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The short answer
Ronald is a masculine name used in Scottish and English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Scottish form of Ragnvaldr, a name introduced to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders. It became popular outside Scotland during the 20th century." It ranked #638 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, scottish form of Ragnvaldr, a name introduced to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders. It became popular outside Scotland during the 20th century. The entry lists its usage as Scottish, English, Dutch, German.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Ronald ranked #638 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #638 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Scottish) and that sit near Ronald in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ronald mean?
Behind the Name does not give Ronald a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: scottish form of Ragnvaldr, a name introduced to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders.
Is Ronald a popular name?
Ronald ranked #638 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Ronald a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Ronald appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Ronald — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
