Ronald is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Ronald means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Ronald across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Ronald has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Ronald is a boy name of Old Norse origin meaning “ruler's counsel”. related to Reginald and Reynold.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 1,086,091 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,045 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 1,177 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 529 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 1,769 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Ronald per year, United States (1883 to 2025). United States peaked in 1947 (34,972/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (111/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2018 (66/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1968 (40/yr).
Ronald has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1947, when it ranked #15 nationally (given to 34,972 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1940s.
Reynaldo · Ronaldo · Reynold · Reinaldo · Renaldo · Ronnald · Ronold · Raynaldo
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