Ragnall (name)
Name list
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ragnall, Raghnall, Raonall, and Raonull are masculine personal names or given names in several Gaelic languages.
 Raghnall in a Gaelic type, note the lenited g in the name (gh) once appeared in Irish orthography with a dot above it, as pictured. | |
| Gender | Masculine |
|---|---|
| Language | Old Irish, Middle Irish/Middle Gaelic |
| Origin | |
| Language | Old Norse |
| Word/name | Røgnvaldr, Rǫgnvaldr, Rögnvaldr |
| Derivation | regin + valdr |
| Meaning | "(German) Gods", "powerful" |
| Other names | |
| Cognate | see list |
| Derivatives | Raghnall, Raonall, Raonull |
Ragnall occurs in Old Irish,[1] and Middle Irish/Middle Gaelic.[2][3] It is a Gaelicised form of the Old Norse Røgnvaldr, Rǫgnvaldr, Rögnvaldr.[1][4] This Old Norse name is composed of two elements: regin, meaning "(Germanic) Gods"; and valdr, meaning "powerful".[5] It has also been suggested that Ragnall could also represent the Old Norse Ragnarr as well.[6] Ragnall can be Anglicised as Ranald and Ronald, and Latinised as Reginald, Reginaldus.[3]
The modern spelling is Raghnall in Scottish Gaelic and either Raghnall or Raonull in Irish. Anglicised forms of Raghnall include: Ranald, Rannal, and Ronald.[7]
The final -ll sound of the Gaelic names are de-vocalized[clarification needed], and to non-Gaelic-speakers this suggests -d sound. In this way the name is similar to the various forms of the Gaelic Domhnall, which can be Anglicised as Donald.[8]
List of cognates
- Danish: Ragnvald[5]
- Dutch: Ronald, Ron, Ronny, Reinout
- English: Ranald,[7] Reginald, Reynold, Ronald[9]
- Faroese: Røgnvaldur, Ragnvaldur
- French: Reynaud
- German: Reinhold
- Icelandic: Rögnvaldur
- Italian: Rinaldo
- Latin: Reginald, Reginaldus
- Norwegian: Ragnvald[5]
- Old French: Reinald, Reynaud[9]
- Old German: Raginald[10]
- Old Norse: Røgnvaldr, Rǫgnvaldr, Rögnvaldr
- Swedish: Ragnvald[5]
- Welsh: Rheinallt[11]
List of people with the given name
- Ragnall ua Ímair (died 921), king of the Fair and Dark Foreigners and king of Northumbria, the first known Ragnall
- Ragnall Guthfrithson (fl. 943-944), King of York
- Ragnall mac Gofraid (died 1004/1005), King of the Isles
- Ragnall mac Torcaill (died 1146), ruler of Dublin
- Ragnall Olafsson (fl. 1164), mediaeval ruler of the Isle of Man
- Ragnall Mac Gilla Muire (fl. 1170), leader of Waterford
- Raghnall mac Somhairle (died 1207), king of the Isles and Argyll
- Raghnall mac Gofraidh (died 1229), king of Mann and the Isles
- Raghnall mac Amhlaibh (fl. 1249), king of Mann
- Ranald MacDonald (died 1386) founder of Clanranald
- Ranald George Macdonald (1788-1873), chief of Clan Macdonald of Clanranald and Member of Parliament
- Raonall Smith (born 1978), American, professional American football player
As a patronymic
- Echmarcach mac Ragnaill (fl. 11th century), king of Dublin, Man and the Isles, and the Rhinns
- Ascall mac Ragnaill (died 1171), the last king of Dublin
- Gofraid mac Ragnaill (died 1231), king of the Isles
- Domhnall mac Raghnaill (fl. early-mid 13th century), Hebridean flaith (prince) and progenitor of Clan Donald
