How To Interpret Elder Futhark Rune Meanings
The Elder Futhark is the oldest runic alphabet: 24 letters used from about 150 to 800 AD. Each rune stood for a sound and had a name that was also an ordinary word, such as Fehu, "cattle" or wealth. This guide gives the meaning of every rune from Fehu to Othala: its reconstructed name and sound, what the medieval rune poems say about it, and the modern reading, upright and reversed, used in rune divination today, with pronunciations.
The runic alphabets were the first written signs created by the Germanic peoples, and the Norse kept writing in runes for centuries. Elder Futhark runes still turn up on jewellery today, and runes have a place in Norse myth as well: in the poem Hávamál, Odin wins the runes by hanging nine nights on a windy tree. In everyday life runes were letters, used for writing in several Germanic languages. Each rune also had a name that was an ordinary word, and that name is where its meaning starts. The idea that every rune stands for a cosmic force, so that writing one invokes its power, comes from modern esoteric writers, not from the Viking Age; it belongs with the modern readings rather than with the Norse symbols and their meanings found in the sources. Runes were carved on stone, wood, bone and metal, and their shapes suit carving: mostly straight staves and diagonals, with few curves and no horizontal strokes, which are hard to see along the grain of wood.
Try it yourself: translate any name or word into Elder Futhark runes with our free rune translator, then copy it or download a card.
Runic Alphabet Origins
The word "rune" is old. Old Norse rún means both a rune and a secret, Gothic rūna means "secret, mystery", and Old English rūn means "secret" or "whisper". Modern German Rune simply means a runic letter, and the related verb raunen means "to whisper". So the oldest sense of the word seems to be something hidden or spoken low, and only later the letter itself. The earliest runic inscriptions date from the second century AD. During the Viking era, the Norsemen used runes, and as Christianity spread they were gradually replaced by the Latin alphabet. Even so, runes never fully disappeared: in Dalarna, Sweden, people still wrote in a local runic script into the 1800s, and today runes are used for decorative purposes on jewellery and art.
Runic alphabets are also called "futharks". They got this name from the sounds of their first six runes, f, u, th, a, r and k (Fehu, Uruz, Thurisaz, Ansuz, Raidho and Kenaz, also reconstructed as Kaunan).
We distinguish the three best-known runic alphabets:
1. The Elder Futhark (consists of 24 characters and was used from 150 to 800 AD),
2. Anglo-Saxon Futhorc (consisting of up to 33 characters and was used from about 400 to 1100 AD),
3. The Younger Futhark (consisted of 16 characters and was used from 800 to 1100 AD).
Today, we will tell you about the oldest runic alphabet and its meanings: Elder Futhark runes meaning. Information you find about the meanings of runes might seem overwhelming. Thus, we will do our best to make today's article as informative and as simple as possible.
RELATED: We also have a great collection of Elder Futhark rings, Viking bracelets, Viking earrings, and Elder Futhark themed necklaces.
What are the Runes of Elder Futhark?
Elder Futhark is the oldest runic alphabet. It consists of 24 runes, each with its own name and sound. By the time the Viking Age began, Scandinavians had already reduced it to the 16-rune Younger Futhark, so the Vikings themselves wrote with the younger row; the Elder Futhark is the one most rune-meaning guides use today. Its runes are grouped in three rows of eight, called ættir (singular ætt). The split is old: two gold pendants from Sweden made around the 6th century, the Vadstena and Grumpan bracteates, already mark the row in three groups.
Later Icelandic tradition named the three rows of the Younger Futhark Freyr's ætt, Hagall's ætt (after the hail rune) and Týr's ætt (after the Týr rune). The modern custom of assigning each row to gods, with Freyr and Freyja, the deities of fertility, over the first, Heimdall over the second and Tyr over the third, comes from modern rune books, not from Norse sources. Only a few hundred inscriptions in the Elder Futhark have been found, and many are short, worn or hard to read.
The oldest inscriptions are mostly names and short phrases: an owner, a maker, a memorial. Some later inscriptions and Eddic poems do use runes as charms, for victory, healing or safe sailing. Reading each rune upright and reversed, as the modern sections below do, is a 20th-century practice: rune-casting with a meaning for every rune and readings for reversed runes was popularised by Ralph Blum's The Book of Runes in 1982. In that system, runes whose shape is not symmetrical can be drawn upside down or mirrored (merkstave) and read with a weakened or opposite meaning.
No list of the Elder Futhark names survives from the time. The names are reconstructed from three rune poems written down centuries later: the Old English Rune Poem, which covers all 24 runes and more, and the Norwegian rune poem and the Icelandic rune poem, which cover only the 16 runes of the Younger Futhark. Some names are certain and some are educated guesses, and the pronunciations below are approximate.
Let's take a look at the Elder Futhark rune meanings, from the sources to the modern readings.
