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Liz and Beth are my favorite nicknames for Elizabeth.
I can do without Lizzie. Bethy sounds childish, but sweet on a little child.
Beth seems really versatile and respectable. I don't think it's unexpected, unless you mean in the anti-hipster hipster way.
Walter ... I think I can sort of see why you'd find it charming, natty, chipper. I can't get past the way the sound of it makes me feel, though. It's faltering and watery and funereally serious.

This message was edited 4/19/2015, 11:27 PM

I love Elizabeth and Walter! I prefer Eliza or Libby as nns for Elizabeth, but Beth is sweet too. I think it would depend on her actual personality; each nn has a different one for me. Walter I have as a middle for my favourite boys' name (see sig.) after a character in my favourite book, and I think it would sound great on all ages, and diesnt sound old man-ish at all. It's a brilliant name with a lot of vintage charm.

I like Elle as a nickname for Elizabeth, or even Ella. Walter is not bad, but it is not quite the level of classic I go for. It waxes and wanes (mostly wanes). It's not horrid, but not solid.

My parents considered naming me Elizabeth nn Beth. I think I'm glad they didn't, because while Elizabeth is a nice though a tad boring classic, I find Beth heavy and clunky. I think Walter has retro charm and is making a comeback.

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I do love Eliza but Beth is lovely as well, warm and friendly.

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I would guess that most folks on the street would say Walter is an "old man" name, but I most strongly associate it with a duck from children's books and that is a charming association for me.

My name is Elizabeth and when I was little my nn was Lizzie, which has since turned into Liz, a common nickname for someone in her early thirties. I knew a lot of Beths in school in the 90's whose full name was Bethany, so to me it's not unexpected or fresh. I think Betty would definitely be a fresh nickname for the next generation of Elizabeths. I've never cared for just Eliza, as I love the softness and four syllables of "Elizabeth" as a whole...so if you're going to have a nickname for it, it should be two syllables or less to keep it sweet.

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I like the sentiments of Walter, but was also a Breaking Bad fan and so it would be hard for me to use. I had a great grandpa Walter whose nickname was Lottie (he was Polish), which is kinda cute.

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I'm an Elizabeth nn Beth so I like the name :)

I really like Lizzie (I prefer it with a Y) and Beth. Bethy doesn't appeal to me, though. I like Eliza best just by itself.
I really like Walter! I think it could really make a comeback.

I also like Walter, called Wally... so retro. It's a little old man, but not too bad.

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I love Elizabeth, and Eliza is my favorite nick name, followed by Betty.

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I like Beth. It's soft. Bethy is a bit too much.

Beth is my favorite nickname for Elizabeth. It's pretty much the cutest thing ever. I wouldn't consider it unexpected, I think along with Liz it's the most expected nickname. It's at the top of my list for name/nickname I'd use for another daughter.

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Walter I love. I don't think it gets quite enough! It's so handsome and makes me picture fly-fishing. It doesn't feel old to me at all, in fact it feels quite young. I picture it much more easily on a boy than on an adult. I'd consider Walter in real life too, but both my husband and mother dislike it a lot for some reason! My only concern with it would be a nickname. I dislike Wally, and Walt is ok but I think would have to grow on me. I wouldn't use a nickname, I don't think.

This message was edited 4/17/2015, 10:13 AM

Beth is my SO's favourite nn for Elisabeth, our top girls name. I'm starting to like it a lot more. It's very sweet and not so common nowadays.

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Walter reminds me of Breaking Bad, but I do like the name and I think it's usable.

I like both Elizabeth and Walter. I think Walter has a dusty charm, and even though a lot of people still find it dated... I think it's quirky enough to be cool. I personally love the nickname Walt, and even Wally. So, it's totally usable to me.

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As for Elizabeth nicknames, my favorites are Buffy, Betsy and Ellie. However, I think Beth is the prettiest nickname that is also common. Eliza is such a solid sound that I find it better as a full name rather than a nickname... and Lizzie is probably the most common nickname I have heard for Elizabeth (or Liz), so I find it the most boring.

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A friend of mine just used Elizabeth, nn Betty - which was quite a cool throwback nickname. They have a Grandmother Betty though, so it was honoring like your names.

I find Beth refreshing and sweet as well. It's got a lovely delicacy to it - it makes me think of tiny down feathers.

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Walter is pretty firmly old man, but I still like it. I have a great uncle Walter "Wally" and he's great, so maybe that's what makes the name nice for me. It's very warm and nourishing, is Walter.