Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1959

Walt

Meaning Clipping of Walter Gender Boy Rank 2025 #3,376 Trend → Stable

Clipping of Walter. The derogatory British sense is a reference to the fictional character Walter Mitty from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, a mild-mannered pushover…

Rank 2025
#3,376
among boys · ↑76 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
35
named Walt · +3% vs 2024
How common
1 in 48,802
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1959
81 babies
All-time total
2,634
#2,772 all-time among boys
First recorded
1893
in Social Security records

Walt popularity over time

2,634 babies have been named Walt since 1893, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1893Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s 10 1 – #1,172
1900s 6 1 -40% #1,366
1910s 68 7 +1033% #2,039
1920s 154 15 +126% #1,520
1930s 232 23 +51% #1,218
1940s 416 42 +79% #924
1950s 366 37 -12% #842
1960s 419 42 +14% #980
1970s 182 18 -57% #1,657
1980s 118 12 -35% #2,891
1990s 76 8 -36% #5,085
2000s 91 9 +20% #6,412
2010s 254 25 +179% #2,889
2020s (to 2025) 242 40 +59% #2,844

Where Walt is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 35 0.02 outside top 500
2027 35 0.02 outside top 500
2028 34 0.02 outside top 500
2029 34 0.02 outside top 500
2030 34 0.02 outside top 500

The story of Walt

Walt is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,376 in 2025 with 35 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1893, 2,634 American babies have been named Walt. Its peak came in 1959, when 81 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Walt stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Walt?

The median living Walt is about 54 years old; half are between 13 and 67. An estimated 1,800 people named Walt are alive in the United States today.

median 54 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Walt year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 35 #3,376
2024 34 #3,452
2023 45 #2,844
2022 43 #2,957
2021 43 #2,916
2020 42 #2,882
2019 35 #3,342
2018 42 #2,889
2017 29 #3,766
2016 30 #3,676
2015 21 #4,699
2014 29 #3,687
2013 19 #4,967
2012 15 #5,977
2011 18 #5,189
2010 16 #5,720
2009 14 #6,412
2008 10 #8,285
2007 9 #8,878
2006 11 #7,398
2005 8 #9,063
2004 5 #13,134
2003 5 #12,682
2002 10 #7,016
2001 11 #6,423
2000 8 #8,172
1995 7 #7,771
1990 8 #6,387
1985 14 #3,393
1980 14 #3,251
1975 19 #2,358
1970 28 #1,657
1965 28 #1,481
1960 61 #980
1955 28 #1,482
1950 18 #1,812
1945 47 #953
1940 27 #1,309
1935 26 #1,352
1930 25 #1,494
1925 20 #1,800
1920 13 #2,452
1915 8 #3,065
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Walt

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Walt Disney Walt Disney American animator, producer and entrepreneur (1901–1966) Contemporary
  2. 2 Walt Whitman Walt Whitman American poet, essayist and journalist (1819–1892) 19th century
  3. 3 Walt Frazier Walt Frazier American basketball player (born 1945) Contemporary
  4. 4 Walt Dohrn Walt Dohrn Director, animator, musician (born 1970) Contemporary
  5. 5 Walt Bellamy Walt Bellamy American basketball player (1939–2013) Contemporary
  6. 6 Walt Hansgen American racing driver (1919–1966) Contemporary
  7. 7 Walt Kelly Walt Kelly American animator and cartoonist (1913–1973) Contemporary
  8. 8 Walt Whitman Rostow Walt Whitman Rostow American economist, political theorist and government official (1916–2003) Contemporary
  9. 9 Walt Davis Walt Davis American basketball player (1931–2020) Contemporary
  10. 10 Walt Faulkner Walt Faulkner American racing driver (1918–1956) Contemporary
  11. 11 Walt Ader American racing driver (1912–1982) 1913–1982 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Walt, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Walt?

The median living Walt is about 54 years old. Half of all living Walts are between 13 and 67 years old.

How many people named Walt are alive today?

An estimated 1,800 people named Walt are alive in the United States, based on 2,634 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Walt mean?

Clipping of Walter. The derogatory British sense is a reference to the fictional character Walter Mitty from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, a mild-mannered pushover who has wild fantasies about his life in various daring roles.

How popular is the name Walt in 2025?

Walt ranked #3,376 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 35 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Walt?

2,634 babies have been named Walt in the United States since 1893, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Walt most popular?

Walt peaked in 1959, when 81 newborns received the name.

Is Walt a boy or girl name?

Walt is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Walt rising or falling?

Walt is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Walt become more popular?

Walt looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 34 boys named Walt in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Walt?

Well-known people named Walt include Walt Disney (producer), Walt Whitman (writer), Walt Frazier (basketball player).

Names like Walt

Names that sound and feel close to Walt: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Walt with similar names → More names starting with W →