Antanas

Antanas is a masculine given name of Lithuanian origin, widely used in Lithuania and among Lithuanian communities abroad. It is the Lithuanian form of Antonius and Anthony, derived from the Latin name associated with early saints.

The name is linked to Saint Anthony of Padua in Catholic tradition, and has been popular in Lithuania since the 19th century. It is commonly found in historical records and in modern Lithuania; the name is also common among the Lithuanian diaspora in North America and elsewhere.

In Lithuanian, Antanas has several affectionate forms and is closely related to the international variants Anthony, Antoni, and Antonio. Diminutives and affectionate forms vary by family and region.

Notable people named Antanas include Antanas Smetona (1874–1944), the first President of Lithuania who led the country in the interwar period; Antanas Škėma (1910–1961), a Lithuanian writer best known for Balta drobulė (The White Shroud); and Antanas Mockus (born 1952), a Colombian philosopher and politician of Lithuanian descent who served as mayor of Bogotá and as a prominent public intellectual.

The name remains in use today among Lithuanians and members of the Lithuanian diaspora, reflecting cultural and linguistic ties to Lithuanian heritage.