Walt
Clipping of Walter. The derogatory British sense is a reference to the fictional character Walter Mitty from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, a mild-mannered pushover…
Every Walt since 1893 — 2,634 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Walt
Walt is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,376 in 2025 with 35 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1893, 2,634 American babies have been named Walt. Its peak came in 1959, when 81 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Walt stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Walt year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35 | #3,376 |
| 2024 | 34 | #3,452 |
| 2023 | 45 | #2,844 |
| 2022 | 43 | #2,957 |
| 2021 | 43 | #2,916 |
| 2020 | 42 | #2,882 |
| 2019 | 35 | #3,342 |
| 2018 | 42 | #2,889 |
| 2017 | 29 | #3,766 |
| 2016 | 30 | #3,676 |
| 2015 | 21 | #4,699 |
| 2014 | 29 | #3,687 |
| 2013 | 19 | #4,967 |
| 2012 | 15 | #5,977 |
| 2011 | 18 | #5,189 |
| 2010 | 16 | #5,720 |
| 2009 | 14 | #6,412 |
| 2008 | 10 | #8,285 |
| 2007 | 9 | #8,878 |
| 2006 | 11 | #7,398 |
| 2005 | 8 | #9,063 |
| 2004 | 5 | #13,134 |
| 2003 | 5 | #12,682 |
| 2002 | 10 | #7,016 |
| 2001 | 11 | #6,423 |
| 2000 | 8 | #8,172 |
| 1995 | 7 | #7,771 |
| 1990 | 8 | #6,387 |
| 1985 | 14 | #3,393 |
| 1980 | 14 | #3,251 |
| 1975 | 19 | #2,358 |
| 1970 | 28 | #1,657 |
| 1965 | 28 | #1,481 |
| 1960 | 61 | #980 |
| 1955 | 28 | #1,482 |
| 1950 | 18 | #1,812 |
| 1945 | 47 | #953 |
| 1940 | 27 | #1,309 |
| 1935 | 26 | #1,352 |
| 1930 | 25 | #1,494 |
| 1925 | 20 | #1,800 |
| 1920 | 13 | #2,452 |
| 1915 | 8 | #3,065 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Walt
- Walt Disney Producer · 1901–1966
- Walt Whitman Writer · 1819–1892
- Walt Whitman Rostow Economist · 1916–2003
- Walt Frazier Basketball player · b. 1945
- Walt Bellamy Basketball player · 1939–2013
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Walt mean?
Clipping of Walter. The derogatory British sense is a reference to the fictional character Walter Mitty from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, a mild-mannered pushover who has wild fantasies about his life in various daring roles.
How popular is the name Walt in 2025?
Walt ranked #3,376 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 35 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Walt?
2,634 babies have been named Walt in the United States since 1893, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Walt most popular?
Walt peaked in 1959, when 81 newborns received the name.
Is Walt a boy or girl name?
Walt is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Walt rising or falling?
Walt is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Walt?
Well-known people named Walt include Walt Disney (producer), Walt Whitman (writer), Walt Whitman Rostow (economist).