A masculine given name of Germanic origin meaning 'ruler of the army' or 'powerful warrior.'
From Germanic 'walt' (to rule) + 'her' (army), combining two Old High German elements. The name came to English through Norman conquest and medieval romance literature.
Walter was the most popular name for boys in medieval Europe because it combines 'rule' and 'army'—exactly what feudal lords wanted their sons to be—making it a name that literally encodes medieval power structures.
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