Real Opinions on "Walter"

star678

What's your real opinion when you hear the name Walter?  Do you think of an old man, or a successful person, etc?

Long story short, I am pretty sure that I'll be giving in to naming our child this if he is a boy.  (Long family use of Walter as a first name on DH's side-- 9 generations.  Sigh.) 

Thankfully, I at least get to pick my own middle name for our kid.

FWIW, the name would be Walter Gavin "Bauer".  (<--Last name rhymes/ sounds like.)  Even though he will go by his middle name, I am asking opinions since I feel that his name will always represent him.

Thanks everyone... and be brutal.  I can take it.

lbap

This was our choice for a boy name for a couple of months.  I love the nns "Wally" and "Walt" for a small boy.

We ultimately decided to choose a different name for two personal reasons:

1.  We are big Red Sox fans and the team mascot is named "Wally" - we are pretty sure people would think we named our son after the team mascot, which would have been completely incorrect and embarrassing for people to think we would do that!

and

2.  DH's grandfather was named Walter.  He was a somewhat controversial figure in the family and we thought that some family members might feel weird if we named our child after him.  (Even though it was just a name that we really honestly liked and only a bonus that it was a family name).

I think that it is not a terrible name.  It is pretty uncommon.  Right now, it is sort of an "old man" name, but in the near future, all of the old man and old lady names are going to become baby names anyway!

erinjcianciolo

not a fan.....

punkfiction

horrible

*starlight*

I think of Walt on LOST or Walt Disney.  

I think it's a strong masculine name and he could always go by "Walt". 

JnJHud

Not a fan... sorry! I definitely get the old, cranky neighbor image when I think of a Walter.

FWIW, I love Gavin.

JillAly

It's not horrible but it wouldn't be on my choice of names.  I agree with the others that Walt is a cute nn. 

It could be worse though- my friend had Ernest (Ernie) as a 6 generation name and had no choice.  Can you imagine Ernie for a kid now?  She finally convinced her husband to use it as a mn and saved the kid from torture on the playground!

sherpa

I'm indifferent but I think of Meg Ryan's sissy boyfriend in Sleepless in Seattle.

ck715

I had taught a couple of hs students who were named Walter and they went by that name. ?I found them to be in all polite kids with tons of friends and no use of nicknames such as "Wallie". ?

?

smismar

I think it's a good, strong masculine name.  He's not going to be a little boy forever.  It's the kind of name that would look good on a resume or on the door of a doctor's office.

cabana1

smismar:

I think it's a good, strong masculine name.  He's not going to be a little boy forever.  It's the kind of name that would look good on a resume or on the door of a doctor's office.

Even though I wouldn't use the name, I agree with this. It is a ton better than all the trendy boy names out there now.

userdeleted

I like it. It's classic and strong

iluvtom

NMS sorry

McKenna81

It's actually on my list of top boy names. The only thing holding me back is that I hate the nn Wally (I really like Walt, however), and I'm afraid that DH's family would automatically call the baby Wally, since that's the name MIL's father went by.

EXL311

punkfiction:

horrible

This.  If I met a little boy named Walter I would feel bad for him and wonder why his parents would give him such an old man name.  He won't be little forever but he also won't be an old man forever.

MrsDonk

I think old man.  It just doesn't sound right for a little boy, teenager, young adult.  If you are going to call him Gavin (good choice), I would name him Gavin.  Sorry...nms.

AshNicole331

Sorry, I really don't like it...at all. I instantly think of a 90 year old man.

millerbabe

Don't like Walter at all...but love Gavin! Can he go by his middle name?

newportbride715

As long as you are calling him by his mn, I wouldn't worry too much since it seems to be an important fam. tradition.  I do think of Walter as kind of dorky though- sorry!  Btw, I love Gavin!

LMS05

Walter is horrible.?

DarcyLongfellow

I actually kind of like it.  It's different, and in my mind it's a far sight better than many of the awful made-up things people name their children these days.  I think Walter is a lot better for a boy than, for example, Jayden.  Much, much manlier!

I do think Walter conjures up the image of an old man, but that doesn't mean that it will always be that way -- or even that that's necessarily a bad thing.  Walt's a pretty good nickname.  (Not really a fan of Wally, but if you are -- that just means there are more options for  you.)

Plus, I really like the idea that you'd be carrying on a family tradition.

mrsmel

my husband's name is walter - he's the fourth in his family. he hated it as a child, but honestly, i can't think of another name for him now. he goes by walt and he fits him. he's a lawyer and i think it's much better for a job like that than brody or grady. could you take a dr brody seriously?

that being said, we will not be having a fifth walter as a son. not cause we hate the name, but because we want our kids to have their own identity.

ach427

It is my father's name and he is wonderful and therefore I love it... I can't really have an objective opinion about it. We are going to use it as a middle.?

FWIW my dad DESPISES the nn Wally and in general cuts of contact with people who call him that. He does go by Walt.

Oh and he IS very smart and successful. He is also 57... as many Walters are.

tdown

I adore Walter.  It is high on our list. 

LoriFalce

I think it's one of those names like Marvin or Sherman that is just always going to sound like an old accountant.

Best case scenario? Uncle Walt, aka Walt Disney.

skoorbnibor

I think it is horrible. Sorry.

Pathrell

Ugh. Hate it. DH is a Walter (the THIRD no less) and has never once in his life used that as a name, except on paper work. Even his EMT uniform says "Savi" which is the first four letters of our last name. His mom has called him Savi from the day he was born, so it was Absolutely ridiculous for him to be named Walter. His own grandfather has expressed regret on MANY occasions for making FIL a second, since grandfather even thinks its an "old man" name!

thenewmrsrussell

NMS. Reminds me of my 80 year old uncle.