United States
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):                 April 14, 2004



                            CITY NATIONAL CORPORATION
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)





             Delaware                      1-10521                95-2568550
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  (State or other jurisdiction of     (Commission file         (IRS employer
          incorporation)                  number)            identification no.)

City National Center
400 North Roxbury Drive, Beverly Hills, California               90210
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      (Address of principal executive offices)                 (Zip code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code             (310) 888-6000
                                                           ---------------------


                                 Not applicable
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          (former name or former address, if changed since last report)




Item 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(c)      Exhibits.

         99.1  Press  release  dated  April 14,  2004  reporting  the  financial
               results of City National Corporation for the quarter ending March
               31, 2004.


Item 9
and 12.  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL
         CONDITION.

               On April  14,  2004,  City  National  Corporation  issued a press
               release  reporting its financial  results for the quarter  ending
               March 31, 2004. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as
               Exhibit  99.1  and is  incorporated  herein  by  reference.  This
               information is being  furnished  under both Item 9 (Regulation FD
               Disclosure)  and Item 12 (Results  of  Operations  and  Financial
               Condition) of Form 8-K. The  information in this Current  Report,
               including  Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes
               of Section 18 of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
               (the "Exchange  Act"), or incorporated by reference in any filing
               under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended,  or the Exchange
               Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference
               in such a filing.



                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                            CITY NATIONAL CORPORATION
April 14, 2004              /s/   Stephen D. McAvoy
                            ----------------------------------------------------
                            Stephen D. McAvoy
                            Acting Chief Financial Officer and Controller
                            (Authorized Officer and Principal Financial Officer)