Tony is the short form of Anthony, which comes from the Roman family name Antonius and has no certain meaning; the popular reading "priceless" is a later folk etymology linked to the Greek anthos, "flower". Singer Tony Bennett and the Tony Awards, named after Antoinette Perry, kept the nickname in the American spotlight. Tony ranked number 283 in 2000, peaked at number 281 in 2002 and has gradually declined to number 784 in 2025.