Where's "Wald"o?

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 boy baby names starting with W.

Despite the success of so many O-starting boys names--Oliver, Owen, Otis, Oscar--Oswald has not yet shown any signs of resurrection, though he does have the animating nicknames Ozzie/Ozzy and Oz. The name has some literary cred--in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Shakespeare's King Lear and a novel by H. G.Wells--and there was early cartoon character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

The name of the last Anglo-Saxon king of England before the Norman conquest, and a name that's long been associated with a pipe-smoking, bespectacled grandpa or uncle.

Both a saint's name and a presidential one via Gerald Ford—who was born Leslie—Gerald is a quintessential 1930s-40s name, when it ranked as high as Number 19. Hence all those nice middle-aged and senior Jerrys we've known and loved. Gerald has always been popular in Ireland, accounting for the prevalence of Fitzgeralds there. Though not considered stylish, Gerald remains on the popularity charts. Cousin Gerard has a similar profile, Geraldo is the well-used Spanish version, and Geraldine is the most promising of the family, in line to follow the path of Josephine to imminent revival.

Strange as it may now seem, the venerable St. Arnold was a Greek by birth, a musician who became a member of the court of Charlemagne. The name is said to have been introduced into Britain by the Normans in the form Arnaud.

Now seen as the chap in the smoking jacket in a 1930s drawing-room comedy, Reginald has actually been on the US popularity list every year since 1880.

Serious surname choices, the latter form known via award-winning author Reynolds Price.

Edwald is an uncommon masculine name with Germanic roots, likely a variant of Edward or a combination of Germanic elements. The traditional name Edward combines 'ead' (wealth, prosperity) and 'weard' (guardian), while this variant may incorporate 'wald' meaning 'ruler' or 'power.' This gives Edwald potential meanings like 'prosperous ruler' or 'guardian with power.' The name has an old-world, somewhat aristocratic quality reminiscent of medieval European naming traditions. While Edward has remained consistently popular throughout Western history, Edwald is exceedingly rare. The name projects strength and dignity with its strong consonant sounds and historical resonance, potentially appealing to parents seeking a distinctive name with traditional Germanic character.