List No. 050

REGINALD THE RED-NOSED REINDEER

Robert May

1939

Thirty-five-year-old Robert May was working as an advertising copywriter for a department store when, in early 1939, his boss tasked him with writing a “cheery” book to give to the
store’s customers that year. The one he came up with months later was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It was subsequently handed out, for free, to 2.5 million shoppers in the first year alone. Luckily for May, his boss transferred all rights to him in 1946. The list seen here offers a snapshot of what could have been – an early list of names being considered for the reindeer, penned in May’s hand. Early favourites were Rollo, Reginald and the eventual winner.

Rodney

Roddy

Roderik

Rudolph

Rudy

→Rollo

Roland

Reggy

Reginald

Romeo