Standard ML is very well known, even to people who have never programmed in it.

I think you're simply wrong. You simply know Machine Learning and are probably interested in that.

I bet you wouldn't argue that Machine Learning or Artificial Intelligence headlines need to be spelled out.

And what's the damage? There are very few Standard ML submissions here. You're being "misled" into reading a sentence or two that don't interest you like... once every year?