famous people named Tony
290 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Tony CurtisAmerican actor (1925–2010)
- Tony ParkerFrench basketball player (born 1982)
- Tony ScottBritish film director and producer (1944–2012)
- Tony Tan Keng Yam7th President of Singapore, born 1940
- Tony ShalhoubAmerican actor (born 1953)
- Tony AdamsEnglish footballer (born 1966)
- Tony PopovicAustralian soccer player and manager, born 1973
- Tony HawkAmerican professional skateboarder and actor, born 1968
- Tony BennBritish politician (1925–2014)
- Tony ToddAmerican actor (1954–2024)
- Tony HibbertEnglish footballer, born 1981
- Tony HaleAmerican actor, born 1970
Questions
- What does the name Tony mean?
- Clipping of Anthony /Antony. The statuettes awarded by the American Theatre Wing are formally known as “Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre”; they are named for Antoinette Perry (1888–1946), an actress, director, producer and co-founder of the American Theatre…
- How popular is the name Tony?
- In 2025, 18 boys born in England and Wales were named Tony, ranking 1,466th. Its peak was 1996, with 204 births.
- Is Tony a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 254,483 US babies named Tony since 1880 were boys.
- When was Tony most popular?
- 1961 in the United States, when 8,306 babies were named Tony, its highest rank at 53rd.
- How do you pronounce Tony?
- Tony is /ˈtoʊni/, 2 syllables.
- Is Tony also a surname?
- Yes. Tony is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.