Walter
Last seen for girls in 1995 at #11,783 · #251 for boys in 2025, 1,381 births
Given to boys 99.4% of the time
Showing
- Peak · boys
- 1914 · 8,962 births
- Debut · boys
- 1,755 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 93 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 631,172since 1880
Walter over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #251 | 1,381 | |
| 2024 | — | #271 | 1,269 | |
| 2023 | — | #267 | 1,276 | |
| 2022 | — | #268 | 1,278 | |
| 2021 | — | #271 | 1,281 | |
| 2020 | — | #272 | 1,240 | |
| 2019 | — | #278 | 1,282 | |
| 2018 | — | #271 | 1,313 | |
| 2017 | — | #265 | 1,366 | |
| 2016 | — | #302 | 1,172 | |
| 2015 | — | #309 | 1,158 | |
| 2014 | — | #337 | 987 | |
| 2013 | — | #342 | 939 | |
| 2012 | — | #375 | 805 | |
| 2011 | — | #374 | 801 | |
| 2010 | — | #372 | 784 | |
| 2009 | — | #383 | 789 | |
| 2008 | — | #393 | 764 | |
| 2007 | — | #379 | 810 | |
| 2006 | — | #356 | 850 | |
| 2005 | — | #374 | 770 | |
| 2004 | — | #364 | 767 | |
| 2003 | — | #354 | 775 | |
| 2002 | — | #330 | 833 | |
| 2001 | — | #335 | 826 | |
| 2000 | — | #308 | 949 | |
| 1999 | — | #310 | 918 | |
| 1998 | — | #311 | 896 | |
| 1997 | — | #273 | 1,027 | |
| 1996 | — | #272 | 1,035 | |
| 1995 | #11,783 | 6 | #265 | 1,062 |
| 1994 | #10,569 | 7 | #250 | 1,152 |
| 1993 | #9,559 | 8 | #220 | 1,356 |
| 1992 | #8,065 | 10 | #218 | 1,421 |
| 1991 | — | #199 | 1,539 | |
| 1990 | #10,193 | 7 | #191 | 1,614 |
| 1989 | #10,847 | 6 | #184 | 1,612 |
| 1988 | #3,893 | 23 | #175 | 1,610 |
| 1987 | #4,122 | 20 | #174 | 1,574 |
| 1986 | #6,612 | 10 | #156 | 1,715 |
| 1985 | #3,983 | 20 | #163 | 1,690 |
| 1984 | #6,810 | 9 | #161 | 1,689 |
| 1983 | #6,212 | 10 | #154 | 1,767 |
| 1982 | #4,025 | 19 | #147 | 1,912 |
| 1981 | #4,344 | 17 | #138 | 1,990 |
| 1980 | #4,517 | 16 | #137 | 2,009 |
| 1979 | #3,541 | 22 | #128 | 2,123 |
| 1978 | #3,388 | 22 | #131 | 1,991 |
| 1977 | #4,942 | 13 | #123 | 2,185 |
| 1976 | #3,407 | 20 | #127 | 2,101 |
| 1975 | #2,969 | 24 | #112 | 2,355 |
| 1974 | #5,011 | 11 | #104 | 2,487 |
| 1973 | #3,787 | 16 | #101 | 2,626 |
| 1972 | #2,398 | 30 | #98 | 2,918 |
| 1971 | #2,665 | 27 | #91 | 3,356 |
| 1970 | #2,395 | 31 | #89 | 3,584 |
| 1969 | #2,515 | 27 | #84 | 3,569 |
| 1968 | #2,246 | 29 | #83 | 3,589 |
| 1967 | #2,558 | 23 | #81 | 3,808 |
| 1966 | #2,453 | 24 | #83 | 4,057 |
| 1965 | #2,938 | 18 | #82 | 4,483 |
| 1964 | #3,379 | 15 | #80 | 4,843 |
| 1963 | #2,211 | 29 | #77 | 5,068 |
| 1962 | #1,989 | 34 | #79 | 5,282 |
| 1961 | #1,921 | 36 | #74 | 5,467 |
| 1960 | #2,061 | 31 | #70 | 5,763 |
| 1959 | #1,852 | 36 | #66 | 6,128 |
| 1958 | #1,856 | 35 | #63 | 6,316 |
| 1957 | #2,028 | 29 | #58 | 6,707 |
| 1956 | #1,796 | 35 | #53 | 7,019 |
| 1955 | #1,733 | 36 | #51 | 7,299 |
| 1954 | #1,769 | 34 | #49 | 7,486 |
| 1953 | #1,738 | 33 | #45 | 7,509 |
