What do the initials J.R.R. stand for in J.R.R. Tolkien’s name?

The initials J.R.R. in J.R.R. Tolkien’s name stand for John Ronald Reuel. Tolkien was born John Ronald Reuel Tolkien on 3 January 1892 in Bloemfontein, then part of the Orange Free State.

“Reuel” was a family name used by Tolkien’s father, Arthur Reuel Tolkien. Tolkien’s first name was John, while Ronald became the name by which his family generally called him in childhood. His surname came from his German ancestry; the Tolkien family name is associated with the German Tollkiehn family.

Tolkien later became known internationally by his initials, especially after the publication of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Readers sometimes assume the initials represent three separate first names or titles, but they are simply the initials of his given names. His full name is distinct from the pen names and character names he used in other contexts.