Walt Boy

Popularity: #903 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: Walt /wɔlt/

Origin: German; English

Meaning: German: Ruler of the army; English: Diminutive of Walter

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Walt is derived from the Germanic name Walter, which itself comes from the Old High German "Waldhari," meaning "ruler of the army." The name is composed of two elements: "wald," meaning "to rule," and "hari," meaning "army." This etymological root can be traced back through various linguistic forms, including the Proto-Germanic *waldaz and *harjaz, before evolving into the Old French "Gaultier" and later into the Middle English "Walter." The name entered the English language during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, becoming a popular given name among the nobility and commoners alike. Historically, the name Walter has been borne by numerous notable figures, including saints and scholars.

One prominent example is Saint Walter of Pontoise, a 12th-century hermit and founder of a monastery, who is venerated in various Christian traditions. The name gained further prominence through literary works, such as Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" in the 14th century, where it appears in various forms.

The name Walter was also popularized in England through the influence of the Plantagenet dynasty, particularly during the medieval period. Culturally, the name Walt has come to symbolize creativity and innovation, particularly through associations with figures like Walt Whitman, the American poet, and Walt Disney, the influential animator and film producer.

These associations have contributed to the name's enduring legacy in American culture, where it evokes a sense of artistic expression and imagination. The diminutive form "Walt" serves as a familiar and affectionate variation of Walter, maintaining the historical significance while offering a more casual alternative.

Famous people named Walt

In this section, you will find notable people named Walt. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Walt who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Walt who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Walt Disney is a film producer and entrepreneur best known for creating Disneyland, Mickey Mouse, and producing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Walt Whitman is a poet best known for Leaves of Grass, Song of Myself, and O Captain! My Captain!.

Walt Frazier is a former professional basketball player best known for playing with the New York Knicks and winning two NBA championships.

Fictional characters named Walt

The following list of fictional characters named Walt is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Walt Disney is a fictional character from the animated film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He is portrayed as a famous animator and film producer who plays a crucial role in the story's plot involving animated characters and the real world.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Walt, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

JackMaxLeoSamBenTomCharlie

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Walt. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

WarrenWayneWalterWesleyWilburWallaceWinston

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Walt was first seen in the United States in 1893.

Walt has ranked as high as #1962 nationally, which occurred in 1959, and has been most popular in California, Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, and Michigan.

In the past 5 years the name Walt has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Walt is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Walt was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Walt.

Year Total Births Boy
2025 35 35
2024 34 34
2023 45 45
2022 43 43
2021 43 43
2020 42 42
2019 35 35
2018 42 42
2017 29 29
2016 30 30
2015 21 21
2014 29 29
2013 19 19
2012 15 15
2011 18 18
2010 16 16
2009 14 14
2008 10 10
2007 9 9
2006 11 11
2005 8 8
2004 5 5
2003 5 5
2002 10 10
2001 11 11
2000 8 8
1999 10 10
1998 6 6
1997 11 11
1996 7 7
1995 7 7
1994 7 7
1993 9 9
1991 11 11
1990 8 8
1989 6 6
1988 8 8
1987 12 12
1986 8 8
1985 14 14
1984 10 10
1983 15 15
1982 15 15
1981 16 16
1980 14 14
1979 11 11
1978 18 18
1977 13 13
1976 15 15
1975 19 19
1974 14 14
1973 21 21
1972 20 20
1971 23 23
1970 28 28
1969 27 27
1968 25 25
1967 35 35
1966 36 36
1965 28 28
1964 41 41
1963 52 52
1962 61 61
1961 53 53
1960 61 61
1959 81 81
1958 80 80
1957 54 54
1956 31 31
1955 28 28
1954 22 22
1953 17 17
1952 18 18
1951 17 17
1950 18 18
1949 22 22
1948 37 37
1947 52 52
1946 53 53
1945 47 47
1944 44 44
1943 44 44
1942 51 51
1941 39 39
1940 27 27
1939 30 30
1938 25 25
1937 23 23
1936 26 26
1935 26 26
1934 19 19
1933 13 13
1932 19 19
1931 26 26
1930 25 25
1929 9 9
1928 25 25
1927 12 12
1926 20 20
1925 20 20
1924 13 13
1923 10 10
1922 13 13
1921 19 19
1920 13 13
1919 14 14
1918 12 12
1917 10 10
1916 9 9
1915 8 8
1914 7 7
1912 8 8
1908 6 6
1894 5 5
1893 5 5

Top States for Walt (2023)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
AL 6
55%
TX 5
45%