Walter
Meaning of Walter
Walter emerges from the Old High German Waldhar—an alliance of waldan, “to rule,” and hari, “army”—and, like a seasoned legionary marching across medieval Europe, the name crossed the Channel with the Norman conquest to secure a lasting post in the English lexicon. Its semantic core, “commander of the host,” naturally fostered associations with leadership, discipline, and martial sagacity, qualities later embodied by figures as varied as the Renaissance courtier Sir Walter Raleigh, the Romantic novelist Sir Walter Scott, and the trusted American newsman Walter Cronkite. U.S. census data trace a dramatic arc: peaking at 13th in 1920, declining through the latter half of the twentieth century, then stabilizing in the mid-200s since 2018—a statistical parabola that mirrors the Roman maxim sic transit gloria mundi, yet hints at renovatio rather than demise. Contemporary bearers, from literary protagonists to television’s Walter White, reinforce the name’s paradoxical blend of gravitas and approachability, rendering Walter a time-tested choice for parents drawn to tradition without surrendering relevance.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as WAWL-tur (/ˈwɔl.tər/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
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Notable People Named Walter
| Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, and historian whose classics like Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, along with poems such as Marmion and The Lady of the Lake, shaped European and American literature. |
| Walter Cronkite was an American broadcast journalist who anchored CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981, became known as the most trusted man in America, and earned major honors including Peabody, Polk, Emmy, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. |
| Walter Heinrich Munk was a pioneering American oceanographer whose statistical approach advanced studies of waves, tides, Earth rotation, and climate, earning him top honors such as the National Medal of Science. |
| Sir Walter Raleigh was an English statesman, soldier, writer, and explorer who led Elizabethan efforts in North American colonization, suppressed rebellion in Ireland, helped repel the Spanish Armada, and served under Elizabeth I. |
| Walter Payton, nicknamed Sweetness, was a legendary Chicago Bears running back who played 13 NFL seasons and is considered one of the greatest ever. |
| Walter Francis White was an American civil rights leader who led the NAACP from 1929 to 1955, fought segregation and disenfranchisement in court, and wrote as a journalist, novelist, and essayist. |
| Vaudeville alum Walter Winchell became a 1930s star gossip columnist and radio commentator famed for snappy slangy news that helped turn journalism into entertainment. |
| Walter de Coventre was a 14th century Scottish churchman who studied and taught at Paris and Orleans, earned two doctorates supported by Scottish benefices, and did not return home until the late 1350s. |
| Walter Dean Myers was a Harlem-raised American author of more than 100 children's and young adult books, a five-time Coretta Scott King Award winner whose frequently challenged novel Fallen Angels depicts the Vietnam War with stark realism. |
| Walter Arnold Kaufmann was a prolific German American philosopher, translator, and poet who taught at Princeton for over 30 years and wrote widely on existentialism, ethics, religion, and literature. |
| Walter Sisulu was a South African anti-apartheid ANC leader who helped lead the Defiance Campaign, build the Youth League and Umkhonto we Sizwe, stood accused in the Rivonia Trial, and spent over 25 years on Robben Island. |
| Walter E. Williams - Walter Williams was an American economist and libertarian scholar, a George Mason University professor, syndicated columnist, and frequent guest host of The Rush Limbaugh Show. |
| Walter Matthau was an American actor known for his hangdog face, world weary roles, a celebrated partnership with Jack Lemmon, and major honors including an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and two Tony Awards. |
| Walter Reed was a US Army physician who in 1901 confirmed that mosquitoes transmit yellow fever, advancing epidemiology and enabling completion of the Panama Canal. |
| Walter Koenig is an American actor and screenwriter best known as Pavel Chekov in Star Trek and its original cast films, later voicing Anton Chekov in Star Trek Picard, with roles in Babylon 5 and writing credits on Land of the Lost and Family. |
