Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua; Image via Wikipedia
Anthony is a saintly staple. Antoinette was a doomed queen. How would this Italian spin wear today?
Thanks to Christina for suggesting Antonella as our Baby Name of the Day.
Check the US Top 100, and you’ll find no shortage of elaborate feminine forms of evergreen masculine names:
- Samantha (#15)
- Brianna (#29)
- Victoria (#32)
- Gabriella (#33)
- Alexandra (#64)
- Natalia (#98)
Antonella fits perfectly, not just for her feminissa style, but for her potential nicknames. She shares her -ella ending with Gabriella and the chart-topping Isabella. Other short form options include Nell and Annie, as well as the obvious – if dated – Toni.
Anthony has been a steady Top 100 pick since before 1900. He’s a truly ancient appellation, with this roots stretching back to the ancient world. The Roman general Marcus Antonius – better known as Marc Antony – had a good run before losing a definitive battle to the future Emperor Augustus. His story, and the tale of his suicide with his ally and lover Cleopatra, were immortalized by none other than William Shakespeare.
The name endured, and was worn by a handful of early saints. The thirteenth-century Saint Anthony of Padua was born in Portugal, but lends the name his Italian style.
In English, Anthony picked up his -th thanks to an error: at some point, it was assumed that Anthony was related to anthos – flower. That’s not the case, and even in Medieval English, you would find men called Antony.
The feminine forms tend to omit the -h. There’s the literary Antonia, the French Antoine and Antoinette, as well as the more elaborate Italian options Antonina and Antonella. Spelled Antonela, you can find her in Croatia, too.
Most famous bearers in recent years have been Italian:
- Olympic athletes including Antonella Confortola, a cross-country skier, and Antonella Bellutti, a cyclist;
- Hollywood gives us Oscar-nominated costume designer Antonella Cannarozzi;
- Actresses include Antonella Lualdi, who made it big in French cinema during the 1950s, and named her daughter Antonellina, as well as Antonella Costa, and Chile’s Antonella Rios.
Ms. Rios may be the reason the name has enjoyed a burst of popularity in Chile in recent years.
In 2007, Antonella Barba competed on American Idol. She didn’t make it as far as the top twelve, though, so her name remains relatively obscure.
Yet overall, Antonella seems like the kind of name we should hear more. She fits with stylish options from Isabella to Francesca, and has more nickname options than many a frilly, feminine choice. If you’re heartbroken that every other girl in your ‘hood is answering to Olivia, this is one choice that is both completely different and perfectly in step.
For those many families with an Anthony or three to honor, she’s also an option that takes the traditional Italian favorite in another direction.
Such a pretty name. Of the feminine versions of Anthony, Antonia remains my favorite, but I can see the appeal for the frillier Antonella. I would love to hear it on a child.
Antonella’s pretty but I prefer the frillier Antonina. Mostly because I prefer Nina to Nell/Nellie as a nickname.
But Antonella’s very, very pretty and I’m sure if more people were exposed to her, she’d rise precipitiously. Antonella’s rich, melodic and just so much fun to say!
Lovely Antonella!
I love Antonella and agree with Lola that “she’s so much fun to say”. It is precisely her -ella ending that makes it hard for me to believe that she still hasn’t made it into the Top 1000. I think she would make a great substitute for my formerly beloved Isabella.
I think this name is so gorgeous! I would definitely use this one!
I love this name! Reminds me of an amusing story: some boys I know were discussing getting into a women’s conference by dressing up as girls, and were therefore working out what names they’d go by. I suggested to a boy called Anthony that he could be Antonia. He turned around and said ‘Oh no, that’s not pretty enough. I want to be Antonella…’
LOL
Antonella is very pretty to say, but my favorite feminine version of Anthony is still Antonia. I’m quite surprised that she’s not in the Top 1000, though I think if more parents are turning from Isabella to Anabella then Antonella really shouldn’t be far behind.
I think Antonella is loverly! I like Antonia, too. I hope Antonella doesn’t get too popular, though, I would hate to have it go the way of Isabella and Sophia!
Antonia has really been growing on me lately, and Antonella too– I love the nickname options of Nell/Nella and Annie. The only reservation I have is that it seems too much like a diminutive, with the frilly -ella ending. Antonia seems stronger and more lasting. But I’d love to see a little Antonella!
An old neighbor of mine has a daughter named Antonella. I’ve never heard her parent’s call her anything but her full name, which is a pity because I love the nickname Nella. Antonella is a lot of name, but the nickname possibilities could make it feasible.
I don’t love Antonella (Antonia is my favorite form of Anthony) but I would be pleased to meet another.
Ugh. I hate all forms of Anthony–feminine or masculine. Also, Antonella makes me think of spiders, probably because it rhymes and shares an N and a T with tarantella, the dance.
I’ve often said, I wish Antonella or Antonina were my “real” name instead of just Toni. They have such feminine flair compared to my given name that sounds better on a male mechanic than it does on a girl. I haven’t liked my name since I was old enough to realize it is a “boy’s name” and I’m glad other options are popping up into American usage.
We just had a celebrity baby with the middle name Anthonette – Antonella looks very usable, especially with the uber-popular -ella suffix.
I can see this one going down a treat.
I had to look that one up – sharing the definition for other Americans that will wonder what “go down a treat” means:
if something goes down a treat, people like it very much
Oops, I didn’t realise it was so incomprehensible! Thanks for helping out Christina!!!
Anthonette … hmmm, no. I really don’t know what to do with that one. But hey, in the middle spot, I think almost anything goes.
It sounds better than it looks – ANN-ton-et, pretty much like Antoinette but less Frenchy.
I don’t know. I think America is digging “ella” and “bella” endings, but somehow “nella” doesn’t sound the same to me. I think it would be more popular as Antobella, except that Antobella sounds too much like the historical period Antebellum. That said, I’ve been really loving Antonia recently. I think it would fit in with the frillies, but also give the to option of tomboy options with excellent literary connections to the Willa Cather Character, the author A.S. Byatt, and Harold Pinter’s wife (also a writer) named Antonia Fraser.
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