Find out how popular the first name Ron has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Ron by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Ron is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Ron being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 36 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Ron.

The history of the first name Ron

The name Ron is derived from the Old Norse word "Rǫgnvaldr", which can be broken down into two components: "regin" meaning "gods" or "divine powers", and "valdr" meaning "ruler" or "commander". This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with a divine or powerful ruler.

In the Viking Age, the name Rǫgnvaldr was borne by several notable figures, including Rognavald, Earl of Møre, a Norwegian earl who lived in the late 9th and early 10th centuries. It was also the name of Rognavald Kali Kolsson, a Viking chieftain who ruled over the Faroe Islands in the 11th century.

As the Vikings spread across Europe, the name Rǫgnvaldr evolved into various forms in different languages. In Old English, it became "Reginald" or "Reynold", while in French it was rendered as "Renaud" or "Reynaud". The shortened form "Ron" likely emerged as a diminutive or nickname for these longer variants.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Ron can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions a landowner named "Rono" in Suffolk.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ron or its variants. These include Ron Hubbard (1911-1986), an American author and the founder of the Church of Scientology, and Ron Dellums (1935-2018), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative and Mayor of Oakland, California.

In the world of sports, Ron Artest (born 1979) is a former NBA player known for his defensive skills and controversial on-court behavior, while Ron Barassi (born 1936) is an Australian football legend who played and coached in the Australian Football League.

Another notable bearer of the name was Ron Moody (1924-2015), a British actor best known for his role as Fagin in the 1968 film adaptation of Oliver Twist.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Ron was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ron, please contact us.

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