Walter

See also: walter

English

Etymology

Germanic name, from Old Northern French Waltier, from Frankish *Waltheri (compare Old High German Waltheri), from Proto-Germanic *waldą (ruler) + *harjaz (army, host), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (be strong) + *ker- (army). Related to Old English Waldhere. Compare herald and Harold, which have these elements reversed.

Pronunciation

Proper noun

Walter

  1. A male given name.
    • ~1590 William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part II, Act IV, Scene I
      Whitmore. And so am I; my name is Walter Whitmore. / How now! why start'st thou? what! doth death affright?
      Suffolk. Thy name affrights me, in whose sound is death. / A cunning man did calculate my birth, / And told me that by Water I should die. / Yet let not this make thee be bloody-minded; / Thy name is - Gaultier, being rightly sounded.
    • 1991 Julian Barnes, Talking It Over, →ISBN page 13:
      And with some appellations, the contrary applies. Like Walter, for instance. You can't be Walter in a pram. You can't be Walter until you're about seventy-five in my view.

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams


German

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old High German waltan (to rule) + heri (army). Cognate with English Walter.

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -altəʁ

Proper noun

Walter

  1. A male given name.
  2. A common patronymic surname.

Usage notes

  • Popular given name in Germany since the Middle Ages due to Walter of Aquitaine, a legendary Visigoth king celebrated in German folklore.

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English or German Walter (and Walther), of Germanic origin: from Proto-Germanic *waldijaną (ruler) (from Proto-Indo-European *wal- (be strong)) + *harjōną (army, host). Doublet of Gualtiero.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈval.ter/, [ˈväl̪t̪er]

Proper noun

Walter m

  1. A male given name

Portuguese

Proper noun

Walter m

  1. A male given name, equivalent to English Walter, Alternative form of Valter

Swedish

Proper noun

Walter c (genitive Walters)

  1. A male given name, variant spelling of Valter.
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