Ronald

Ronald is a masculine given name widely used in English-speaking countries. It is the English form of the Scottish name Raghnall, which in turn derives from the Old Norse Rögnvaldr, generally interpreted as meaning "ruler's adviser" or "mighty counselor." The name has long been associated with waves of Scottish and Anglo-Norman influence in the British Isles and beyond.

In contemporary usage, Ronald is often shortened to Ron or Ronnie, with Ronny as a playful form. Variants include Ronaldo in Portuguese and Raghnall in Gaelic; the name has many cultural adaptations across Europe and the Americas.

Notable people named Ronald include Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States; Ronald Colman, an English-born actor who won an Academy Award; Ronald Koeman, a Dutch football manager and former player; and Ronald Biggs, a British criminal known for the Great Train Robbery. The name is also used in fiction, such as Ronald McDonald, the clown mascot of McDonald's.

The popularity of Ronald fluctuated through the 20th century, with peaks in the mid-1900s in several countries, and it remains a traditional, if less common, given name in many places today.