Walter Boy

Popularity: #256 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: WAL-ter //ˈwɔːltər//

Origin: German; Old High German

Meaning: German: ruler of the army; Old High German: powerful warrior

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Walter has its roots in the Germanic elements "wald" meaning "rule" and "heri" meaning "army." The name was originally recorded in the form of "Walthari" in Old High German, which later evolved into "Walter" as it passed through various linguistic stages. The name made its way into Old French as "Gautier" before being adopted into Middle English, where it became widely used among the Anglo-Norman nobility following the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

Historically, Walter has been borne by several notable figures, including Walter of St. Victor, a 12th-century theologian, and Walter Raleigh, the English explorer and writer of the late 16th century.

The name also appears in various medieval texts, including the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, who used it in his writings during the late 14th century. Additionally, the name Walter is found in the context of the Bible, particularly in translations like the King James Bible, which contributed to its recognition in English-speaking cultures.

Culturally, the name Walter has been associated with strength and leadership due to its etymological roots. It has been used in various literary and historical contexts, symbolizing nobility and valor.

The diminutive form "Walt" has also emerged, reflecting a more informal and affectionate usage. Overall, Walter has maintained a significant presence in European history and literature, embodying qualities of authority and military prowess.

Famous people named Walter

In this section, you will find notable people named Walter. 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 Walter who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Walter 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.

Walter White is a fictional character best known for the television series Breaking Bad.

Walter Cronkite is a journalist best known for his role as a news anchor on CBS Evening News.

Walter Payton is a former professional football player best known for his career with the Chicago Bears.

Walter Mitty is a fictional character best known for the short story The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and its film adaptations.

Walter Becker was a musician best known as a co-founder of the band Steely Dan.

Walter Gropius was an architect best known for founding the Bauhaus school of design.

Walter Scott was a writer best known for his historical novels such as Ivanhoe and Rob Roy.

Walter Lippmann was a journalist and author best known for his work in political commentary and the book Public Opinion.

Walter Benjamin was a philosopher and cultural critic best known for his essays on aesthetics and modernity.

Walter Isaacson is a biographer and journalist best known for his biographies of Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, and Leonardo da Vinci.

Walter Salles is a film director best known for directing The Motorcycle Diaries and Central Station.

Walter Hill is a film director and producer best known for directing The Warriors and 48 Hrs.

Walter Koenig is an actor best known for his role as Pavel Chekov in Star Trek.

Walter Murch is a film editor and sound designer best known for his work on Apocalypse Now and The English Patient.

Walter Mosley is an author best known for his Easy Rawlins mystery series.

Walter Cronkite is a television journalist best known for his work as a news anchor for CBS News.

Fictional characters named Walter

The following list of fictional characters named Walter 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.

Walter White is a fictional character from the TV series Breaking Bad. He is a high school chemistry teacher who turns to cooking methamphetamine after being diagnosed with cancer.

Walter Mitty is a fictional character from the short story 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' by James Thurber. He is a daydreamer who escapes his mundane life through vivid fantasies of adventure and heroism.

Sibling suggestions

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

WilliamWesleyWhitneyWinstonWaylonWyatt

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Walter. 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.

WalterinoWaldoWallaceWarrenWilburWilfredWendellWesley

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Walter was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Walter has ranked as high as #22 nationally, which occurred in 1918, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, and Ohio.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Walter 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 Walter was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Walter (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
TX 90
8%
CA 75
6%
GA 57
5%
WI 56
5%
MI 48
4%
MN 48
4%
NY 48
4%
OH 48
4%
NC 46
4%
PA 45
4%
MO 44
4%
TN 43
4%
IL 40
3%
FL 37
3%
WA 36
3%

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 Walter.

YearBirths
20241,264
20231,274
20221,278
20211,281
20201,240
20191,282
20181,313
20171,366
20161,172
20151,157
2014987
2013939
2012805
2011801
2010784
2009789
2008764
2007810
2006850
2005770
2004766
2003775
2002833
2001826
2000949
1999918
1998896
19971,027
19961,035
19951,062
19941,152
19931,356
19921,421
19911,539
19901,614
19891,612
19881,610
19871,574
19861,715
19851,689
19841,689
19831,767
19821,912
19811,990
19802,010
19792,122
19781,991
19772,185
19762,102
19752,358
19742,487
19732,627
19722,917
19713,356
19703,584
19693,570
19683,589
19673,810
19664,056
19654,484
19644,844
19635,066
19625,280
19615,467
19605,766
19596,129
19586,313
19576,706
19567,020
19557,299
19547,486
19537,509
19527,899
19518,037
19507,798
19498,296
19488,627
19479,217
19468,668
19457,574
19448,159
19439,035
19428,681
19417,746
19407,723
19397,323
19387,559
19377,486
19367,536
19357,816
19348,092
19337,755
19328,668
19318,940
19309,731
19299,850
192810,651
192711,346
192611,774
192512,130
192412,696
192312,433
192212,631
192113,004
192013,294
191912,879
191813,338
191712,582
191611,760
191511,255
19148,962
19136,890
19125,809
19113,074
19102,596
19092,287
19082,192
19072,095
19061,934
19051,902
19041,873
19031,840
19021,858
19011,718
19002,298
18991,750
18982,002
18971,895
18962,017
18952,015
18942,010
18932,004
18922,229
18911,668
18901,905
18891,916
18882,040
18871,704
18861,880
18851,808
18841,902
18831,705
18821,805
18811,670
18801,755