ANTHONY FALBO

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: nickname, probably for someone with fair hair or a blond beard, from falbo ‘pale yellow’, usually applied to the color of an animal's coat, from medieval Latin falvus ‘tawny’, usually applied to the color of an animal's coat. Compare Sicilian farbu ‘blond’, ‘reddish’.