Antonia

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Antonia

Gender: Feminine
Language: Dutch, English, German, Italian, Latin, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish
Etymology:
Antonia is the feminine of Antonius, the Latin form of an Ancient Greek name, Anthony. It original meaning is unknown, but it could be “Flowering” from “anther” (flower), or “Priceless,” or “Beyond Praise.”

History:
Antonia is a name found in the Ancient world. It belonged to two daughters of Mark Antony (Antonia the Elder and Antonia the Younger) and the mother of Claudius I.

Because of St. Anthony (or Antonius), feminine forms of his name could be found from time to time in the Middle Ages in Europe, but the name was not all that common. It wasn’t until the Renaissance, however, that Antonia began to be popular in Europe.

Antonia was made common in the United States by the great influx of German and Scandinavian immigrants s in the mid-19th century as well as by the Spanish-speaking settler of the Southwest.

Pronunciation: ann-tone-ee-ah, ann-tone-yah.

Diminutives: Nina, Ninette, Toni, Tonia, Tonya, Antonette.
Finnish: Toini.
French: Antoinette, Toinette.

Alternates:
Czech: Antonie, Antonína.
French: Antonie.
German: Antonie.
Latin: Antonina.
Spanish: Antonina.

Alternates from “Antoinette”:
English: Antonette, Anthonette, Antonetta, Antonietta.
Italian: Antoinetta.

See also: Antoinette, Antonette, Nina, Toni, Tonya (Tonia).

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Antonia Brico (1902-1989)
Dutch-American conductor.

Fictional Characters:
Ántonia Shimerda (1918)
From Willa Cather’s My Ántonia.

Political Figures:
Antonia C. Novello (1944-)
Surgeon-General of the United States.

Miscellaneous:
Antonia the Elder and Antonia the Younger (1st century B.C.)
Two daughters of Mark Antony.

Singers and Entertainers:
Antonia Merce (La Argentina) (1888-1936)
Argentine dancer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.102 % named Tonya
0.072 % named Nina
0.064 % named Toni
0.048 % named Antoinette
0.035 % named Antonia
0.018 % named Tonia
0.008 % named Antionette
0.005 % named Antonette
0.003 % named Antonina
0.002 % named Antonietta
0.001 % named Antonetta

Popularity of Antonia:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1850: 218th most popular.
1875: 326th most popular.
1900-1910: 268th most popular.
1910-1920: 277th most popular.
1920-1930: 268th most popular.
1930-1940: 265th most popular.
1940-1950: 303rd most popular.
1950-1960: 423rd most popular.
1960-1970: 592nd most popular.
1970-1980: 578th most popular.
1980-1990: 612th most popular.
1990: 624th most popular.
1991: 651st most popular.
1992: 641st most popular.
1993: 686th most popular.
1994: 651st most popular.
1995: 530th most popular.
1996: 403rd most popular.
1997: 481st most popular.
1998: 543rd most popular.
1999: 577th most popular.
2000: 609th most popular.
2001: 607th most popular.
2002: 640th most popular.
2003: 731st most popular.

In France...
1900: 172nd most popular.
1910: 136th most popular.
1920: 168th most popular.
1930: 167th most popular.
1932: 198th most popular.
1940-2000: N/A

Popularity of Antonina:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 727th most popular.
1910-1920: 894th most popular.
1920-2000: N/A