Walter is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Walter means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Walter across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Walter has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Walter is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “ruler of the army”. introduced to England by the Normans.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 634,804 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,890 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 231 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 535 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 57 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Walter per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1918 (13,418/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2019 (178/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1968 (32/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (19/yr).
Walter has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1918, when it ranked #22 nationally (given to 13,418 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1910s.
Wilder · Wylder · Alder · Aldor · Elder · Altair · Alter
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