Milton Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MIL-tun //ˈmɪltən//
Origin: English; Old English
Meaning: Old English: 'mill town'; Latin: 'from the mill'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Milton has its roots in Old English, derived from the elements "middel," meaning "middle," and "tun," meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This etymology suggests a geographical origin, possibly referring to a settlement located in a central position. The name was first recorded in the form of "Middletun" in the 10th century, which later evolved into various forms, including "Miltun" and eventually "Milton." The transition into modern English occurred through the Norman influence on the English language after the 11th century, which integrated many Old English names into a more standardized form.
Historically, the name Milton gained prominence through notable figures, particularly John Milton, the 17th-century English poet and intellectual, best known for his epic poem "Paradise Lost," published in 1667. Milton's works have had a profound impact on English literature and thought, contributing to the name's association with literary excellence and intellectualism.
Additionally, the name appears in various historical texts and documents, often linked to places in England, such as Milton Keynes and Milton Abbas, which further solidified its usage. Culturally, the name Milton has been associated with themes of creativity, freedom of expression, and moral inquiry, largely due to John Milton's legacy.
The name has also been used in various literary and artistic contexts, reinforcing its significance in English-speaking cultures. While diminutive forms like "Milt" may exist, the name Milton itself carries a weight of historical and cultural resonance that has allowed it to endure through centuries.
Famous people named Milton
In this section, you will find notable people named Milton. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Milton who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Milton who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Milton Friedman was an economist best known for Capitalism and Freedom, A Monetary History of the United States, and his work on the permanent income hypothesis.
Milton Berle was an actor and comedian best known for The Milton Berle Show, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and his role in the early days of television.
Milton Glaser was a graphic designer best known for the I ♥ NY logo, the Bob Dylan poster, and his work in the field of visual arts.
Fictional characters named Milton
The following list of fictional characters named Milton is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Milton Waddams is a fictional character from the film Office Space. He is an introverted office worker known for his obsession with his stapler and his frequent complaints about being overlooked at work.
Milton is a fictional character from the video game series The Binding of Isaac. They are a character that players can unlock, known for their unique abilities and role within the game's narrative.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Milton, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Milton. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Milton was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Milton has ranked as high as #174 nationally, which occurred in 1920, and has been most popular in New York, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
In the past 5 years the name Milton has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Milton is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Milton was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Milton (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 18 | |
| FL | 10 | |
| CA | 9 | |
| GA | 8 | |
| VA | 7 | |
| NY | 7 | |
| WI | 6 | |
| LA | 6 | |
| NC | 6 | |
| MS | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Milton.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 128 |
| 2023 | 127 |
| 2022 | 151 |
| 2021 | 136 |
| 2020 | 144 |
| 2019 | 149 |
| 2018 | 153 |
| 2017 | 167 |
| 2016 | 149 |
| 2015 | 153 |
| 2014 | 175 |
| 2013 | 171 |
| 2012 | 168 |
| 2011 | 159 |
| 2010 | 188 |
| 2009 | 190 |
| 2008 | 218 |
| 2007 | 222 |
| 2006 | 238 |
| 2005 | 231 |
| 2004 | 244 |
| 2003 | 243 |
| 2002 | 260 |
| 2001 | 264 |
| 2000 | 280 |
| 1999 | 228 |
| 1998 | 217 |
| 1997 | 248 |
| 1996 | 281 |
| 1995 | 271 |
| 1994 | 282 |
| 1993 | 318 |
| 1992 | 330 |
| 1991 | 333 |
| 1990 | 324 |
| 1989 | 347 |
| 1988 | 365 |
| 1987 | 364 |
| 1986 | 341 |
| 1985 | 366 |
| 1984 | 374 |
| 1983 | 372 |
| 1982 | 410 |
| 1981 | 402 |
| 1980 | 402 |
| 1979 | 375 |
| 1978 | 415 |
| 1977 | 412 |
| 1976 | 441 |
| 1975 | 437 |
| 1974 | 451 |
| 1973 | 455 |
| 1972 | 485 |
| 1971 | 591 |
| 1970 | 633 |
| 1969 | 652 |
| 1968 | 680 |
| 1967 | 710 |
| 1966 | 765 |
| 1965 | 824 |
| 1964 | 979 |
| 1963 | 993 |
| 1962 | 1,113 |
| 1961 | 1,105 |
| 1960 | 1,181 |
| 1959 | 1,219 |
| 1958 | 1,326 |
| 1957 | 1,362 |
| 1956 | 1,482 |
| 1955 | 1,430 |
| 1954 | 1,581 |
| 1953 | 1,531 |
| 1952 | 1,576 |
| 1951 | 1,520 |
| 1950 | 1,553 |
| 1949 | 1,559 |
| 1948 | 1,546 |
| 1947 | 1,638 |
| 1946 | 1,507 |
| 1945 | 1,349 |
| 1944 | 1,457 |
| 1943 | 1,508 |
| 1942 | 1,507 |
| 1941 | 1,385 |
| 1940 | 1,423 |
| 1939 | 1,372 |
| 1938 | 1,400 |
| 1937 | 1,385 |
| 1936 | 1,441 |
| 1935 | 1,532 |
| 1934 | 1,516 |
| 1933 | 1,486 |
| 1932 | 1,710 |
| 1931 | 1,834 |
| 1930 | 2,053 |
| 1929 | 2,029 |
| 1928 | 2,170 |
| 1927 | 2,358 |
| 1926 | 2,418 |
| 1925 | 2,567 |
| 1924 | 2,474 |
| 1923 | 2,446 |
| 1922 | 2,556 |
| 1921 | 2,588 |
| 1920 | 2,592 |
| 1919 | 2,448 |
| 1918 | 2,454 |
| 1917 | 2,394 |
| 1916 | 2,345 |
| 1915 | 2,225 |
| 1914 | 1,834 |
| 1913 | 1,419 |
| 1912 | 1,319 |
| 1911 | 608 |
| 1910 | 476 |
| 1909 | 369 |
| 1908 | 346 |
| 1907 | 292 |
| 1906 | 303 |
| 1905 | 299 |
| 1904 | 230 |
| 1903 | 210 |
| 1902 | 207 |
| 1901 | 197 |
| 1900 | 242 |
| 1899 | 207 |
| 1898 | 225 |
| 1897 | 161 |
| 1896 | 194 |
| 1895 | 188 |
| 1894 | 156 |
| 1893 | 174 |
| 1892 | 173 |
| 1891 | 141 |
| 1890 | 126 |
| 1889 | 171 |
| 1888 | 165 |
| 1887 | 122 |
| 1886 | 145 |
| 1885 | 130 |
| 1884 | 150 |
| 1883 | 149 |
| 1882 | 155 |
| 1881 | 143 |
| 1880 | 149 |