My name is Milton.
I have had that name all of my life. I was named after my mother's father - my grandfather - Milton Oscar Sweat. While I have been proud to be named after him, it has been used in different variations over the course of my life. This name has been butchered and - at times - a source of irritation.
People have assumed - wrongly - that they could call me "Miltie" or - heaven forbid - "Uncle Miltie". I worked in an office before when a co-worker would yell "Miltie" down the hall, but I would not respond. When she came to my door and declared she had been calling me I said, "My name is Milton. I don't respond to anything else." She soon got the message. I have let people slide with calling me "Milt" in the past, but I have always instructed people to call me "Milton". I mean, that IS my name. I also had a co-worker who called me "Uncle Miltie" and I stopped and nipped that in the bud immediately and he got mad at me about it.
My name has been an issue at times, but it has been unique. I haven't met many Miltons in my life. The first was one in high school who wasn't very nice. In fact, we had an exchange which led to him sucker punching me in class. (Of course, I shouldn't have told him to shut up either.) The other Milton was a man named Milton Tomlinson who, at the time, was the leader of the Church of God of Prophecy denomination. The one and only time we met was went my grandfather took me to meet him. Three Miltons in one place. I am surprised the world didn't quake at that moment.
There have been some famous Miltons (besides me of course):
Milton Berle - was an American comedian and actor. Berle's career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and television. As the host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater (1948–55), he was the first major American television star and was known to millions of viewers as "Uncle Miltie" and "Mr. Television" during the first Golden Age of Television.
Not my favorite "famous" Milton because of him I had to endure the "Uncle Miltie" tag.
Milton Friedman - was an American economist who received the 1976 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his research on consumption analysis, monetary history and theory and the complexity of stabilization policy.
Now this was a pretty smart dude that I don't mind sharing a name with.
Milton Hershey - was an American chocolatier and philanthropist. Trained in the confectionery business, Hershey pioneered the manufacture of caramel, using fresh milk.
Maybe this explains my love for chocolate. Another Milton I don't mind being associated with.
Milton Bradley - was an American business magnate, game pioneer and publisher, credited by many with launching the board game industry, with the Milton Bradley Company.
Not bad to share a name with this game legend and his company.
Some not so famous Miltons (for me anyway) are these characters in television/movies:
Milton the Monster - was a Saturday morning cartoon character in the 60s which featured a Frankenstein-type monster who was really a big kid.
Milton Waddams - from the movie "Office Space" is a shy, neurotic employee that stutters constantly who works at Initech. He was actually let go from his job, five years prior to the events of the film, but no-one ever told him about it so he kept turning up to work. Due to a glitch in the payroll system, he kept getting a paycheck.
Milton Schlabb - is one from a Hallmark movie called "Love in the Limelight" who is a disgruntled college professor who has petty complaints against another professor.
I'm sure there are others I have missed but Miltons are unique, smart and - sometimes - quite odd. I won't ever be a "famous" Milton, but I have a name that I share with others who have done a lot with the same name.
