Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Miller

Miller is the transferred use of an English surname derived from an occupation name. The job of a miller was quite important in the Middle Ages and he enjoyed a fair amount of status in his community. The word “miller” comes from the Olde English “mylnweard” which signified a mill-keeper. A mill is essentially a structure in which grains are grinded down to make flour or meal. Apropos, the Anglo-Saxon word was borrowed from the Romans (Latin) “molere” meaning “to grind”. The mill was a vital centerpiece in medieval England as farmers would gather to have their grain ground for use. Let’s just say the miller was a real popular guy in the Middle Ages. Like other surnames which developed from specific occupations (Carter, Cooper, Turner, Sawyer, etc.), Miller would have passed from the father to a son who followed him into the same line of business. As a surname, Miller dates back to the 13th century and today it survives as one of the Top 10 most common surnames in America (with the likes of Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown and Jones).

All About the Baby Name – Miller

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME MILLER

Romance is the hallmark of the Six personality. They exude nurturing, loving, and caring energy. Sixes are in love with the idea of love in its idealized form - and with their magnetic personalities, they easily draw people toward them. Like the number Two personality, they seek balance and harmony in their life and the world at large. They are conscientious and service-oriented, and a champion for the underdog. These personalities naturally attract money and are usually surrounded by lovely material objects - but their human relationships are always primary. They thrive in giving back to others rather than being motivated by their own desires. This is when they achieve great things. Sixes are natural teachers, ministers and counselors.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME MILLER

Miller is a surname which was used with some regularity in America dating back to the late 19th century. Although there’s a massive trend in the United States favoring surnames as first names, Americans have always had a tradition of using family names (particularly for boys). So Miller is one of those surnames used in the first half of the 20th century but then disappeared from the Top 1000 list during the 1940s. His hiatus from usage would last for nearly 70 years – the name only recently reappeared on the charts in 2011. Miller’s return to circulation is owed to the surname trend. Over 20% of baby boy given names being used today are also surnames – and it no longer matters if the surname has some family significance. Parents just like the sound of them (Mason, Logan and Jackson are the current top favorites). Miller is one of the lesser used surname examples which makes it more of an original choice among many to choose from. Musician Melissa Etheridge named her son Miller Steven in 2006. And if you’re an old-school baseball fan, Miller Huggins is a Baseball Hall of Famer inducted for both his playing and managing skills (1879-1929).

Quick Facts

ON MILLER

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

943

PRONUNCIATION:

MILL-er

SIMPLE MEANING:

Mill-keeper, to grind

Characteristics

OF MILLER

Humanitarian

Community-minded

Family-oriented

Loving

Affectionate

Compassionate

Sensitive

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Miller

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME MILLER

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Miller

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME MILLER

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Miller


Popular Songs

ON MILLER

Miller Boyz
a song by TRU [explicit]

Miller
a song by Darkbuster

Dusty Miller
a song by Alison Krauss

Famous People

NAMED MILLER

Miller Huggins (baseball player)

Children of Famous People

NAMED MILLER

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Miller

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME MILLER

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Miller