Milton
Boy name · #1436 in 2025 · Very rare
Milton is currently the #1436 boy name in the United States — 125 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1205, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 14,400 boys born in 2025 was named Milton.
The 145-year story
Milton first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 149 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1920, when 2,592 boys were named Milton — good for #74 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Milton per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Milton against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Milton in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Milton is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Milton will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Milton is most common
State-level data for Milton is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Milton
Statistically, parents drawn to Milton tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Marion, Elton, Anton, Vernon, and Alton.
MarionEltonAntonVernonAltonMyronWaltonMelvin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Milton | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 125 | #1436 |
| 2024 | 128 | #1426 |
| 2023 | 128 | #1420 |
| 2022 | 153 | #1264 |
| 2021 | 136 | #1360 |
| 2020 | 144 | #1271 |
| 2019 | 149 | #1258 |
| 2018 | 153 | #1219 |
| 2017 | 167 | #1138 |
| 2016 | 149 | #1245 |
| 2015 | 153 | #1205 |
| 2014 | 175 | #1093 |
| 2013 | 171 | #1088 |
| 2012 | 168 | #1106 |
| 2011 | 159 | #1136 |
| 2010 | 188 | #1031 |
| 2009 | 190 | #1024 |
| 2008 | 218 | #932 |
| 2007 | 222 | #901 |
| 2006 | 238 | #846 |
| 2005 | 231 | #817 |
| 2004 | 244 | #754 |
| 2003 | 243 | #741 |
| 2002 | 260 | #696 |
| 2001 | 264 | #683 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Milton a popular boy name?
Milton ranked #1436 among boys in 2025 with 125 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1205.
When was the name Milton most popular?
Milton peaked in 1920, when 2,592 American boys received the name (ranked #74 that year). Since 1920 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Milton?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 14,400 newborn American boys was named Milton. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.