So why doesn't Romney ever use his actual first name?

[Lincoln Republican]

A lot of people go by their middle name instead of their first name because they like it better or because they have been called by their middle name most of their life.

It's quite common really.

[Lincoln Republican]

Lol at desperate people attacking Dr. Romney

Yes, how DARE they? 

[Lincoln Republican]

What would you rather be called? The elitist, New England, richrichrich, WASPy "Willard"? Or the nickname Mitt?

If I was Mitt Romney, I would rather be called President Romney. 

(After November 2012 of course) 

[Lincoln Republican]

Yeah there's nothing really odd about this, like half of my family goes by their middle name. I did laugh though in that one debate when he said Mitt was his first name.

And that was exactly the effect Mitt wanted to achieve.  He said that as an attempt for laughs, nothing more.  

Idiot bloggers and commentators pounced on it as a Romney flip flop, stupidly accusing him of lying about his name.  

These anti Romney hate mongers ought to be forced to walk the plank.    

[Lincoln Republican]

Yeah there's nothing really odd about this, like half of my family goes by their middle name. I did laugh though in that one debate when he said Mitt was his first name.

And that was exactly the effect Mitt wanted to achieve.  He said that as an attempt for laughs, nothing more.  

Idiot bloggers and commentators pounced on it as a Romney flip flop, stupidly accusing him of lying about his name.  

These anti Romney hate mongers ought to be forced to walk the plank.    

Oh no, Winfield. I don't think Romney would want his haters to walk the plank. He's just above all those pettiness.

You are so right, Mitt is so far above all that pettiness.

When I say walk the plank, I mean figuratively speaking of course. 

But thank you for pointing that out.

[Lincoln Republican]

What would you rather be called? The elitist, New England, richrichrich, WASPy "Willard"? Or the nickname Mitt?

I've never thought of Willard as being elitist, New England, richrichrich, or WASPy (WASPish[/i).

My guess is that is a nickname from childhood.

Mitt is actually his middle name.

Romney was named after hotel magnate J. Willard Marriott, his father's best friend, and his father's cousin Milton "Mitt" Romney, 1925–1929 quarterback for the Chicago Bears.  (Wiki)

[Lincoln Republican]

But as I stated above, Mitt is his actual middle name.

[Lincoln Republican]

If your  birth certificate name is Robbie, then, for that individual, Robbie is not a nickname, because your real name is not Robert but Robbie.

I happen to know someone whose birth certificate name is Jimmy, not James.  Therefore, that individual's real name is Jimmy.  For that indivudual, Jimmy is not a nickname.

If your real name is Milton, and you go by Mitt, then yes, Mitt becomes a nickname.  However, if your real name is Mitt, as is the case with Romney, then Mitt is your real name, not your nickname.

It is not up to us to determine what is a real name or not.  The parents of the child determine that.