J.R.R. Tolkien’s middle name, given at his baptism, was Reuel.
His full name was John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. He was born on 3 January 1892 in Bloemfontein, in what was then the Orange Free State. His father was Arthur Reuel Tolkien, and the name Reuel therefore appeared in the family as well as in Tolkien’s own name.
Tolkien’s initials are often expanded incorrectly. The first two are John Ronald, while the third is Reuel, not a name taken from one of his fictional characters. Tolkien later used the initials J.R.R. Tolkien professionally as a scholar, author, and illustrator.
The name Reuel has biblical associations and is also found in Tolkien family records. It should not be confused with names such as Beren, Aragorn, or Frodo, which belong to characters in his invented legendarium. Tolkien’s personal naming history and his fictional languages are separate subjects, even though names were central to his creative work.