The first name Milton
A boy’s name from English meaning “mill”, “middle”, “settlement”.
Pronounced /ˈmɪltən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
English origin
Milton means “mill”, “middle”, “settlement” in English.
The English place names are from Old English mylen (“mill”) or middel (“middle”) + tun (“settlement”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 4 boys were named Milton, making it the 4,275th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2014, with 10 births (#2,079).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Milton with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Milton at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 125 boys born in the United States were named Milton, the 1,440th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1920, when 2,592 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Milton in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Milton in French too.
Famous people named Milton
85 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Milton FriedmanAmerican economist and statistician (1912–2006)
- Milton BerleAmerican comedian and actor (1908–2002)
- Milton H. EricksonAmerican psychiatrist (1901–1980)
- Milton NascimentoBrazilian singer-songwriter and musician, born 1942
- Milton BabbittAmerican composer (1916–2011)
- Milton GlaserAmerican graphic designer (1929–2020)
- Milton CruzBrazilian association football player, born 1957
- Milton SillsAmerican stage and film actor (1882-1930)
- Milton S. HersheyAmerican businessman (1857-1945)
- Milton CascoArgentine footballer, born 1988
- Milton MendesBrazilian association football player and manager, born 1965
- Milton L. HumasonAmerican astronomer (1891–1972)
More English boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Milton mean?
- Milton means “mill”, “middle”, “settlement” in English.
- What is the origin of the name Milton?
- The English place names are from Old English mylen (“mill”) or middel (“middle”) + tun (“settlement”).
- How popular is the name Milton?
- In 2025, 4 boys born in England and Wales were named Milton, ranking 4,275th. Its peak was 2014, with 10 births.
- Is Milton a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 118,551 US babies named Milton since 1880 were boys.
- When was Milton most popular?
- 1920 in the United States, when 2,592 babies were named Milton, its highest rank at 74th.
- How do you pronounce Milton?
- Milton is /ˈmɪltən/, 2 syllables.
- Is Milton also a surname?
- Yes. Milton is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.