The story behind 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), from Proto-West Germanic *Waldahari, from Proto-Germanic *Waldaharjaz, from *waldą (“ruler”) + *harjaz (“army, host”). Related to Old English Waldhere. Compare herald and Harold, in which these elements are reversed.
Other language forms and explanations (1)
Italian entry
Unadapted borrowing from English Walter or German Walter (and Walther). Doublet of Gualtiero, which was borrowed through Old Northern French.
Pronunciation
General-American: /ˈwɔltɚ/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈwɒltə/
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈwɔːltə/
- cot-caught-merger: /ˈwɑltɚ/
- Italian: /ˈval.ter/
Popularity
Walter ranked #252 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Walter
Winter
Borrowed from English Winter.
- Gender
- neutral
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Wynter
Rare spelling variant of Winter.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Alger
* As an English surname, when pronounced with a soft g, from the Middle English personal name Alger, borrowed from Old French Aug(i)er, of Germanic origin, from *Adalgari,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Amber
From amber, from Middle English ambre, from Old French ambre, from Latin ambar, from Arabic عَنْبَر (ʕanbar, “ambergris”). Borrowed from Hindi अंबर (ambar). Borrowed from…
- Gender
- mixed
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Arthur
From the name of the legendary king, from Middle English Arthure, from Medieval Latin Arthurus, probably from Middle Welsh arth (“bear”). Other suggestions include Old Welsh…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Artur
Borrowed from English Arthur, from the name of the legendary king, from Middle English Arthure, from Medieval Latin Arthurus, probably from Welsh arth, from Proto-Celtic *artos.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Walter
Abelard
From French Abélard, an extension of the Abel with an Germanic suffix -(h)ard. Possibly also regarded a variant of the German Eberhard "boar" + "hard", equivalent to English…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends D
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abigail
From Hebrew אֲבִיגַיִל (avigáyil, “Abigail”, literally “my Father's joy” or “fountain of joy”). a female given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Abigail Borrowed from…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Adalbertas
Learned borrowing from Latin Adalbertus, from Proto-West Germanic *Aþalaberht, from Proto-Germanic *Aþalaberhtaz. Compare German Adalbert and Latvian Adalberts.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Walter
Aaron
From Latin Aaron, from Ancient Greek Ἀαρών (Aarṓn), from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן (ʾAhărōn), of unknown meaning, possibly meaning “bearer of martyrs”, or perhaps also, or instead,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abby
Borrowed from English Abby in the 20th century. Borrowed from English Abby.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abelard
From French Abélard, an extension of the Abel with an Germanic suffix -(h)ard. Possibly also regarded a variant of the German Eberhard "boar" + "hard", equivalent to English…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends D
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length