What was J.R.R. Tolkien’s full first name, including the three given names?

J.R.R. Tolkien’s three given names were John Ronald Reuel.

The initials in his pen name stand for John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. He was born John Ronald Reuel Tolkien on 3 January 1892 in Bloemfontein, in what was then the Orange Free State. His first name was commonly used in formal records, while “Ronald” was a familiar personal name.

The name Reuel came through his family and was also used by Tolkien himself. His initials became internationally recognizable because he published his scholarship and fiction as J. R. R. Tolkien. The form is especially associated with The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and his academic work on language and medieval literature.

People sometimes expand the initials incorrectly as “John Robert” or “John Richard.” Those versions are not Tolkien’s given names. His surname is Tolkien, and the word “J.R.R.” does not represent a title, a fictional character, or a middle-name abbreviation invented for publication.