| 1952 | #1,978 | 26 | #44 | 7,897 |
| 1951 | #1,701 | 32 | #42 | 8,038 |
| 1950 | #1,550 | 36 | #40 | 7,798 |
| 1949 | #1,736 | 30 | #37 | 8,297 |
| 1948 | #1,778 | 28 | #35 | 8,627 |
| 1947 | #1,576 | 36 | #34 | 9,218 |
| 1946 | #1,318 | 43 | #30 | 8,668 |
| 1945 | #1,543 | 28 | #27 | 7,574 |
| 1944 | #1,188 | 44 | #26 | 8,159 |
| 1943 | #1,181 | 47 | #26 | 9,035 |
| 1942 | #1,180 | 45 | #26 | 8,682 |
| 1941 | #1,222 | 38 | #26 | 7,745 |
| 1940 | #1,170 | 39 | #25 | 7,723 |
| 1939 | #987 | 51 | #25 | 7,322 |
| 1938 | #1,159 | 39 | #26 | 7,560 |
| 1937 | #981 | 51 | #26 | 7,488 |
| 1936 | #1,186 | 36 | #26 | 7,536 |
| 1935 | #912 | 57 | #23 | 7,816 |
| 1934 | #871 | 61 | #21 | 8,092 |
| 1933 | #904 | 56 | #21 | 7,756 |
| 1932 | #781 | 75 | #21 | 8,667 |
| 1931 | #806 | 71 | #20 | 8,940 |
| 1930 | #768 | 84 | #19 | 9,731 |
| 1929 | #698 | 100 | #19 | 9,850 |
| 1928 | #756 | 89 | #18 | 10,651 |
| 1927 | #739 | 93 | #17 | 11,346 |
| 1926 | #748 | 92 | #17 | 11,774 |
| 1925 | #736 | 100 | #16 | 12,130 |
| 1924 | #804 | 86 | #16 | 12,696 |
| 1923 | #828 | 78 | #16 | 12,433 |
| 1922 | #798 | 83 | #15 | 12,631 |
| 1921 | #857 | 74 | #15 | 13,004 |
| 1920 | #872 | 69 | #13 | 13,294 |
| 1919 | #858 | 66 | #11 | 12,879 |
| 1918 | #796 | 80 | #11 | 13,338 |
| 1917 | #792 | 76 | #11 | 12,582 |
| 1916 | #789 | 74 | #11 | 11,760 |
| 1915 | #885 | 55 | #11 | 11,255 |
| 1914 | #972 | 37 | #10 | 8,962 |
| 1913 | #830 | 40 | #11 | 6,890 |
| 1912 | #795 | 39 | #11 | 5,809 |
| 1911 | #1,372 | 12 | #12 | 3,074 |
| 1910 | #1,421 | 11 | #13 | 2,596 |
| 1909 | #1,052 | 15 | #12 | 2,287 |
| 1908 | #1,862 | 6 | #12 | 2,192 |
| 1907 | #819 | 21 | #12 | 2,095 |
| 1906 | #1,101 | 12 | #12 | 1,934 |
| 1905 | #1,298 | 9 | #12 | 1,902 |
| 1904 | #1,001 | 13 | #12 | 1,873 |
| 1903 | #969 | 13 | #12 | 1,840 |
| 1902 | #1,024 | 12 | #12 | 1,858 |
| 1901 | #795 | 17 | #12 | 1,718 |
| 1900 | #1,171 | 11 | #12 | 2,298 |
| 1899 | #1,394 | 6 | #12 | 1,750 |
| 1898 | #1,047 | 11 | #13 | 2,002 |
| 1897 | #761 | 17 | #12 | 1,895 |
| 1896 | #1,122 | 9 | #13 | 2,017 |
| 1895 | #986 | 11 | #13 | 2,015 |
| 1894 | #719 | 17 | #13 | 2,010 |
| 1893 | #767 | 15 | #13 | 2,004 |
| 1892 | #958 | 10 | #13 | 2,229 |
| 1891 | #893 | 10 | #13 | 1,668 |
| 1890 | #791 | 12 | #13 | 1,905 |
| 1889 | #902 | 9 | #13 | 1,916 |
| 1888 | #1,276 | 5 | #13 | 2,040 |
| 1887 | — | #13 | 1,704 | |
| 1886 | #693 | 11 | #13 | 1,880 |
| 1885 | #842 | 7 | #13 | 1,808 |
| 1884 | #851 | 7 | #13 | 1,902 |
| 1883 | #920 | 5 | #13 | 1,705 |
| 1882 | #740 | 7 | #13 | 1,805 |
| 1881 | #503 | 11 | #13 | 1,670 |
| 1880 | #628 | 8 | #13 | 1,755 |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Walter was already there! It came in at #13, and was given to 1,755 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1995–2014, when fewer than 1,100 boys a year got the name.
