Find out how popular the first name Miller has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Miller by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Miller is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 78% of people named Miller being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 558 male babies and 305 female babies born with the name Miller.

The history of the first name Miller

The given name Miller is an occupational surname originating from Old English and originally referred to a person who worked as a miller, grinding grain at a mill. The name is derived from the Old English word "mylnere," which itself comes from the Proto-Germanic word "mulinarjaz." This was formed by combining the words "mulino" (mill) and the suffix "-arjaz" (agent).

The name Miller first emerged in England and surrounding areas during the Anglo-Saxon period, which lasted from the 5th to the 11th century. It was one of the earliest English occupational surnames to develop. Similar spellings in early records include Millere, Milner, and Mylner.

While not found in ancient religious texts or scriptures, the name Miller does appear in various historical records and documents from medieval England. One of the earliest recorded instances is a man named William le Millere, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1221.

Several notable individuals throughout history have borne the first name Miller. In the 18th century, Miller Mundy (1725-1784) was an English politician who served as Member of Parliament for Derbyshire. Author and playwright Miller Browne (1831-1907) was a prominent figure in the literary world of 19th century England.

In the United States, Miller Huggins (1879-1929) was a baseball player and manager who led the New York Yankees to their first World Series championship in 1923. Miller Williams (1930-2015) was an American contemporary poet and translator who served as the inaugural inaugural poet at President Clinton's second inauguration in 1997.

Another notable bearer of the name was Miller Reese Hutchison (1876-1944), an American engineer and inventor best known for developing an innovative hearing aid design in the early 20th century.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Miller was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Miller, please contact us.

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