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

J.R.R. Tolkien’s full first name was John Ronald Reuel. He was formally named John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, with “John” honoring his paternal grandfather and “Ronald” chosen by his parents.

The name “Reuel” was unusual in Tolkien’s family and became the third part of his given name. Tolkien generally used the initials J.R.R. in his published name, making them one of the most recognizable author initials in modern literature.

The initials are sometimes expanded incorrectly because readers assume the middle names are two conventional English names. The correct expansion is John Ronald Reuel, not three names beginning with separate R-based alternatives. Tolkien later gave the name “Reuel” to his son Christopher as a middle name.