Reginald sits at rank #3325 with 25 exclusively male pet name uses — and the gap between its register (formal British aristocracy) and its typical application (a dog who has eaten a shoe) is a significant part of the appeal. No name in this tier commits more fully to the bit.
The etymology is very on brand
Reginald comes from the Old High German Raginald, composed of "ragin" (counsel, power) and "wald" (ruler). It entered English via the Normans and spent several centuries attached to bishops and minor nobility before falling out of fashion in the 20th century. Its abbreviation Reggie has stayed warmer — there's a whole Archie Comics character to thank for that — but the full Reginald carries an almost theatrical formality that owners are clearly deploying with intent. When you call your Labrador Reginald, you are making a statement about the relationship between language and reality.
The humor is structural, not accidental
The comedy of Reginald as a pet name isn't about mockery — it's about the affectionate incongruity between a name that implies a four-hundred-year family seat and an animal whose primary concerns are squirrels and naps. It shows up disproportionately on large, slightly imperious breeds: English Bulldogs, Basset Hounds, and the occasional enormous Newfoundland who carries the name with complete sincerity.
Full name or Reggie — the owner's choice
Most owners use Reggie day to day and pull out the full Reginald for introductions, vet check-ins, and moments of mild disappointment ("Reginald, that was my dinner"). It's a name that rewards commitment. If you're considering this register, Sigmund, Lester, and Raymond offer similar energy at slightly different phonetic temperatures.