J.R.R. Tolkien’s first name at birth was John.
The author was born John Ronald Reuel Tolkien on 3 January 1892. Although he was commonly called Ronald by family and friends, John was his first given name. His initials therefore stand for John Ronald Reuel, not for a shortened version of a single name.
Tolkien’s full name reflected family traditions and personal naming choices. Reuel was also used as a family name and became part of the author’s formal identity. In academic and publishing contexts, he was usually identified by the initials J.R.R. Tolkien.
The name Ronald is a frequent source of confusion because Tolkien used it in everyday life. Some readers also mistake Reuel for a middle name that was rarely used, but it is part of his complete birth name. The exact sequence is John, Ronald, Reuel, Tolkien.