Baby Name Popularity Profile

Walter

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Walter.

✦ Commander of the army 🌍 German traditional
National Rank (2025) #252
All-Time Peak Rank #10 Achieved 1914
Total U.S. Births 631,172 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 100.0% Boy / 0.0% Girl Male Archetype
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1920s 13,338 births in 1918
💡 The Walter Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Commander of the army
Language Origin German
Origin Type single
Derived from Germanic elements *wald* 'power, rule' and *hari* 'army'.
Common Nicknames
Walt Wally
Alternative Spellings
Walther
Pronunciation: WAWL-ter
Themes & Categories
traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Walter

According to SSA data, Walter achieved its highest historical rank of #10 in 1914. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1918 with 13,338 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have increased by 19.3%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Walter across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Rising
10-Year Shift +19.3% Growth
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 13,338 births in 1918
Years in Top 100 93 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Moderately Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 18,185
1890s: 19,495
1900s: 19,997
1910s: 89,145
1920s: 119,809
1930s: 80,908
1940s: 83,728
1950s: 72,197
1960s: 45,929
1970s: 25,726
1980s: 17,568
1990s: 12,020
2000s: 8,133
2010s: 10,607
2020s: 7,725

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Wal-ter
Letter Count 6 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 25.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 25.7% of SSA names. Starts with W, a letter used by only 1.1% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Walter.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Mississippi
Top States Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Alabama, New Jersey
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Mississippi #258 14,513 1949 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #260 47,499 1918 +35.3% Growth
Rhode Island Unranked 3,215 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #194 16,026 1946 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #486 24,101 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #201 20,851 1918 +14.3% Growth
Connecticut #279 9,112 1917 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #222 11,831 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware #243 1,637 1921 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia #203 3,557 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #271 21,658 1922 +12.2% Growth
Hawaii Unranked 2,372 1928 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #255 21,848 1920 +28.2% Growth
Virginia #209 16,888 1924 +16.2% Growth
West Virginia Unranked 6,615 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont #120 1,214 1922 Insufficient historical volume
Montana #148 2,116 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #406 10,321 1920 59.4% Decline
North Dakota #105 2,292 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Maine #118 2,943 1925 Insufficient historical volume
New York #336 51,531 1918 10.2% Decline
Tennessee #170 14,095 1925 +107.1% Growth
Illinois #202 32,303 1918 +1.7% Growth
Arkansas #283 7,046 1924 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire #155 2,038 1922 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #312 11,489 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #483 10,827 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska #141 859 1952 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #164 21,447 1917 +41.9% Growth
Missouri #171 12,526 1924 +68.0% Growth
Ohio #272 25,735 1918 11.5% Decline
South Dakota #126 1,869 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #309 7,328 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #145 10,415 1918 13.7% Decline
Wyoming Unranked 705 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska #166 3,765 1915 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #195 5,292 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #266 11,689 1918 3.0% Decline
Minnesota #73 8,327 1918 +34.5% Growth
Iowa #125 5,699 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon #262 3,543 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #464 13,149 1958 9.1% Decline
Idaho #195 1,496 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #208 5,879 1919 +25.8% Growth
Colorado #189 4,197 1921 +19.4% Growth
Texas #397 25,628 1924 +11.1% Growth
New Mexico Unranked 1,667 1954 Insufficient historical volume
California #461 25,984 1947 30.0% Decline
Utah #177 1,773 1918 +18.5% Growth
Arizona #391 2,575 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada #512 640 1961 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Julius Booker Sidney Lester Sylvan Morris Irving Oswald Mahlon Gaston
👧 Sister Suggestions
Hattie Mabel Frances Vera Lola Lena Ada Esther Lottie Nellie

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