Walter

Walter is a boy's name of German origin meaning “army ruler.” In 2024 it was given to 1,264 boys in the United States.

Walter at a glance

Gender
Boy name
Origin
German
Meaning
“army ruler”
Pronunciation
/ˈwɒltə/

About the name Walter

Walter belongs to the German tradition. Its meaning — “army ruler” — is the sense carried by its German roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page.

In the United States, Walter first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #10 in 1914, and in 2024 1,264 babies received the name — 629,783 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Walter in US records

First recorded (US)
1880
Best US rank
#10 in 1914
Peak year
1918
Babies named Walter in 2024
1,264
Total since 1880
629,783

Similar names

More names from the German shelf:

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Walter mean?

Walter means “army ruler” in its German roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is Walter a boy or girl name?

Walter is a boy name. In 2024, 1,264 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Walter?

Walter comes from the German tradition.

How popular is the name Walter?

Walter first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #10 in 1914, and 1,264 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce Walter?

Walter is pronounced /ˈwɒltə/ (IPA).

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.