| Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as several Slavic countries in the Balkans, Lusophone Africa and South Africa.In the English language it is translated as Anthony, and has some female derivatives: Antonia, Antónia, Antonieta, Antonietta, and Antonella'. It also has some male derivatives, such as Anthonio, Antón, Antò, Antonis, Antoñito, Antonino, Antonello, Tonio, Tono, Toño, Toñín, Tonino, Nantonio, Ninni, Totò, Tó, Tonini, Tony, Toni, Toninho, Toñito, and Tõnis. The Portuguese equivalent is António (Portuguese orthography) or Antônio (Brazilian Portuguese). In old Portuguese the form Antão was also used, not just to differentiate between older and younger but also between more and less important, In Galician the form is Antón, in Catalan Antò, and in Basque Antxon. The Greek versions of the name are Antonios (Αντώνιος) and Antonis (Αντώνης).
The name derives from Antonius, a well-known Latin family name, probably of Etruscan origin. The Roman general Marcus Antonius held that the origin of the name was Anthon (Ανθών), son of Hercules. This myth, recorded by Plutarch, was probably created by Marcus Antonius himself, in order to claim divine parentage. The name was in use throughout the Roman world which, at its height, comprised the whole of the Mediterranean and much of Europe as well as the Middle East. When the Roman Empire became Christian, the name continued in popularity because of the many great saints who bore the name. Later, the name was spread all around the world as Christianity was introduced to other locations (e.g. the Far East, the Americas, Australia, and Sub-Saharan Africa). |