Where Walter is popular in 1987
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- Delaware#89 · 1 in 515
- North Carolina#101 · 1 in 593
- Georgia#105 · 1 in 592
- Virginia#110 · 1 in 744
- Mississippi#114 · 1 in 528
Best ever in a state: #6 in Minnesota, 1910.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | #89 | 8 | 1 in 515 |
| North Carolina | #101 | 70 | 1 in 593 |
| Georgia | #105 | 77 | 1 in 592 |
| Virginia | #110 | 53 | 1 in 744 |
| Alabama | #114 | 40 | 1 in 633 |
| Maryland | #114 | 40 | 1 in 728 |
| Mississippi | #114 | 31 | 1 in 528 |
| South Carolina | #116 | 34 | 1 in 630 |
| New Jersey | #125 | 54 | 1 in 924 |
| Tennessee | #126 | 43 | 1 in 750 |
| Florida | #127 | 101 | 1 in 787 |
| Kentucky | #137 | 24 | 1 in 995 |
| Pennsylvania | #138 | 70 | 1 in 1,109 |
| Connecticut | #147 | 19 | 1 in 1,124 |
| Maine | #148 | 6 | 1 in 1,191 |
| Hawaii | #152 | 9 | 1 in 749 |
| West Virginia | #157 | 8 | 1 in 1,322 |
| Indiana | #160 | 30 | 1 in 1,231 |
| Alaska | #167 | 5 | 1 in 889 |
| Ohio | #168 | 54 | 1 in 1,413 |
| Illinois | #170 | 77 | 1 in 1,061 |
| District of Columbia | #175 | 9 | 1 in 891 |
| Arkansas | #196 | 11 | 1 in 1,360 |
| New York | #196 | 93 | 1 in 1,351 |
| Michigan | #197 | 43 | 1 in 1,503 |
| California | #199 | 209 | 1 in 1,142 |
| Kansas | #200 | 11 | 1 in 1,504 |
| Idaho | #201 | 5 | 1 in 1,312 |
| Massachusetts | #201 | 20 | 1 in 2,040 |
| Texas | #204 | 130 | 1 in 1,103 |
| Iowa | #206 | 9 | 1 in 1,967 |
| Louisiana | #206 | 30 | 1 in 1,072 |
| Nevada | #207 | 5 | 1 in 1,357 |
| Wisconsin | #213 | 15 | 1 in 2,160 |
| Washington | #215 | 18 | 1 in 1,762 |
| Arizona | #218 | 21 | 1 in 1,352 |
| Missouri | #219 | 19 | 1 in 1,881 |
| Utah | #224 | 10 | 1 in 1,585 |
| New Mexico | #236 | 9 | 1 in 1,265 |
| Oklahoma | #261 | 10 | 1 in 2,078 |
| Oregon | #276 | 7 | 1 in 2,535 |
| Colorado | #280 | 10 | 1 in 2,457 |
| Minnesota | #382 | 5 | 1 in 6,098 |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Walter
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
- 20 spots since 2024 (#271 → #251)
- 21 spots since 2020 (#272 → #251)
- 58 spots since 2015 (#309 → #251)
- Biggest jump: 37 spots in 2017 (#302 → #265)
- Biggest drop: 38 spots in 1998 (#273 → #311)
Rise & fade · boys
34 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1914 at #10 (8,962 births)
- Births halved by 1966, 52 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 10 for 1 yr
- Top 10: 1 yr · 1914
- Top 100: 93 yrs · run 1880–1972
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 55
- Highest: 1 in 55 boys born in 1892 were named Walter (1.8%)
- Latest: 1 in 1,237 boys born in 2025 (0.08%)
- Its best rank, #10 in 1914, was only 1 in 73 (1.4%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1920s
- 19.0% of all boys named Walter (119,809) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 18,185 | #13 (1888) | #13 |
| 1890s | 19,495 | #12 (1897) | #13 |
| 1900s | 19,997 | #12 (1900) | #12 |
| 1910s | 89,145 | #10 (1914) | #11 |
| 1920s | 119,809 | #13 (1920) | #16 |
| 1930s | 80,908 | #19 (1930) | #23 |
| 1940s | 83,728 | #25 (1940) | #29 |
| 1950s | 72,197 | #40 (1950) | #51 |
| 1960s | 45,929 | #70 (1960) | #79 |
| 1970s | 25,726 | #89 (1970) | #110 |
| 1980s | 17,568 | #137 (1980) | #159 |
| 1990s | 12,020 | #191 (1990) | #251 |
| 2000s | 8,133 | #308 (2000) | #358 |
| 2010s | 10,607 | #265 (2017) | #323 |
| 2020s | 7,725 | #251 (2025) | #267 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Walter in 1987
girls
#4,122
20 births · 1 in 86,932 girls
boys
#174
1,574 births · 1 in 1,186 boys
Top girls' names in 1987
Top boys' names in 1987
More about 1987
girls
1,738,632 girls got a published name in 1987; 1 in 86,932 of them was named Walter, which outranked 68.9% of the 13,263 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Walter
- #3,983Tyrone21
- #3,983Vernita21
- #3,983Willow21
- #4,122Walter20
- #4,122Abigayle20
- #4,122Abril20
- #4,122Alexzandria20
- #4,283Abbe19
- #4,283Albert19
- #4,283Aleida19
Tied with 160 names at #4,122; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Biggest movers since 1986
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,866,984 boys got a published name in 1987; 1 in 1,186 of them was named Walter, which outranked 97.9% of the 8,152 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 21.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Walter
Biggest movers since 1986
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.