The name Toni is of Italian origin and is a short form of the masculine given name Antonio. Antonio itself comes from the Latin name Antonius, which was derived from the Etruscan name AUNTIUS. The meaning of Antonius is "priceless" or "highly praiseworthy." It is believed that the name was originally an Etruscan cognomen (a nickname based on physical attributes) and not a Roman family name.
The popularity of the name Toni has varied over time and across different cultures. In some periods, it has been more commonly used as a masculine given name, while in others, it has been used more frequently for females. Today, Toni is generally considered to be unisex, although it may still be more commonly associated with males in certain regions.
One notable figure with the name Toni was Toni Morrison, an American novelist who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. Born Chloe Ardelia Wofford, she adopted the pen name Toni Morrison as a young adult and used it throughout her successful writing career. Her most famous works include "Beloved," "Song of Solomon," and "Sula."
Overall, the name Toni has an Italian origin and a meaning that reflects high praise or value. While its usage has varied historically, it is now generally considered to be unisex. Some famous individuals have borne this name, including notable author Toni Morrison.
The name Toni experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the century. Initially, it was relatively uncommon with fewer than 10 births per year from 1907 to 1914. However, starting around 1916, its usage began to increase steadily, reaching a peak of 300 births in 1939. The name continued to be popular throughout the 1940s and 1950s, with over 2000 births annually during these decades.
Interestingly, Toni's popularity began to decline in the late 1960s and early 1970s, dropping below 2000 births per year by 1972. This trend continued throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s, with fewer than 1000 births annually during these decades.
In the 21st century, Toni's usage has been quite low, with fewer than 300 births per year since 2000. The most recent data available shows that there were only 100 births in 2022 and 101 births in 2023. Overall, the name Toni has been given to a total of 100,027 babies over the course of these records.