Walter - A very unique male name
Walter at a glance
Walter is ranked #250 among boy baby names in 2025, with 1,370 births in 2025. It peaked in 1914 at #10 and first appeared on the charts in 1910.
- Rank in 2025
- #250
- Births in 2025
- 1,370
- Peak year
- 1914 (#10)
- First appeared
- 1910
- Trend
- #272 in 2020 → #250 in 2025 (Rising)
- Popularity
- 1 in 1,070 boys
- Visitor rating
- 5.0/5 (10 recent votes)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 1,070 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Walter peaked in popularity 112 years ago in 1914 on position 10.
Famous with this name
Walter Koenig
Harriet Walter
Walter Matthau
How would you rate Walter, 1-5?
Walter is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Walter is currently topping the baby name charts in Minnesota at position #73 - and is the least popular in Nevada at position #512.Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Walter is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Walter origin and meaning
Germanic
"Ruler of the army" — from wald, "power, rule," and hari, "army"
Walter came to England with the Normans and was a stalwart for centuries. America peaked on it in 1918, it sank into deep grandfather territory, and it has been climbing back in the vintage revival — from #272 in 2020 to #250 in 2025.
Attested etymology
Walter is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.
To see famous people named Walter, pop culture references for the name Walter and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Walter
We've found the following names that sound similar to Walter, sorted by popularity.
Wilder / Wylder /Name statistics
Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better
understanding of how popular or unique this name is.
With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually
differ a lot from state to state.
Chart position per year (visualized)
Chart position per state (visualized)
Chart position per year (table view)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 250 |
| 2024 | 272 |
| 2023 | 267 |
| 2022 | 268 |
| 2021 | 271 |
| 2020 | 272 |
| 2019 | 278 |
| 2018 | 271 |
| 2017 | 265 |
| 2016 | 302 |
| 2015 | 309 |
| 2014 | 337 |
| 2013 | 339 |
| 2012 | 379 |
| 2011 | 373 |
| 2010 | 374 |
| 2009 | 381 |
| 2008 | 390 |
| 2007 | 376 |
| 2006 | 354 |
| 2005 | 375 |
| 2004 | 364 |
| 2003 | 355 |
| 2002 | 325 |
| 2001 | 336 |
| 2000 | 308 |
| 1999 | 309 |
| 1998 | 311 |
| 1997 | 272 |
| 1996 | 271 |
| 1995 | 265 |
| 1994 | 250 |
| 1993 | 220 |
| 1992 | 217 |
| 1991 | 200 |
| 1990 | 191 |
| 1989 | 185 |
| 1988 | 174 |
| 1987 | 173 |
| 1986 | 156 |
| 1985 | 163 |
| 1984 | 161 |
| 1983 | 153 |
| 1982 | 147 |
| 1981 | 138 |
| 1980 | 138 |
| 1979 | 128 |
| 1978 | 131 |
| 1977 | 123 |
| 1976 | 128 |
| 1975 | 111 |
| 1974 | 104 |
| 1973 | 100 |
| 1972 | 98 |
| 1971 | 91 |
| 1970 | 89 |
| 1969 | 84 |
| 1968 | 83 |
| 1967 | 81 |
| 1966 | 83 |
| 1965 | 82 |
| 1964 | 80 |
| 1963 | 77 |
| 1962 | 79 |
| 1961 | 74 |
| 1960 | 70 |
| 1959 | 66 |
| 1958 | 62 |
| 1957 | 58 |
| 1956 | 53 |
| 1955 | 51 |
| 1954 | 49 |
| 1953 | 45 |
| 1952 | 44 |
| 1951 | 42 |
| 1950 | 40 |
| 1949 | 37 |
| 1948 | 35 |
| 1947 | 34 |
| 1946 | 30 |
| 1945 | 27 |
| 1944 | 26 |
| 1943 | 26 |
| 1942 | 26 |
| 1941 | 26 |
| 1940 | 25 |
| 1939 | 25 |
| 1938 | 26 |
| 1937 | 26 |
| 1936 | 26 |
| 1935 | 23 |
| 1934 | 21 |
| 1933 | 21 |
| 1932 | 21 |
| 1931 | 20 |
| 1930 | 19 |
| 1929 | 19 |
| 1928 | 18 |
| 1927 | 17 |
| 1926 | 17 |
| 1925 | 16 |
| 1924 | 16 |
| 1923 | 16 |
| 1922 | 15 |
| 1921 | 15 |
| 1920 | 13 |
| 1919 | 11 |
| 1918 | 11 |
| 1917 | 11 |
| 1916 | 11 |
| 1915 | 11 |
| 1914 | 10 |
| 1913 | 11 |
| 1912 | 11 |
| 1911 | 12 |
| 1910 | 13 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | 73 |
| North Dakota | 105 |
| Maine | 118 |
| Vermont | 120 |
| Iowa | 125 |
| South Dakota | 126 |
| Alaska | 141 |
| Wisconsin | 145 |
| Montana | 148 |
| New Hampshire | 155 |
| Michigan | 164 |
| Nebraska | 166 |
| Tennessee | 170 |
| Missouri | 171 |
| Utah | 177 |
| Colorado | 189 |
| Alabama | 194 |
| Kansas | 195 |
| Idaho | 195 |
| Massachusetts | 201 |
| Illinois | 202 |
| District of Columbia | 203 |
| Washington | 208 |
| Virginia | 209 |
| South Carolina | 222 |
| Delaware | 243 |
| North Carolina | 255 |
| Mississippi | 258 |
| Pennsylvania | 260 |
| Oregon | 262 |
| Indiana | 266 |
| Georgia | 271 |
| Ohio | 272 |
| Connecticut | 279 |
| Arkansas | 283 |
| Oklahoma | 309 |
| Louisiana | 312 |
| New York | 336 |
| Arizona | 391 |
| Texas | 397 |
| Maryland | 406 |
| California | 461 |
| Florida | 464 |
| Kentucky | 483 |
| New Jersey | 486 |
| Nevada | 512 |
Even more about Walter
These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.
Is Walter a common or unique name?
By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.What is the number of syllables for the name Walter?
2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.Pronunciation
WAWL-tur · /ˈwɔːltər/
Around the world
- Walter (German) — Used as-is in German, pronounced VAL-ter
- Wouter (Dutch) — The Dutch cognate form
Spellings and nicknames
Nicknames: WaltWally
Famous bearers
- Walter Cronkite — Television news anchor, 'the most trusted man in America' (1916–2016) Contemporary
- Walter Payton — Chicago Bears running back, among the greatest in NFL history (1954–1999) Historical
- Walter White — Chemistry teacher turned drug lord, the antihero of Breaking Bad (Fictional, 2008) Fictional
Style
ClassicVintage revival
Why parents choose it
Parents pick Walter as a distinguished revival bet — all gravitas and tweed, but with the disarming nickname Walt and a clear runway before it gets common.
Worth knowing
- It still reads as a grandfather name to many, and Wally as a nickname has its own dated (and in Britain, silly) baggage.
- Walter White jokes come free with the name for the Breaking Bad generation.
