Milson
A masculine name possibly derived from the combination of mill and son.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Milson. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Milson today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Milson births was 2017 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Milson. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Milson. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2017
5 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,499
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Milson: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Milson from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Milson by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Milson during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Milson
The name Milson is believed to have originated from the Old English language, with its roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, around the 5th to 11th centuries AD. It is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "mil," meaning "mill," and "son," indicating a familial relationship or lineage.
This name was likely given to individuals who lived near or worked at a mill, or who were the sons of millers. The presence of mills was significant in medieval England, as they played a crucial role in the production of flour and other food staples for local communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Milson can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This ancient record mentions several individuals with variations of the name, such as "Milsun" and "Milsone," residing in various regions of England.
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures bearing the name Milson. One of the earliest was Sir John Milson (c. 1350 - 1416), a knight and landowner from Yorkshire, England, who served as a member of Parliament during the reign of King Henry IV.
Another prominent individual was William Milson (1583 - 1647), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of Bray in Berkshire. He was known for his contributions to theological writings and his involvement in religious controversies of the time.
In the 18th century, John Milson (1725 - 1805) made a name for himself as a successful merchant and philanthropist in London. He was instrumental in establishing several charitable institutions and was recognized for his generosity towards the less fortunate.
Moving into the 19th century, we have Thomas Milson (1819 - 1892), a prominent architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Finally, in the 20th century, we can mention Robert Milson (1921 - 2002), a British actor and director who had a prolific career on stage, television, and in films. He was particularly known for his performances in Shakespeare productions and his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
While the name Milson may not be as common today as it once was, its historical roots and associations with mills, land ownership, and notable figures throughout various eras demonstrate its enduring legacy and significance in English cultural and linguistic heritage.
People
Milson + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Milson as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Milson: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Milson?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Milson going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Milson a common name?
We classify Milson as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Milson most popular?
The single biggest year for Milson was 2017, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Milson is about 6 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Milson in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Milson a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Milson in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Milson still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Milson in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Milson can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Milson?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.