Antony

Antony is a masculine given name and, less commonly, a surname. It is the English form of the Latin name Antonius, a family name in ancient Rome. The exact origin and meaning of Antonius are uncertain, but the name was widely adopted in Christian Europe and became common in the medieval and early modern periods.

Antony has several close variants, most notably Anthony. In other languages the form Antony is mirrored by Antoine in French, Antonio in Italian and Spanish, Anton in German and Dutch, and Antoni in Polish and Catalan. The name is closely associated with Saint Anthony (Saint Anthony of Padua), a popular early medieval saint who is venerated especially in Catholicism. It is also linked to Marcus Antonius, commonly Anglicized as Mark Antony, the Roman general and ally of Julius Caesar who features in Shakespeare's play Antony and Cleopatra.

Modern bearers include Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State; Antony Gormley, British sculptor; and Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon. The name is used in literature and film and remains a common choice in English-speaking countries.

Antony is also the name of a commune in the Hauts-de-Seine department of France, located southwest of Paris, reflecting the name's historical geographic spread in Europe.