Given name & surname
Watt
“the commander of the army”·“the son of Walter”
In English use, Watt is a diminutive of Walter. One German interpretation is “the commander of the army.” Watt is a variant of Watson. One English interpretation is “the son of Walter.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Watt is a diminutive of Walter. One German interpretation is “the commander of the army.” Watt is a variant of Watson. One English interpretation is “the son of Walter.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Watt is a diminutive of Walter. An origin associated with Walter is Germanic. Watt is a variant of Watson. An origin associated with Watson is English.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Watt is a diminutive of Walter. In English usage, Watt is a diminutive of Wat.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Watt through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 444
- 444 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1920
- 15 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 1971. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 205 as a first name in 2020; 14,923 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Watt’s family of names
In English usage, Watt is a diminutive of Walter. In English usage, Watt has a related form in Walt. Watt has a related form in Watson.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Watt, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Worth
“enclosure”
>99% boys
Walton
“from the walled town; from the stream town”
>99% boys
Wilbert
“one who is willful; a bright man”
>99% boys
Warner
“of the defending army”
98% boys · 2% girls
Wilfred
“one who wishes for peace”
>99% boys
Wilton
“from the town on the river”
>99% boys
Wilber
“one who is willful; a bright man”
>99% boys
Yates
“keeper of the gates”
>99% boys