What was J.R.R. Tolkien’s full given name, including the name Ronald?

J.R.R. Tolkien’s full given name was 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. The initials in his familiar author name therefore stand for John, Ronald, and Reuel. Tolkien generally used “Ronald” as a personal name, while “Reuel” was part of his formal name.

The name Reuel had a family connection: Tolkien’s father, Arthur Reuel Tolkien, also carried it as a middle name. Tolkien’s initials became internationally recognizable through his books, especially The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

A common mix-up is treating “J.R.R.” as a pen name or assuming the second initial represents a surname. It does not. The initials are taken from three given names, followed by the family name Tolkien. His name is also sometimes misspelled with an extra middle initial or with “Ronald” omitted.