Ronald
Ronald is a masculine
given name derived from the
Old Norse ''
Rögnvaldr'', or possibly from
Old English ''
Regenweald''. In some cases ''Ronald'' is an
Anglicised form of the Gaelic ''
Raghnall'', a name likewise derived from ''Rögnvaldr''. The latter name is composed of the Old Norse elements ''regin'' ("advice", "decision") and ''valdr'' ("ruler"). ''Ronald'' was originally used in
England and
Scotland, where Scandinavian influences were once substantial, although now the name is common throughout the
English-speaking world. A short form of ''Ronald'' is ''Ron''.
Pet forms of ''Ronald'' include ''Roni'' and ''
Ronnie''. ''Ronalda'' and ''Rhonda'' are feminine forms of ''Ronald''. ''
Rhona'', a modern name apparently only dating back to the late nineteenth century, may have originated as a feminine form of ''Ronald''. The names ''Renaud''/''Renault'' and ''Reynold''/''Reinhold'' are cognates from French and German respectively. The name ''Ronaldo'' is a cognate from Spanish and Portuguese.
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