ANTHONY ESPOSITO

The usual English form of the old Roman family name Antonius, which is of uncertain (probably Etruscan) origin. The spelling with -th- (not normally reflected in the pronunciation) represents a learned but erroneous attempt to associate it with Greek anthos ‘flower’. In the post-classical period it was a common name, borne by various early saints, most notably a 3rd-century Egyptian hermit monk, who is regarded as the founder of Christian monasticism.

Italian: surname commonly denoting a foundling, meaning literally ‘exposed’ (Latin expositus, past participle of exponere ‘to place outside’). At the present day this is the commonest surname in Naples and fourth in Italy as a whole.