Walter
Boy name · #251 in 2025 · Uniqueness 46/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Walter against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Walter in class?
Walter scores 46 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. 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. In 2025 the states with the most Walters were TX (90), MN (78), CA (70), MI (61), IL (59). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 46/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.