Tony
Boy name · #783 in 2025 · Rare
In 2025, 325 baby boys were named Tony, placing it at #783 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #500, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 5,538 boys born in 2025 was named Tony.
Babies named Tony per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Tony first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 42 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1961, when 8,306 boys were named Tony — good for #53 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Tony against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Tony in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Tony is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Tony will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Tony is most common
Geography matters for names, and Tony is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Tony is most common in GA (0.3 per 1,000), NC (0.3 per 1,000), IN (0.3 per 1,000), TX (0.3 per 1,000), CA (0.3 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Tony is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Tony
Tony belongs to the Anthony family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Anthony family went to about 6,292 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #39, versus #783 for Tony alone.
Names like Tony
Statistically, parents drawn to Tony tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Danny, Terry, Troy, Ray, and Joey.
DannyTerryTroyRayJoeyTeddyTommyRicky
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Tony | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 325 | #783 |
| 2024 | 313 | #806 |
| 2023 | 290 | #841 |
| 2022 | 379 | #698 |
| 2021 | 392 | #679 |
| 2020 | 427 | #630 |
| 2019 | 467 | #592 |
| 2018 | 471 | #583 |
| 2017 | 520 | #544 |
| 2016 | 567 | #521 |
| 2015 | 581 | #500 |
| 2014 | 666 | #447 |
| 2013 | 664 | #435 |
| 2012 | 653 | #428 |
| 2011 | 691 | #408 |
| 2010 | 751 | #383 |
| 2009 | 805 | #378 |
| 2008 | 886 | #354 |
| 2007 | 1,002 | #320 |
| 2006 | 985 | #328 |
| 2005 | 1,030 | #318 |
| 2004 | 959 | #321 |
| 2003 | 1,000 | #302 |
| 2002 | 1,072 | #281 |
| 2001 | 1,025 | #291 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Tony a popular boy name?
Tony ranked #783 among boys in 2025 with 325 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #500.
When was the name Tony most popular?
Tony peaked in 1961, when 8,306 American boys received the name (ranked #53 that year). Since 1961 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Tony?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 5,538 newborn American boys was named Tony. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
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.