Walter: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “ruler of the army”
- Origin
- Germanic
- Say it
- WAWL-ter · 2 syllables
- Used for
- Boys
From Old High German Walter, from elements meaning 'rule' and 'army'. It was borne by Sir Walter Scott and many European nobles and saints.
How popular is Walter?
Babies named Walter in 20241,264
2024 rank#271 boys
Peak year1880
Total US babies since 1880633,415
Walter is rising: use over the last five years is 1.6× what it was a decade earlier.
Names like Walter
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
Walter questions
What does the name Walter mean?
Walter means "ruler of the army". It comes from Germanic. From Old High German Walter, from elements meaning 'rule' and 'army'. It was borne by Sir Walter Scott and many European nobles and saints.
Is Walter a boy or girl name?
Walter is mainly a boy's name in US records (99% of uses since 1880).
How popular is Walter?
1,264 US babies were named Walter in 2024. Its peak year was 1880.
How do you pronounce Walter?
Walter is usually pronounced WAWL-ter.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.