What was J.R.R. Tolkien’s full first name, beyond the initials J.R.R.?

J.R.R. Tolkien’s full first name was John Ronald Reuel.

He was born John Ronald Reuel Tolkien in 1892. “John” was his first given name, “Ronald” was the name commonly used by his family, and “Reuel” was his middle name. The initials became the familiar form under which he published his major works.

The name Reuel came from Tolkien’s family history and was also used by his father. Tolkien’s naming traditions should not be confused with the names of his fictional characters, whose languages and cultural histories he constructed separately. The initials J.R.R. are not an abbreviation for a title or a pseudonym.

Tolkien’s best-known books appeared under his initials and surname, including The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. Biographical references may use either “John Ronald Reuel Tolkien” or “J.R.R. Tolkien,” but both identify the same author.