Antoniya

Antoniya is the Bulgarian feminine form of Antonius, the Latin family name of the prominent Roman gens Antonia, whose origin is uncertain though it may derive from an Etruscan root or possibly from the Greek anteos, meaning "priceless" or "of inestimable worth." The name gained wide use across Europe largely through the influence of Saint Anthony of Egypt, the third-century ascetic regarded as the father of Christian monasticism. Antoniya shares its heritage with cognates such as Antonia, Antónia, Antoinette, and Tonya, which spread through Catholic and Orthodox Christian traditions alike.