Thoughts on Walter?

[verdas]

It’s a family name and our daughter also has an older family name. I’m just worried it’s too old/strong. Other older boy name suggestions are welcome!

"what an old man's name?, how can you call a baby that", you would be better with Liam, Jamie, Oscar, Archie, Louis, Ethan

Do they not know that Archie/Archibald used to be very much an old man's name, until it came back into popular use again more recently?!

Mind, it still blows my mind that there's a cool, hip young popstar called Mabel - so what would I know?!

Carew Raleigh was Sir Walter Raleigh's son.
It is a not uncommon surname, too.

Like Walter, Carew is a two-syllable name that is serious but not heavy.

Awful name. Nothing cute about it at all.

Lovely! Go for it. Older names are being used so much more these days and I think it’s lovely.

Ah, OK, I didn't get the link - thanks. I've observed it as a surname but never before as a first name. I've still heard of far, far more Walters (as a first name) than Carews, though.

Even if a name does have previous for being that of a very famous person or associated with them, though, I notice that there aren't many Isambards around nowadays!!

I think this is a regional thing, so it depends where you live and the kind of life he's likely to have. If you are in the SE and private school, he'll be fine. Other names that sound very wet to me are back in fashion there, like Rupert or Percy, but not where I live, so it probably fits in great in places with these names.

I am all for bringing back Isambards!

Rupert is a bear 😍

I think of Walt Whitman, US poet. Or Walter White, in Breaking Bad. Or Walter the protagonist in Jonathan Franzen’s novel Freedom. Is it very much an American name ? There’s Walter Bagehot, the historian. Sir Walter Raleigh, swashbuckler (think Lord Flashheart) in Elizabeth I’s reign (was he hanged for treason?) Walter Scott, novelist.

I’d probably go for Walt(Disney!) than Walter but yeah, I like it.

I know a really nice Walter, but tbh I don't like the name at all. Even Denis would be nicer.

Alternatives:
Conrad
Sidney
Stanley
Robin
Matthew
Dexter
Robert
Franklin
Barnaby
Roy
Roland
Myles
Clement
Eugene
Austin

I’m on my 50s and it really wouldn’t spring to mind for me either.

OP I’d use it if you love it. It’s a great name and won’t date as badly as some Uber popular names.

Wally. No.

I love it!

I have a Frank and also love the names Victor and Ernest, long live the old man names!

Surprised myself and quite like it. Walt as a nn?

I have a friend with a Walter and I’ve always thought of it as an odd choice.

My lovely Grandad was Walter but he would have been born about 1920 (my Nan hated people calling him Wally). I’d say it’s pretty awful and I’ve never encountered one as a teacher.

Love it. Others I like: Wilfred, Albert, Frank and Norman. I know under 5s with these names.

I like it.
But then I don't know any of the references people have been mentioning it so just judging on the name

Only last night, I was reminiscing about 'Nearest and Dearest' and "Have you been, Walter?" 😀

No-one under 55 will have a clue what that reference is though.

Walter Wall carpets

The first thing that came to my mind 🤣

Small rural area and I know of 3 Walters all under seven.
I really didn’t like it but as you do it seems normal/ common now.

I wonder if we know the same one! I know a cheeky, cute Walter and it is lovely on him.

I can't pretend I'd name my own child that, but I like it on another child.

Oh I disagree: Denis has no redeeming features.

If you like it, use it. It's a perfectly good name that isn't very fashionable at present, but I've known a couple over the years. I think there's a lot to be said for choosing a classic name that isn't particularly popular.