Walter
A Germanic name, from Middle English Walter, from Old Northern French Waltier, from Frankish *Waltheri (compare Old High German Waltheri, which see for more details)…
Every Walter since 1880 — 634,804 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Walter
Walter is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #252 in 2025 with 1,381 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 634,804 American babies have been named Walter. Its peak came in 1918, when 13,418 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Walter stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Walter year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 1,381 | #252 |
| 2024 | — | — | 1,269 | #271 |
| 2023 | — | — | 1,276 | #267 |
| 2022 | — | — | 1,278 | #269 |
| 2021 | — | — | 1,281 | #271 |
| 2020 | — | — | 1,240 | #272 |
| 2019 | — | — | 1,282 | #278 |
| 2018 | — | — | 1,313 | #271 |
| 2017 | — | — | 1,366 | #265 |
| 2016 | — | — | 1,172 | #302 |
| 2015 | — | — | 1,158 | #309 |
| 2014 | — | — | 987 | #337 |
| 2013 | — | — | 939 | #342 |
| 2012 | — | — | 805 | #375 |
| 2011 | — | — | 801 | #374 |
| 2010 | — | — | 784 | #372 |
| 2009 | — | — | 789 | #384 |
| 2008 | — | — | 764 | #393 |
| 2007 | — | — | 810 | #380 |
| 2006 | — | — | 850 | #356 |
| 2005 | — | — | 770 | #375 |
| 2004 | — | — | 767 | #365 |
| 2003 | — | — | 775 | #355 |
| 2002 | — | — | 833 | #331 |
| 2001 | — | — | 826 | #335 |
| 2000 | — | — | 949 | #308 |
| 1995 | 6 | #13,341 | 1,062 | #265 |
| 1990 | 7 | #11,385 | 1,614 | #191 |
| 1985 | 20 | #4,123 | 1,690 | #163 |
| 1980 | 16 | #4,740 | 2,009 | #137 |
| 1975 | 24 | #3,051 | 2,355 | #112 |
| 1970 | 31 | #2,446 | 3,584 | #89 |
| 1965 | 18 | #3,045 | 4,483 | #82 |
| 1960 | 31 | #2,093 | 5,763 | #70 |
| 1955 | 36 | #1,771 | 7,299 | #51 |
| 1950 | 36 | #1,574 | 7,798 | #40 |
| 1945 | 28 | #1,587 | 7,574 | #27 |
| 1940 | 39 | #1,185 | 7,723 | #25 |
| 1935 | 57 | #924 | 7,816 | #23 |
| 1930 | 84 | #772 | 9,731 | #19 |
| 1925 | 100 | #742 | 12,130 | #16 |
| 1920 | 69 | #879 | 13,294 | #13 |
| 1915 | 55 | #891 | 11,255 | #11 |
| 1910 | 11 | #1,518 | 2,596 | #13 |
| 1905 | 9 | #1,417 | 1,902 | #12 |
| 1900 | 11 | #1,223 | 2,298 | #12 |
| 1895 | 11 | #1,050 | 2,015 | #13 |
| 1890 | 12 | #823 | 1,905 | #13 |
| 1885 | 7 | #917 | 1,808 | #13 |
| 1880 | 8 | #675 | 1,755 | #13 |
Famous people named Walter
- Walter Gropius Architect · 1883–1969
- Walter Scott Writer · 1771–1832
- Walter Benjamin Philosopher · 1892–1940
- Walter Model Military personnel · 1891–1945
- Walter Ulbricht Politician · 1893–1973
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Walter mean?
A Germanic name, from Middle English Walter, from Old Northern French Waltier, from Frankish *Waltheri (compare Old High German Waltheri, which see for more details), from Proto-West Germanic *Waldahari, from Proto-Germanic…
How popular is the name Walter in 2025?
Walter ranked #252 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,381 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Walter?
634,804 babies have been named Walter in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Walter most popular?
Walter peaked in 1918, when 13,418 newborns received the name.
Is Walter a boy or girl name?
Walter is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Walter rising or falling?
Walter is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Walter?
Well-known people named Walter include Walter Gropius (architect), Walter Scott (writer), Walter Benjamin (philosopher).