1. Fehu ᚠ (Pronunciation: Feh-hoo)
Name and sound: the "f" rune. Reconstructed name fehu, "cattle", and so movable wealth (Old Norse fé, Old English feoh).
In the rune poems: All three poems read it as wealth. The Old English poem says wealth is a comfort to everyone, but each man must share it freely if he wants glory before the Lord. The Norwegian poem says wealth causes strife among kinsmen, and the Icelandic poem calls it the strife of kinsmen, the fire of the sea and the path of the serpent, poetic names for gold.
Modern reading: prosperity, happiness and financial gain, a sign of hope and abundance. Reversed, it is read as disappointment, a wrong decision or some personal failure.
2. Uruz ᚢ (Pronunciation: Oo-rooze)
Name and sound: the "u" rune. Reconstructed name ūruz, "aurochs", the wild ox of Europe, now extinct. That name rests on the Old English poem.
In the rune poems: The Old English poem describes the aurochs as fierce and great-horned, a bold moor-stepper that fights with its horns. In the two Norse poems the name is úr and means something else: the Norwegian poem says slag comes from bad iron, and the Icelandic poem calls it the weeping of the clouds and the herdsman's hatred, in other words drizzle.
Modern reading: physical, spiritual and emotional strength, health, indomitable power like that of a wild ox, courage in overcoming obstacles, and unexpected change for the better. Reversed, it is read as weakness, misdirected force, brutality and violence against others.
3. Thurisaz ᚦ (Pronunciation: Thoo-ree-sahz)
Name and sound: the "þ" rune, pronounced like "th" in "thin". Reconstructed name þurisaz, "giant" (Old Norse þurs). The Old English poem calls it þorn, "thorn".
In the rune poems: The Old English poem says the thorn is very sharp, painful to grasp and cruel to anyone who lies among thorns. The Norwegian poem says the giant causes sickness in women, and the Icelandic poem calls him the torment of women and a dweller among the cliffs. Modern books often tie this rune to the god Thor; no rune poem does.
Modern reading: caution, protection and a warning of possible ambush. Reversed, it is read as danger, malice, betrayal and helplessness.
4. Ansuz ᚨ (Pronunciation: Ahn-sooze)
Name and sound: the "a" rune. Reconstructed name ansuz, "a god", one of the Æsir (Old Norse áss, spelled óss in the poems).
In the rune poems: The Icelandic poem calls óss the ancient Gautr, prince of Ásgarðr and lord of Valhalla, that is, Odin. The Norwegian poem reads óss as a river mouth, the way of most journeys, and the Old English ōs is the source of all speech, a support of wisdom and a comfort to wise men.
Modern reading: good communication, prophecy, wisdom, and signs that lead you to the right decision. Reversed, it is read as misunderstanding, delusion or deception, which some modern readers credit to Odin.
5. Raidho ᚱ (Pronunciation: Rye-though)
Name and sound: the "r" rune. Reconstructed name raidō, "riding, journey" (Old Norse reið, Old English rād).
In the rune poems: The Old English poem jokes that riding seems easy to every warrior sitting in the hall, and very hard work for the one on a strong horse covering the long miles. The Norwegian poem says riding is worst for horses and that Reginn forged the best sword; the Icelandic poem calls it the joy of the rider, a swift journey and the toil of the horse.
Modern reading: physical and spiritual travel, change, adaptability and seeing the bigger picture; some readers add meeting old friends again. Reversed, it is read as stagnation and delay, and as a call to reconsider your behaviour and learn from your mistakes.
6. Kenaz ᚲ (Pronunciation: Ken-ahz)
Name and sound: the "k" rune. Its Elder Futhark name is uncertain: it is reconstructed either as kenaz, "torch", from the Old English cēn, or as kaunan, "sore, ulcer", from the Norse kaun.
In the rune poems: The Old English poem says the torch is known to every living being by its fire, pale and bright, burning where nobles rest indoors. The Norwegian poem says an ulcer is the curse of children, and the Icelandic poem calls it a bane of children and a house of rotting flesh.
Modern reading: a torch, fire and beacon: light that drives out darkness, creativity, and personal progress and development. Reversed, it is read as instability and a lack of inspiration.
7. Gebo ᚷ (Pronunciation: Geh-boh)
Name and sound: the "g" rune. Reconstructed name gebō, "gift". Only the Old English poem has a stanza for it, because the rune dropped out of the Younger Futhark the Vikings used.
In the rune poems: The Old English giefu stanza says giving brings men honour and praise, support and worth, and gives help and a living to every outcast who has nothing else.
Modern reading: gifts, generosity, unity, forgiveness and self-sacrifice: a mutual bond between two people and balance in relationships, whether business, friendship or love. Shaped like an X, it looks the same either way up, so modern readings give it no reversed meaning.
