The name Ronald has its origins in the ancient Germanic language, tracing back to around the 5th century AD. It is derived from the words "ragin" meaning "counsel" and "waldan" meaning "ruler," essentially translating to "counsel ruler" or "ruling counsel." The name was initially spelled as "Ragn(ǫ)aldr" or "Raginwaldr" in Old Norse.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Icelandic Landnámabók, a medieval text that chronicles the settlement of Iceland. It mentions a Norwegian chieftain named Rögnvaldr Eyvindarson, who lived in the 9th century AD and was among the first settlers of Iceland.

In the Middle Ages, the name gained popularity across Scandinavia and parts of Europe, with variations like Reinald, Reinold, and Reynold appearing in different regions. The name was particularly common among the Norman nobility, and it is believed that the Norman conquest of England in 1066 helped spread its usage in the British Isles.

One notable bearer of the name was Ronald de Umfraville, a 13th-century English nobleman and Lord of Redesdale. Another was Ronald of Burgundy, a 12th-century Benedictine monk and the founder of the Cistercian abbey of Obazine in France.

In the 16th century, the spelling "Ronald" became more prevalent, particularly in Scotland. One famous Scottish bearer of the name was Ronald Cheyne, a scholar and historian who lived from 1519 to 1572. He was a member of the Scottish Parliament and authored several works on Scottish history.

Another notable figure was Ronald Gair, a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1610 to 1677. He made significant contributions to the study of astronomy and was a professor at the University of Edinburgh.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name continued to be popular in Scotland and England. One prominent individual was Ronald Crawford, a Scottish politician and lawyer who lived from 1636 to 1719 and served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

As the name spread to other parts of the world, it gained popularity in different cultures and languages. One notable bearer was Ronald Ross, a British physician and Nobel laureate who lived from 1857 to 1932. He made groundbreaking discoveries in the study of malaria and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1902.