Rudolph’s dad is Donner , one of Santa’s original team of reindeer in most classic versions of the story, including the 1964 Rankin/Bass TV special and many later adaptations.

Who was Rudolph’s dad?

  • In the well-known Rankin/Bass stop-motion special, Rudolph is explicitly introduced as the son of Donner, one of Santa’s working reindeer.
  • Donner is shown as a proud but flawed father who initially tries to hide Rudolph’s glowing red nose rather than accept it.
  • Other modern explainers and fan sites also describe Rudolph’s father as Donner, reinforcing this as the standard canon answer.

Why the confusion?

  • Older poems and references sometimes use the name “Donder” instead of “Donner,” which can make people unsure who is meant, but it refers to the same Thunder-themed reindeer from Santa’s team.
  • Fan theories and comedy sketches sometimes play with the idea of Rudolph having a “mystery” father with a red nose, but these are humorous or speculative takes, not the mainstream story.

In short

  • Canon dad in classic Christmas media: Donner.
  • Name variations like Donder/Donner come from changes over time in Santa’s reindeer names, but they point to the same character.

Meta description:
Wondering “who was Rudolph’s dad”? In the classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer story and most modern versions, his father is Donner, one of Santa’s main sleigh reindeer.

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