The first R in J.R.R. Tolkien’s initials stands for Ronald, making his full name John Ronald Reuel Tolkien.
Tolkien was commonly known by his initials rather than by his full name, especially in published work. His first name was John, his first middle name was Ronald, and Reuel was his second middle name. The name Reuel was used in his family and became part of the distinctive authorial name recognized around the world.
A common mistake is to treat both Rs as abbreviations for the same name or to guess a more familiar name such as Robert. They represent two different middle names: Ronald and Reuel. Tolkien’s initials appeared prominently on his books and helped give his author identity a memorable form.
The name belongs to the writer, philologist, and university teacher whose invented histories and languages formed the foundation of Middle-earth literature.