# 2% of Americans think Romney's real first name is "Mittens" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 8, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195 "2012-02-08T15:25:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/1 "2012-02-08T15:25:49Z")
> **[2 Percent of Voters Thought Mitt Romney's Real Name Is 'Mittens'](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/01/2-percent-voters-thought-mitt-romneys-real-name-mittens/333586/)** > > Quick: What's Mitt Romney's real first name? (No Googling!) If you didn't guess "Willard," you're in the same boat as 94 percent of America that somehow still doesn't know all that much about a guy who's been running for president for five years. Question: What is his REAL first name? Willard! > [@](#): > > According a 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll, a 20 percent plurality of us thought that “Mitt” was his real name and not a glove-like nickname. 18 percent said “Mitchell”; 8 percent, Milton; and only 6 percent correctly said [his real name] But the most important stat from the survey is that somehow, in some way, 2 percent of real-life adult voting Americans believe that his name is “Mittens.” As in what you’d name your cat – but instead of being a cat, Mittens Romney is a leading contender to be the leader of the free world. Another 2 percent thought his name was “Gromit,” which is almost equally as ridiculous sounding (and also, coincidentally, the name of a dog). Maybe he should just go with “Mittens.” Betcha didn’t know that. I didn’t. But at least I didn’t think it was “Mittens” [spoiler] “Mitt” is apparently diminutive of “Milton”, since Romney was named in part after his father’s cousin Milton “Mitt” Rmney, quarterback for the Chicago Bears in 1925-9. And why didn’t we hear _that_ interesting tidbit of news more often? > **[Mitt Romney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_romney)** > > Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. He was the Republican Party's nominee in the 2012 U.S. presidential election. > Mitt Romney is a son of George W. Romney, a former governor of Michigan. Raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Mitt spent over two years in France as a Mormon missionary. He married Ann Davies in 19... [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/2 "2012-02-08T15:27:54Z")
So… “2% of Alericans are fucking with a poll” is not a possible explanation? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/3 "2012-02-08T15:35:42Z")
So our next President will be named Willard, Newt or Barack? Truly, the dream of Millard Filmore, that one day Presidential Candidates won’t be judged by the wackiness of their first name but by the content of their character, has come to pass. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/4 "2012-02-08T15:38:59Z")
> [@Trion](#): > > So… “2% of Alericans are fucking with a poll” is not a possible explanation? Definitely a possibility. But only 6% came up with the right answer, which doesn’t seem right. That sugests to me that the 2% aren’t simply “screwing with the poll” – they really don’t know the answer, which is _why_ they’re screwing with the poll. I mean, after all > [@](#): > > Another 2 percent thought his name was “Gromit,” ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/5 "2012-02-08T15:44:14Z")
Very clearly 2% of Americans don’t think that. It means that 2% chose that option in a multiple guess poll. ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/6 "2012-02-08T15:44:46Z")
I wouldn’t be surprised if you could produce a poll indicating 2% of Americans think their own first name is Mittens. ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/7 "2012-02-08T15:46:23Z")
Oh, sure. Some of those 2% are answering “Mittens” to screw with the poll, some are screwing with the poll because they really don’t know the answer, some might think it really was a viable answer and are just guessing and some are answering based on the voices in their head. I think that the only real reason to even ask a question like this is because we want to know how informed people are about the presidential candidates. And the only thing we can take away from this is that people are really really uninformed about the candidates. I wish I were more surprised. ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/8 "2012-02-08T16:35:16Z")
> [@Trion](#): > > I think that the only real reason to even ask a question like this is because we want to know how informed people are about the presidential candidates. And the only thing we can take away from this is that people are really really uninformed about the candidates. I wish I were more surprised. While I actually agree with your conclusion, I don’t believe the facts support that the sign that the public is uninformed about a candidate is that they are unaware of what is written on his birth certificate. What his parents named him has no bearing on his potential as President so why should that be something crucial for the electorate to remember? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/9 "2012-02-08T16:42:41Z")
