How to say it
WAL · ter
ˈwɔl.tər
Masculine
Walter
Ruler of the army
What it means
Germanic Waldhar, from wald ('rule, power') plus heri ('army'). A commander's name with centuries of use behind it.
Walter is the Germanic Waldhar, 'ruler of the army,' carried into England by the Normans, who pronounced the W. It was a top-tier English name for centuries, behind Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Walter Scott, then slid out of fashion by the mid-20th century. It's now riding the same great-grandpa revival as Arthur and Theodore. Walt and Wally are the shorts, the first cooler than the second these days.
How to spell Walter
The standard spelling is Walter. Common variants include Walther, Gualtiero, Gauthier, but Walter is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #10 in 1914, currently #252 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Walt has picked up edge (Walt Disney, Walt Whitman, Walter White); Wally stayed cozy.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Walt Disney animation and theme-park pioneer
- Walter White the chemistry-teacher antihero of Breaking Bad
- Sir Walter Scott Scottish novelist and poet (Ivanhoe)
Spelling variants
- Walther
- Gualtiero
- Gauthier
Names with the same feeling
See Walter from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Walter mean?
- Germanic Waldhar, from wald ('rule, power') plus heri ('army'). A commander's name with centuries of use behind it.
- What does Walter mean in Germanic?
- In Germanic, Walter means "Ruler of the army." Walter is the Germanic Waldhar, 'ruler of the army,' carried into England by the Normans, who pronounced the W. It was a top-tier English name for centuries, behind Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Walter Scott, then slid out of fashion by the mid-20th century. It's now riding the same great-grandpa revival as Arthur and Theodore. Walt and Wally are the shorts, the first cooler than the second these days.
- How do you pronounce Walter?
- Walter is pronounced ˈwɔl.tər. Say it as WAL-ter, with the stress on the "wal" syllable.
- How do you spell Walter?
- The standard spelling is Walter. Common spelling variants include Walther, Gualtiero, Gauthier.
- Is Walter a boy or girl name?
- Walter is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Walter?
- Walter ranked #252 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.