Reginald

Reginald is a traditional Germanic first name composed of the Old High German elements ragin/regin for "counsel, decision, decree (of the gods)" and waltan for "to rule, to govern." This leads to the meaning "the one who rules with divine counsel" or "the decision-maker."

What does the name Reginald mean?

The first name Reginald has its roots in ancient Germanic and consists of the Old High German terms ragin/regin for "counsel, decision, decree (of the gods)" and waltan for "to rule, to govern." Thus, it is interpreted as "the one who rules with divine counsel" or "the decision-maker." This name is particularly widespread in the English-speaking world. A prominent example is the British musician Reginald Kenneth Dwight, better known as Elton John. An alternative spelling is Raginald, while the newer German variant is Reinhold. Other common first names derived from Reginald include Reynold and Ronald.

Where does the name Reginald come from?

The name Reginald has an ancient Germanic and Old High German origin and means "the one who rules with divine counsel" or "the decision-maker." The components of the word come from Old Germanic and Old High German: ragin/regin stands for counsel, decision, decree (of the gods), while waltan means to rule, to govern. The language in which this name is prevalent is English.

How do you pronounce Reginald?

Reginald is pronounced with three syllables and melodically. In phonetic transcription, it sounds like "Re-gi-nald" [ˈʁeːɡiˌnalt] or [ʁeɡiˈnalt], with the bright "i" in the middle giving the sound a subtle brightness. The consonant sequence is gently embedded, while the hard final consonant creates a clear closure. Reginald exudes a cultivated and traditional impression - a name with a clear syllable structure, harmonious sound movement, and dignified presence.

When is the name day of Reginald?

The name day for Reginald is celebrated on January 7th in remembrance of Saint Reinhold of Cologne.

Popularity

In Germany, Reginald is among the less common first names. In 2022, it ranked 5,453rd on the list of the most common male first names. Its best placement was in 2011 at 2,275th. Over the last ten years, Reginald has been used as a first name around 20 times, placing it 5,627th in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 5,330th.

Nicknames & pet names

Reg / Regi / Regina

Similar first names

Famous people

• Charles Reginald Enock (writer from England)
• Clarence Reginald Dalby (artist from England)
• Conrad Reginald Cooke (mountaineer from India)
• Harold Reginald Courtenay (British bishop)
• Henry Reginald Holland Hall (English historian)
• John Reginald Crocker (English musician)
• John Reginald Homer Weaver (British historian)
• Percy Reginald Stephenson (publisher from Australia)
• Reginald Allen (cricketer)
• Reginald Bach (actor from Great Britain)
• Reginald Blomfield (architect from Great Britain)
• Reginald Boden (English cricketer)
• Reginald Brindle (cricketer from England)
• Reginald Dehoff (actor from Germany)
• Reginald Duff (cricketer from Australia)
• Reginald Dwayne Betts (American writer)
• Reginald Faria (footballer from the Netherlands)
• Reginald Foresythe (English jazz musician)
• Reginald Fry (British architect)
• Reginald Grenville Eves (painter from England)