ANTHONY RE

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 (Ré): from re ‘king’, possibly denoting someone who lived by or worked in a royal court, or someone who behaved in regal fashion, had played the part of a king in a pageant, or who had earned the title in some contest of skill.