Walter: Traditional English given name of Germanic origin, derived from 'Walthari', meaning 'rule' (wald) and 'army' (heri), thus interpreted as 'ruler of the army'. Popular among English nobility historically, with notable bearer Walter Scott, a Scottish novelist and poet. Offers versatile nicknames like Walt, Wally, Waldo, and remains popular today, ranking among top 1000 boy names in several English-speaking countries.