The name Reynolds is an English masculine given name derived from the Old English words "ræd" meaning "counsel" and "wulf" meaning "wolf". The name's origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, around the 5th to 11th centuries.

Reynolds was a relatively common name among the Anglo-Saxons, particularly in regions like Wessex and Mercia. It was often given to boys born into noble families or those destined for leadership roles within their communities. The name's meaning, "wise wolf" or "cunning counselor", was seen as a desirable trait in those times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Reynolds dates back to the 9th century, when a powerful Anglo-Saxon nobleman named Reynolds the Bold was mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for his exploits during the Danish invasions of England. Another notable Reynolds from this period was Reynolds of Exeter, a renowned scholar and teacher who lived in the late 10th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Reynolds continued to be used, albeit less frequently. A few notable individuals who bore the name include Reynolds de Mohun, a 12th-century English crusader who fought in the Third Crusade under Richard the Lionheart. Sir Reynolds Calvert, born in 1580, was a prominent English colonist and the first Governor of the Colony of Avalon in Newfoundland.

In the 17th century, Reynolds emerged as a popular name among the Puritans in England and later in the American colonies. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Sir Joshua Reynolds, born in 1723, an influential English portrait painter and one of the founders of the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Other notable individuals named Reynolds throughout history include Reynolds Price, an American novelist and scholar born in 1933, and Reynolds Woodcock, a British fashion designer and couturier born in 1947. Additionally, the name has been associated with several fictional characters, such as Reynolds Woodrow from the novel "The Green Mile" by Stephen King.