Anthony
Boy name · #46 in 2025 · Uniqueness 43/100
Anthony ranks #46 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 5,967 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #25, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 302 boys born in 2025 was named Anthony.
The 145-year story
Anthony first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 130 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1990, when 25,088 boys were named Anthony — good for #15 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Anthony per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Anthony against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Anthony in class?
Anthony scores 43 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Anthony is most common
Geography matters for names, and Anthony is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Anthonys were CA (819), TX (702), FL (460), NY (391), NJ (327). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Anthony
Statistically, parents drawn to Anthony tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Andrew, Aaron, Matthew, Joshua, and Jonathan.
AndrewAaronMatthewJoshuaJonathanAlexanderAntonioDaniel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Anthony | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,967 | #46 |
| 2024 | 6,353 | #44 |
| 2023 | 6,277 | #46 |
| 2022 | 6,607 | #44 |
| 2021 | 6,792 | #43 |
| 2020 | 7,037 | #41 |
| 2019 | 7,725 | #38 |
| 2018 | 8,048 | #38 |
| 2017 | 8,877 | #33 |
| 2016 | 9,900 | #30 |
| 2015 | 10,664 | #25 |
| 2014 | 11,613 | #21 |
| 2013 | 12,295 | #19 |
| 2012 | 13,228 | #15 |
| 2011 | 14,290 | #11 |
| 2010 | 15,511 | #10 |
| 2009 | 16,327 | #11 |
| 2008 | 18,417 | #7 |
| 2007 | 19,639 | #7 |
| 2006 | 19,413 | #9 |
| 2005 | 19,387 | #8 |
| 2004 | 19,613 | #11 |
| 2003 | 20,149 | #10 |
| 2002 | 19,590 | #12 |
| 2001 | 19,737 | #11 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Anthony a popular boy name?
Anthony ranked #46 among boys in 2025 with 5,967 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #25.
When was the name Anthony most popular?
Anthony peaked in 1990, when 25,088 American boys received the name (ranked #15 that year). Since 1990 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Anthony?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 302 newborn American boys was named Anthony. It scores 43/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.