Walter

Walter is a Germanic given name composed of the elements wald, meaning rule or power, and heri, meaning army, giving an overall sense of ruler of the army or commanding warrior. It was introduced to England by the Normans after 1066 and became widely used throughout medieval Europe in various forms. Notable historical bearers include the Scottish hero Walter Scott and the explorer Walter Raleigh. Related cognates and variants include Walther, Gautier, Gualtiero, and Valter.