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Walter as a feminine name represents an uncommon gender-crossing usage of a traditionally masculine name. Of Germanic origin, Walter derives from the elements 'wald' meaning 'rule' or 'power' and 'hari' meaning 'army', thus translating to 'powerful warrior' or 'army ruler'. While historically and predominantly used for boys, some parents choose Walter for girls as part of the trend toward gender-neutral naming or to honor a family member. As a feminine name, Walter carries a distinctive, strong quality that stands out in contrast to more conventional feminine names. Though extremely rare for girls (with most Walters being male), this usage reflects contemporary willingness to challenge traditional gender-based naming conventions. When used for girls, Walter often elicits surprise and may be paired with more traditionally feminine middle names.

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The name Walter peaked for girls at #536 in 1881. Walter is also used for boys, ranking #271 in 2024.

The name Walter is a boy's name of German origin meaning "army ruler".

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Walter was seen as a noble name in the Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Walter Scott era, but it then spent decades in baby name limbo. Now quite a few independent-minded parents are looking at it as a renewable, slightly quirky, classic, stronger and more distinctive than James or John, second only to William among the handsome classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/boys-names/w">boy baby names starting with W</a>.



 A favorite Norman name, Walter was extremely popular in medieval England, where it was pronounced "Water" and a common short form was Wat. In the US, Walter's heyday was from the 1870s through the 1940s. 



 The recent popularity of Breaking Bad has brought us Walter White, conferring on the name Walter a new kind of cool and prompting a fresh wave of popularity.Plus there are all those great Walters and Walts to consider, from Whitman to Disney to Cronkite to Mondale to Payton to Matthau. And then there's the ultimate fantasizer Walter Mitty, not to mention (Walter) Bruce Willis. Recently, actor Rainn Wilson named his son Walter.



 Short forms include Walt, Wally, and the antiquated Wat.

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The name Walter is currently ranked #271 in U.S. births. and peaked for boys at #10 in 1914. The name is most popular in WALTER, WALTER, and WALTER. Walter is occasionally used for girls in 1995.

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