Walter
Boy name · #251 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Walter? In official American birth records, Walter has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Walter is currently the #251 boy name in the United States — 1,381 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #309, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,303 boys born in 2025 was named Walter.
The 145-year story
Walter first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 1,755 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 13,338 boys were named Walter — good for #11 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Walter per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Walter against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Walter in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Walter is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Walter is most common
Geography matters for names, and Walter is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Walter is most common in ND (3.6 per 1,000), MN (3.2 per 1,000), ME (3.1 per 1,000), SD (2.9 per 1,000), MT (2.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.9 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Walter is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Walter
Walter carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Walter family went to about 1,416 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #244, versus #251 for Walter alone.
Names like Walter
Statistically, parents drawn to Walter tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Warren, Louis, Edward, Francis, and George.
WarrenLouisEdwardFrancisGeorgeArthurLewisFrank
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Walter | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,381 | #251 |
| 2024 | 1,269 | #271 |
| 2023 | 1,276 | #267 |
| 2022 | 1,278 | #268 |
| 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 | #383 |
| 2008 | 764 | #393 |
| 2007 | 810 | #379 |
| 2006 | 850 | #356 |
| 2005 | 770 | #374 |
| 2004 | 767 | #364 |
| 2003 | 775 | #354 |
| 2002 | 833 | #330 |
| 2001 | 826 | #335 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Walter?
In official American birth records, the name Walter first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 1,755 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Walter a popular boy name?
Walter ranked #251 among boys in 2025 with 1,381 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #309.
When was the name Walter most popular?
Walter peaked in 1918, when 13,338 American boys received the name (ranked #11 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Walter?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,303 newborn American boys was named Walter. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.