My husband and I were set on [name_m]Walter[/name_m] and love the old mannish charm! We llike the nickname [name_m]Walt[/name_m], but do not want him to be called [name_u]Wally[/name_u]!! We always said we would never name a kid that has a nickname we weren’t happy with. I don’t want to go through the early years correcting people or have him be called that later on. Does everyone think [name_u]Wally[/name_u] when you hear [name_m]Walter[/name_m] or am I overthinking this?
Thanks for any feedback 
Please offer any other “old-man” names ideas!!
I didn’t think [name_u]Wally[/name_u] at all. I went immediately to [name_m]Walt[/name_m].
(loving [name_m]Walter[/name_m] on a baby btw)
I did think of [name_u]Wally[/name_u], but I find it to be cute. I understand your issue, we crossed [name_m]Theodore[/name_m] off our list because I dislike Ted. It is hard to decide. I am going out on a limb and am guessing most strangers or acquaintances will call your son by the name he is introduced as or by the name they hear you use. All bets are off when he can decide for himself.
It’s a tough call, and both decisions have drawbacks. Maybe no one else here will associate [name_u]Wally[/name_u] with [name_m]Walter[/name_m] and you can write off my reaction as an anomaly?
It’s easy to go there for a little boy, but I think it can be avoided since it’s pretty cutesy and I can understand a parent not wanting to use it.
Not every [name_u]Kimberly[/name_u] gets called [name_f]Kimmy[/name_f] and not every [name_m]Robert[/name_m] gets called [name_u]Robby[/name_u]. You’re okay imo.
I have a crush on Walter. I really love this name, i don’t know why. I’m not even englishspeaker, but it’s one of my favorites names. And Walt is a great nickname. I don’t think Wally when I hear Walter. For me, Wally is a nickname of Wallace.
Others “old-man” names can be:
- Geoffrey (Jeff/Geoff)
- Jared (Jed)
- Brett
- Gregory (Rory)
- Stanley (Stan)
- Gerald (Jerry)
- Donald (Donny)
- Russell (Russ)
- Aaron
- Gary
- Isaac
I didn’t think of [name_u]Wally[/name_u] at all; my grandfather went by [name_m]Walt[/name_m].
I am in a mom group and this is the go to name when we are making fun of a boys name. Suddenly it has become all the rage! We actually know someone who just used it.
It is definitely not my cup of tea but [name_m]Walt[/name_m] is the NN I think of - maybe because of Breaking Bad.
Other old man name options:
[name_m]Clark[/name_m] (my friend just used this)
[name_m]Milton[/name_m]
[name_m]Cyrus[/name_m]
[name_m]Clifford[/name_m]
[name_u]Murray[/name_u]
[name_u]Stanley[/name_u]
One of my most favorite names!
It’s an old man name
I would love to meet a little [name_m]Walter[/name_m]! The first nickname that comes to mind for me is [name_m]Walt[/name_m], and I feel like that’s the case for most people.
I really like it! I’d automatically go to [name_m]Walt[/name_m], not [name_u]Wallie[/name_u].
I love [name_m]Walter[/name_m] with the nickname [name_m]Walt[/name_m] and I actually don’t mind [name_u]Wally[/name_u] that much. [name_u]Wally[/name_u] is kind of an after thought though because [name_m]Walt[/name_m] seems more known like [name_m]Walt[/name_m] Disney and [name_m]Walt[/name_m] [name_m]Whitman[/name_m]. DH likes [name_u]Wally[/name_u] more because of The [name_m]Flash[/name_m] [name_u]Wally[/name_u] [name_u]West[/name_u] and he loves superheroes. If you use [name_m]Walter[/name_m] you might end up with a [name_u]Wally[/name_u] if he likes to be called that, but that doesn’t mean you have to call him it. [name_f]Hope[/name_f] this helps
I’ve thought of using [name_m]Walter[/name_m] too, but I would think [name_m]Walt[/name_m] before [name_u]Wally[/name_u]. I definitely think it’s an old man name, but not one that I couldn’t see on a baby!
Not sure why anyone would ever make fun of such a solid, grand name. Most Walters famous in history have been renowned for positive things. I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] it. And would be tickled pink and impressed to meet a little [name_m]Walter[/name_m] rather than a boy on the top 20 list now…
I love the name [name_m]Walter[/name_m] (and [name_u]Wally[/name_u] for that matter). It is charming.
But it is a myth to think that parents can “correct” others on their child’s NICKNAME!
Nicknames attach to us throughout our lives and are usually signs of affection. Our mothers are not in charge of this! That is way over-emphasizing reasonable parental control.
If you hate [name_u]Wally[/name_u], I would not choose [name_m]Walter[/name_m] because some folks (lover, wife, friend, colleague, etc.) are likely to call him that at one point or another regardless of what you do.
This is why I would not choose [name_m]Charles[/name_m] as a first name though I love it b/c the specter of [name_m]Chuck[/name_m] is too horrifying!