| Walter | Henry | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Army ruler | Home ruler |
| Origin | germanic | Germanic |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | WAWL-ter | HEN-ree |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1918 (13,338) | 2025 (12,020) |
| In 2025 | 1,381 | 12,020 |
| Trend | Rising | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Walter | Henry |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 7,725 | 68,047 |
| 2010s | 10,607 | 92,585 |
| 2000s | 8,133 | 42,760 |
| 1990s | 12,020 | 25,249 |
| 1980s | 17,568 | 20,728 |
| 1970s | 25,726 | 23,511 |
| 1960s | 45,929 | 39,134 |
| 1950s | 72,197 | 62,230 |
| 1940s | 83,728 | 72,488 |
| 1930s | 80,908 | 70,419 |
| 1920s | 119,809 | 104,552 |
| 1910s | 89,145 | 79,667 |
| 1900s | 19,997 | 21,772 |
| 1890s | 19,495 | 21,664 |
| 1880s | 18,185 | 24,139 |
From Germanic 'wald' (rule, power) and 'heri' (army), giving 'ruler/commander of the army'. Brought to England by the Normans.
Henry is a Germanic name meaning “home ruler,” from heim (“home”) and ric (“ruler”). It has been borne by eight English kings.
Henry is more popular than Walter today: about 12,020 US babies were given the name Henry in 2025, compared with 1,381 named Walter.
Walter means Army ruler (germanic origin), while Henry means Home ruler (Germanic origin).
In US records, Walter first appears in 1880 and Henry in 1880, so Walter has the longer recorded history.