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Rune names A–Z
Every rune name on this site in one alphabetical list, with the evidence level for each. Elder Futhark names are reconstructions. Younger Futhark names are recorded in the Norwegian and Icelandic rune poems; the futhorc names come from manuscript futhorc rows, with the Old English Rune Poem describing 29 of them and the late additions described by none.
| Rune | Name | Alphabet | Meaning | Evidence | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ᚪ | Aca | Futhorc | oak | Attested | – |
| ᚫ | Æscæ | Futhorc | ash tree | Attested | – |
| ᛉ | Algizz | Elder | elk, or protection | Contested | eolh-secg, ýr |
| ᚨ | Ansuza | Elder | a god, one of the Æsir | Reconstructed | os, óss, ansus |
| ᛅ | Ára | Younger | good year, plenty, harvest | Attested | – |
| ᛒ | Beorcb | Futhorc | birch, or possibly poplar | Attested | – |
| ᛒ | Berkananb | Elder | birch, birch twig | Reconstructed | beorc, bjarkan |
| ᛒ | Bjarkanb | Younger | birch | Attested | – |
| ᛣ | Calck | Futhorc | chalk, or a chalice or sandal; the word is ambiguous | Contested | – |
| ᛤ | Cealckk | Futhorc | unclear; a doubled variant of calc | Contested | – |
| ᚳ | Cenc | Futhorc | torch, pine-splint | Attested | – |
| ᛢ | Cweorðq | Futhorc | unknown; possibly coined to pair with peorð | Contested | – |
| ᛞ | Dægd | Futhorc | day | Attested | – |
| ᛞ | Dagazd | Elder | day | Reconstructed | dæg |
| ᛠ | Earea | Futhorc | earth, the grave, dust | Attested | – |
| ᛖ | Ehe | Futhorc | warhorse, steed | Attested | – |
| ᛖ | Ehwaze | Elder | horse | Reconstructed | eh |
| ᛇ | Eohï | Futhorc | yew | Attested | – |
| ᛉ | Eolh-secgx | Futhorc | elk-sedge, a marsh plant with cutting leaves | Attested | – |
| ᛟ | Eþelœ | Futhorc | ancestral home, native land, inherited estate | Attested | – |
| ᚠ | Féf | Younger | livestock, money, wealth | Attested | – |
| ᚠ | Fehuf | Elder | cattle; movable wealth, property | Reconstructed | feoh, fé, faihu |
| ᚠ | Feohf | Futhorc | wealth, money, cattle | Attested | – |
| ᚸ | Garg | Futhorc | spear | Attested | – |
| ᚷ | Gebōg | Elder | gift | Reconstructed | gyfu, giba |
| ᛄ | Gerj | Futhorc | year, harvest | Attested | – |
| ᚷ | Gyfug | Futhorc | gift, generosity | Attested | – |
| ᚻ | Hæglh | Futhorc | hail | Attested | – |
| ᚼ | Hagallh | Younger | hail | Attested | – |
| ᚺ | Haglazh | Elder | hail | Reconstructed | hægl, hagall |
| ᛇ | Īhwaz / *eihwazï | Elder | yew tree | Reconstructed | eoh |
| ᛝ | Ingŋ | Futhorc | the hero or god Ing | Attested | – |
| ᛜ | Ingwazŋ | Elder | the god Ing, or Yngvi | Reconstructed | ing |
| ᛡ | Iorio | Futhorc | unclear: some amphibious creature; eel, newt and beaver have all been suggested | Contested | – |
| ᛁ | Isi | Futhorc | ice | Attested | – |
| ᛁ | Īsazi | Elder | ice | Reconstructed | is, íss |
| ᛁ | Íssi | Younger | ice | Attested | – |
| ᛃ | Jēra(n)j | Elder | year; a good harvest, a prosperous season | Reconstructed | ger, ár |
| ᚴ | Kaunk | Younger | sore, ulcer | Attested | – |
| ᚲ | Kaunank | Elder | sore, ulcer, boil | Reconstructed | cen, kaun |
| ᛚ | Lagul | Futhorc | water, sea, lake | Attested | – |
| ᛚ | Laguzl | Elder | water, lake, sea | Reconstructed | laukaz, lagu, lǫgr |
| ᛚ | Lǫgrl | Younger | water, liquid, sea | Attested | – |
| ᛘ | Maðrm | Younger | human being, man | Attested | – |
| ᛗ | Mannm | Futhorc | human being, person | Attested | – |
| ᛗ | Mannazm | Elder | human being, person | Reconstructed | man, maðr |
| ᚾ | Naudizn | Elder | need, distress, constraint | Reconstructed | nyd, nauðr |
| ᚾ | Nauðrn | Younger | need, constraint | Attested | – |
| ᚾ | Nydn | Futhorc | need, hardship, constraint | Attested | – |
| ᚩ | Oso | Futhorc | mouth (Latin ōs), a learned substitution for the inherited "god" | Attested | – |
| ᚬ | Óssą | Younger | a god (Icelandic poem) or river-mouth (Norwegian poem) | Attested | – |
| ᛟ | Ōþalano | Elder | inherited land, ancestral property | Reconstructed | eþel |
| ᛈ | Peorðp | Futhorc | unknown; the word appears nowhere else in Old English | Attested | – |
| ᛈ | Perþrōp | Elder | meaning unknown | Contested | peorð |
| ᚱ | Radr | Futhorc | riding, a journey | Attested | – |
| ᚱ | Raidōr | Elder | a ride, a journey; a wagon | Reconstructed | rad, reið |
| ᚱ | Reiðr | Younger | riding; a carriage | Attested | – |
| ᛋ | Sigels | Futhorc | sun | Attested | – |
| ᛋ | Sóls | Younger | sun | Attested | – |
| ᛊ | Sōwilōs | Elder | sun | Reconstructed | sigel, sól |
| ᛥ | Stanst | Futhorc | stone | Attested | – |
| ᛏ | Tirt | Futhorc | glory, fame; also apparently a star or celestial sign | Attested | – |
| ᛏ | Tīwazt | Elder | the god Tīwaz; also "a god" generally | Reconstructed | tir, týr |
| ᛏ | Týrt | Younger | the god Týr | Attested | – |
| ᚢ | Uru | Futhorc | aurochs, wild ox | Attested | – |
| ᚢ | Úru | Younger | drizzle (Icelandic poem) or slag, dross (Norwegian poem) | Attested | – |
| ᚢ | Ūruzu | Elder | aurochs, wild ox | Reconstructed | ur, úr |
| ᚹ | Wunjōw | Elder | joy | Reconstructed | wynn |
| ᚹ | Wynnw | Futhorc | joy, delight | Attested | – |
| ᚣ | Yry | Futhorc | unclear; perhaps a bow, or a tool for making one | Contested | – |
| ᛦ | Ýrʀ | Younger | yew | Attested | – |
| ᚦ | Þornþ | Futhorc | thorn | Attested | – |
| ᚦ | Þurisazþ | Elder | giant, ogre, hostile supernatural being | Reconstructed | þorn, þurs |
| ᚦ | Þursþ | Younger | giant, troll | Attested | – |