Mitt Romney is the Republican candidate for the President of the United States. His name has been in the news for quite a while. On the night of November 6, 2012, we will know if we will officially put "President" in front of his name or if we will still call him Governor Mitt Romney.
Whether he wins the election or not, do you know what Mitt Romney's first name is? Is Mitt his first name? Is Mitt a nickname? What does "Mitt" stand for or mean?
According to Wikipedia:
Mitt is not Mitt Romney's first name. His real name is Willard Mitt Romney.
Vanity Fair polled a group, asking if they knew Romney's true first name.
- Only 6 % guessed the correct answer: Willard
- 20% said Mitt
- 18% said Mitchell
- 8% said Milton
- 2% said Mittens, like something you would name your cat
- 2% thought his name was Gromit, the name of a dog
- 44% did not know his first name
His first name is "Willard," after the hotel magnate J. Willard Marriott, his father's best friend.
His middle name "Mitt" comes from his father’s cousin, who played quarterback for the Chicago Bears from 1925 to 1929. That cousin's name was "Milton" and his nickname was "Mitt."
So technically "Mitt" is a nickname for "Milton" but since Mitt Romney was never named Milton, it is not a nickname for him.
If Mitt Romney becomes President of the United States, at least you will know the background of his name. Unless, of course, someone like Donald Trump asks to see his birth certificate to verify this information.
