Ronald
Anglicized from Scottish Gaelic Raghnall, itself derived from Old Norse Rǫgnvaldr, from rǫgn (“advice”) + valdr (“power”), later partly merged with the Continental…
Every Ronald since 1883 — 1,086,091 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ronald
Ronald is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #638 in 2025 with 438 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1883, 1,086,091 American babies have been named Ronald. Its peak came in 1947, when 34,972 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ronald stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ronald year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 438 | #638 |
| 2024 | — | — | 497 | #575 |
| 2023 | — | — | 457 | #613 |
| 2022 | — | — | 532 | #559 |
| 2021 | — | — | 505 | #562 |
| 2020 | — | — | 503 | #559 |
| 2019 | — | — | 541 | #527 |
| 2018 | — | — | 588 | #491 |
| 2017 | — | — | 660 | #462 |
| 2016 | — | — | 728 | #429 |
| 2015 | — | — | 704 | #435 |
| 2014 | — | — | 791 | #394 |
| 2013 | — | — | 745 | #402 |
| 2012 | — | — | 797 | #378 |
| 2011 | — | — | 889 | #342 |
| 2010 | — | — | 913 | #343 |
| 2009 | — | — | 926 | #341 |
| 2008 | — | — | 1,089 | #307 |
| 2007 | — | — | 1,175 | #293 |
| 2006 | — | — | 1,374 | #249 |
| 2005 | — | — | 1,302 | #255 |
| 2004 | — | — | 1,450 | #232 |
| 2003 | — | — | 1,406 | #237 |
| 2002 | — | — | 1,521 | #227 |
| 2001 | — | — | 1,652 | #212 |
| 2000 | — | — | 1,750 | #203 |
| 1995 | — | — | 2,400 | #146 |
| 1990 | 15 | #6,066 | 3,899 | #97 |
| 1985 | 33 | #2,845 | 4,299 | #71 |
| 1980 | 40 | #2,426 | 5,757 | #58 |
| 1975 | 58 | #1,669 | 7,064 | #46 |
| 1970 | 78 | #1,349 | 13,618 | #29 |
| 1965 | 69 | #1,319 | 17,619 | #24 |
| 1960 | 82 | #1,210 | 21,714 | #21 |
| 1955 | 70 | #1,206 | 26,172 | #18 |
| 1950 | 68 | #1,121 | 29,908 | #12 |
| 1945 | 55 | #1,058 | 23,665 | #10 |
| 1940 | 58 | #952 | 20,741 | #10 |
| 1935 | 51 | #972 | 15,489 | #12 |
| 1930 | 38 | #1,230 | 5,635 | #37 |
| 1925 | 11 | #3,086 | 1,674 | #104 |
| 1920 | — | — | 832 | #168 |
| 1915 | — | — | 763 | #155 |
| 1910 | — | — | 118 | #215 |
| 1905 | — | — | 51 | #279 |
| 1900 | — | — | 40 | #348 |
| 1895 | — | — | 25 | #389 |
| 1890 | — | — | 20 | #411 |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Ronald
- Ronald Reagan Politician · 1911–2004
- Ronald Koeman Coach · b. 1963
- Ronald Coase Economist · 1910–2013
- Ronald Ross Physician · 1857–1932
- Ronald Wayne Businessperson · b. 1934
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ronald mean?
Anglicized from Scottish Gaelic Raghnall, itself derived from Old Norse Rǫgnvaldr, from rǫgn (“advice”) + valdr (“power”), later partly merged with the Continental Germanic equivalent Reynold.
How popular is the name Ronald in 2025?
Ronald ranked #638 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 438 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ronald?
1,086,091 babies have been named Ronald in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ronald most popular?
Ronald peaked in 1947, when 34,972 newborns received the name.
Is Ronald a boy or girl name?
Ronald is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ronald rising or falling?
Ronald is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ronald?
Well-known people named Ronald include Ronald Reagan (politician), Ronald Koeman (coach), Ronald Coase (economist).