Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

How would you pronounce Anthony?

133 replies

igglepiggle599 · 25/02/2025 22:16

I'd love to use the name 'Anthony', but I've heard a lot of people (especially in the States) pronounce it using the 'h', which I really dislike. Is this likely to be a common problem?

I do get very bothered by certain pronunciations. I've already ruled out the name 'Anastasia' because I hate the way many people pronounce it with four syllables (An-uh-stay-zhuh instead of An-ah-stay-see-ah).

I'm aware that it can also be spelled 'Antony', but it just doesn't look quite right to me!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
CointreauVersial · 25/02/2025 23:33

Well.....between DH and I we have a brother, a stepbrother, an uncle, a second cousin AND a nephew each called Anthony, so consider ourselves experts!

All spelled with a "th" and all pronounced with a hard "t". I can't imagine many Brits getting it wrong.

Timeforacuppanow · 25/02/2025 23:31

I’m NE England and know both. Not an age thing as one Anthony - pronounced with th sound - is 7 years old. If anything around here I’d say this was the more common pronunciation. As others have said, if it’s going to annoy you choose a different name or spell it Antony x

ChessorBuckaroo · 25/02/2025 23:27

People in the UK pronounce the word CAR with an r ending. I have never heard anyone in the UK pronounce it with a silent r, "ca" for example doesn't happen.

Nobody in the UK marks November 5th either. We have only ever celebrated Halloween here.

In the UK we have St Patrick's Day, celebrating Patrick our national saint.

In the UK our national colour is green.

The UK full breakfast is known as an "Ulster Fry". Essential ingredients in a fry up are potato bread and soda farl (have never known anyone in the UK not to have either of those in it).

Etc etc.

DreamingOfASilentNight · 25/02/2025 23:26

An- tow- nee. No"th" sound
I've never heard it pronounced that way until I worked with someone Irish who strangely used to fluctuate between the two pronunciations. ( Although we worked with Americans and I think the "th" might have been just for their benefit).

CottonCandyLand · 25/02/2025 23:25

I’m in Canada and people here pronounce the h so it’s An-th-ney

Bumcake · 25/02/2025 23:21

huuskymam · 25/02/2025 23:00

I had a brother Anthony, we all pronounce it without the h. Though we call him Tony and friends call him anto.

But nobody calls him Thony?

honeylulu · 25/02/2025 23:16

Husband is Anthony. Pronounced An-tuh-nee, no th sound.
His dad was English, quite posh. His mum was from the US. They both agreed the h was silent and it was a hard t sound.
I've known a few other Anthonys, all pronounced with a hard t, except one (from Kent if that's relevant) who was Anth-uh-nee. He was forever correcting people who pronounced it the hard t way.
The famous Anthonys I can think of, including Anthony Head, all seem to have the hard t.

GirdYurLoins · 25/02/2025 23:15

I had a family member called Anthony, it was always pronounced with the hard ‘t’ - so ‘An-tony’. He went by Ant to most people.

YourAzureEagle · 25/02/2025 23:08

I am an Anthony, always been pronounced Antony, but since sixth form I've simply been Tony

CatsRabbitsDogsFish · 25/02/2025 23:07

I would pronounce it with the th so An-thonee.

remaininghopeful23 · 25/02/2025 23:02

I'd pronounce the th - An-thun-knee.

Huckyfell · 25/02/2025 23:01

Ant

huuskymam · 25/02/2025 23:00

I had a brother Anthony, we all pronounce it without the h. Though we call him Tony and friends call him anto.

greylamp · 25/02/2025 22:58

ChessorBuckaroo · 25/02/2025 22:39

The UK is not England.

This is like those Halloween threads when the English and their November 5th custom (which we in Northern Ireland have never celebrated unlike Halloween which is from here (and Scotland)) think they speak for the rest of us.

My brother is called Anthony. An-thon-ney.

Show quote history

Yep also from NI and agree with this posters pronunciation 👌

NomNomNominativeDeterminism · 25/02/2025 22:55

Anyway OP, if you really dislike a pronunciation that you may well hear, yes that’s a problem. I hope you settle on a name you love.

WhenICalledYouLastNightFromTesco · 25/02/2025 22:55

I'd pronounce it Antony. My cousin is called Anthony, but we all pronounce it as Antony, unless we are taking the piss. He's aged about 35 so the pronunciation may have changed since then?

Original poster
igglepiggle599 · 25/02/2025 22:55

NomNomNominativeDeterminism · 25/02/2025 22:53

I know a couple of Anthonys with a ‘th’, both north east England. Also shortened to Anth sometimes. What is pretentious about it? It’s just a short version.

But gosh, anti-Americanism, one of the acceptable forms of racism, is it?

Never said it was pretentious. Purely personal preference.

Disliking one thing that's typically American doesn't make me anti-American.

OP posts:
NomNomNominativeDeterminism · 25/02/2025 22:53

I know a couple of Anthonys with a ‘th’, both north east England. Also shortened to Anth sometimes. What is pretentious about it? It’s just a short version.

But gosh, anti-Americanism, one of the acceptable forms of racism, is it?

gingercat02 · 25/02/2025 22:48

I would say Anthony with a th, but lots of people say Antony

CuteEasterBunny · 25/02/2025 22:45

It’s Anth on ee in our family. We have a few.

OkPedro · 25/02/2025 22:45

MyLordNorfolk · 25/02/2025 22:30

Ant-Knee. Northern English.
Almost a global stop in the middle

It's the same in some Dublin accents

Tabbsi · 25/02/2025 22:44

My FIL's name - Ant-ony. No H. (Spelled Anthony)

SparklyGlitterballs · 25/02/2025 22:44

I have a cousin called Anthony and it's pronounced with a hard T, not with the H.

I wouldn't worry too much though because before you know it his mates will shorten it to Ant or Tony.

Sophie3003 · 25/02/2025 22:43

Anthony I would say is Anth-on-y
Antony I would say is Ant-on-y
Two separate names, one Anthony is my grandad's middle name and has always been pronounced with the 'h'

AcquadiP · 25/02/2025 22:43

I lived in the NE of England for 20 years and heard it pronounced with the 'h'. I pronounce it without.