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The short answer
Walter is a masculine name used in English and German. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the Germanic name Waltheri meaning ‘power of the army’, from the elements walt ‘power, authority’ and heri ‘army’. In medieval German tales (notably Waltharius by Ekkehard of Saint Gall) Walter of Aquitaine is a heroic king of the Visigoths." It ranked #252 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the Germanic name Waltheri meaning ‘power of the army’, from the elements walt ‘power, authority’ and heri ‘army’. In medieval German tales (notably Waltharius by Ekkehard of Saint Gall) Walter of Aquitaine is a heroic king of the Visigoths. The entry lists its usage as English, German, Swedish, Norwegian and others.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Walter ranked #252 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #252 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Walter in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Walter mean?
Walter means "power of the army", according to Behind the Name.
Is Walter a popular name?
Walter ranked #252 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Walter a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Walter appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Walter — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
