Walter
/ˈwɔːltər/noun
A masculine given name and surname of Germanic origin.
Did you know?Walter comes from a Germanic warrior name built from the same ancient root as modern English words for rule and authority, making it a name that literally encodes command.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*Walthari
“a personal name meaning 'ruler of the army' or 'powerful army leader'”
Old High German
OHG
Walther / Walthari
“a male personal name with the sense 'army ruler'”
Old French
OF
Wautier / Gaultier
“the French form of the Germanic personal name”
Middle English
ME
Walter
“a common male personal name adopted into English from French and continental Germanic usage”
Modern English
English
Walter
“a masculine given name and surname”