> [@jonesj2205](#): > > While I actually agree with your conclusion, I don’t believe the facts support that the sign that the public is uninformed about a candidate is that they are unaware of what is written on his birth certificate. > What his parents named him has no bearing on his potential as President so why should that be something crucial for the electorate to remember? Agreed. Mitten’s has also never actually been a candidate for National office, so what the general US population knows about him isn’t really a measure of what “voters know about their candidates” in anycase. Presumably if he wins the GOP nomination people will pay more attention (and also late night comedians will start making fun of his real first name) ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/10 "2012-02-08T16:44:16Z")
Well, I’ve only ever read “Mittens” on exmormon and postmormon forums. I assumed it was just an insult. I think it’s likely that 2% of the respondents were perfectly happy to insult Mr. Mittens. Hell, I call him that, even though I knew damn well his name is Willard. I know people named Willard, and Mittens is no Willard. :: D& R :: ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/11 "2012-02-08T16:45:38Z")
> [@Trion](#): > > So… “2% of Alericans are fucking with a poll” is not a possible explanation? Seconded. If I saw this poll and one of the answers was “Mittens,” I don’t think I could restrain myself from picking it. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/12 "2012-02-08T16:48:35Z")
Where does the “Mittens” thing come from? I’ve heard it a couple places, but I’m not really sure what the source is. ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/13 "2012-02-08T16:56:53Z")
> [@jonesj2205](#): > > While I actually agree with your conclusion, I don’t believe the facts support that the sign that the public is uninformed about a candidate is that they are unaware of what is written on his birth certificate. > What his parents named him has no bearing on his potential as President so why should that be something crucial for the electorate to remember? Perhaps. But I think the people who created the poll thought it would be an indicator, which is why they included it. Unless they included the question for the very purpose of getting a result like this. So that they could get a big juicy headline like “2% of American think Romney’s first name is Mittens. Come look at our poll to see how stupid people are! Put us on the news!” Which meant the pollsters are screwing with the public as well. So everyone is screwing everyone else and I haven’t been invited to the orgy. Typical, really. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/14 "2012-02-08T17:41:51Z")
I just hope when the convention comes along, he picks a running mate named “Ben.” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/15 "2012-02-08T17:46:27Z")
FTR: His actual first name is “Willard.” His middle name is “Mitt,” which is short for nothing, it’s just “Mitt.” ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/16 "2012-02-08T17:50:56Z")
Rom Mittney, you mean? Or Newt Romnich? Ging Newtney, perhaps? Mute Nomrich? Mutt Newtney? Nit Gingrey? Ham Sandwich? I’d vote for any of these nominees (or “mutinies”) if I saw them on my ballot. After I finished laughing, of course. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/17 "2012-02-08T17:57:45Z")
My opinion of him would actually improve if his real name were “Mittens.” ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/18 "2012-02-08T18:16:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Another 2 percent thought his name was “Gromit” This makes no sense - everyone knows Gromit is the smart one, saving Wallace’s butt whenever one of his “cracking” contraptions goes awry - How anyone could confuse that w/ Mittens is beyond me (and for Simplico - ‘Mittens’ is simply a derogatory play on the name ‘Mitt’, since Mittens routinely fails to shows voters he is deserving of any sort of respect - I definitely remember it being used during the 2008 Republican primary) ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/19 "2012-02-08T18:19:37Z")
> [@Trion](#): > > So… “2% of Alericans are fucking with a poll” is not a possible explanation? It might be if I knew what the heck an Alerican was. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195/20 "2012-02-08T18:21:52Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > FTR: His actual first name is “Willard.” His middle name is “Mitt,” which is short for nothing, it’s just “Mitt.” I swear, sometimes I think I’m invisible. from the _Original Post_: > [@](#): > > “Mitt” is apparently diminutive of “Milton”, since Romney was named in part after his father’s cousin Milton “Mitt” Rmney, quarterback for the Chicago Bears in 1925-9. And why didn’t we hear that interesting tidbit of news more often? > > [Mitt Romney - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_romney) I also observed that the 2% saying “Mittens” was his name probably because they didn’t _know_ his name three posts before **Trion** did. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-of-americans-think-romneys-real-first-name-is-mittens/612195.md?page=2)