8. Wunjo ᚹ (Pronunciation: Woon-yo)
Name and sound: the "w" rune. Reconstructed name wunjō, "joy" (Old English wynn). Like Gebo, it survives only in the Old English poem.
In the rune poems: Joy belongs to the one who knows little woe, pain or sorrow, and who has prosperity and bliss and plenty besides.
Modern reading: satisfaction, euphoria and joy. The reading holds that pessimistic thoughts attract negative energy and positive thoughts bring positive energy. Reversed, it is read as a bad and unhappy period coming.
9. Hagalaz ᚺ (Pronunciation: Haw-gaw-lawz)
Name and sound: the "h" rune. Reconstructed name hagalaz, "hail" (Old Norse hagall, Old English hægl).
In the rune poems: All three poems call hail a grain. The Old English poem says it is the whitest of grains, whirled from the sky and tossed by gusts of wind before it turns to water. The Norwegian poem calls hail the coldest of grains and adds that Christ created the world of old; the Icelandic poem calls it cold grain, a shower of sleet and the sickness of snakes.
Modern reading: destructive, uncontrolled forces and the wrath of nature, things that do not depend on human will, such as illness and natural disasters. Modern readings give it no reversed form.
10. Nauthiz ᚾ (Pronunciation: Now-thiz)
Name and sound: the "n" rune. Reconstructed name naudiz, "need, distress" (Old Norse nauð, Old English nīed).
In the rune poems: The Old English poem says need lies tight on the chest, yet it often turns to help and healing for those who heed it in time. The Norwegian poem says need leaves little choice and the naked man freezes in the frost; the Icelandic poem calls it the grief of the bondmaid, a hard condition and toilsome work.
Modern reading: need, hardship and stagnation: the start of troubles that block your plans. To overcome them, face your fears and make change yourself (a new job, for example). Reversed, it is read as lost freedom, poverty and hunger.
11. Isa ᛁ (Pronunciation: Ee-sah)
Name and sound: the "i" rune. Reconstructed name īsaz, "ice" (Old Norse íss, Old English īs).
In the rune poems: The Old English poem calls ice very cold and slippery, glittering clear as glass, most like jewels, a floor made by frost and fair to see. The Norwegian poem says: ice we call the broad bridge; the blind man must be led. The Icelandic poem calls it the bark of rivers, the roof of the wave and a danger to doomed men.
Modern reading: ice and winter: delay, postponement, a standstill. It is said to strengthen the runes around it. Modern readings give it no reversed form.
12. Jera ᛃ (Pronunciation: Yair-ah)
Name and sound: the "j" rune, pronounced like "y" in "year". Reconstructed name jēra, "year", in the sense of a good harvest (Old English gēr, Old Norse ár). In the Younger Futhark the name ár lost its j sound, and the rune came to stand for "a".
In the rune poems: The Old English poem says the year is the hope of men when God, the holy king of heaven, lets the earth give bright fruits to rich and poor. The Norwegian poem calls plenty a boon to men and says that Fróði was generous; the Icelandic poem calls it a boon to men, a good summer and a ripened field.
Modern reading: a good harvest, natural cycles and the reward for effort: what was sown can finally be gathered, and a peaceful, happy period begins. Modern readings give it no reversed form.
13. Eihwaz ᛇ (Pronunciation: Either Ay-wahz or Eee-wahz)
Name and sound: its sound is uncertain. It is transcribed "ï" and sometimes "æ", probably a vowel between e and i. Reconstructed name eihwaz or īwaz, "yew" (Old English ēoh).
In the rune poems: Only the Old English poem covers this rune: the yew is a tree rough on the outside, hard and firm in the earth, a keeper of fire, held up by its roots, a joy on the estate. The Norse poems end with a stanza on ýr, "yew", which the Norwegian poem calls the greenest of trees in winter and the Icelandic poem a bent bow, but there the name belongs to a different rune, the Younger Futhark R-rune (ᛦ), whose shape comes from Algiz.
Modern reading: life and death, renewal and the yew tree. It is not read as death in the literal sense, but as a sign that everything is renewed and born again. Calling the long-lived yew a "tree of life" is a modern idea. Modern readings give it no reversed form.
14. Perthro ᛈ (Pronunciation: Pear-throw)
Name and sound: the "p" rune. Its name is unknown. It is usually reconstructed as perth- from the Old English peorð, a word found nowhere else. The p sound was rare in early Germanic, and so is this rune in inscriptions.
In the rune poems: Only the Old English poem: peorð is always play and laughter for the proud, where warriors sit together cheerfully in the beer hall. That points to a game, and guesses run from a gaming piece to a dice cup; the popular idea of a cup for casting lots is a modern guess.
Modern reading: a secret, a mystery and hidden things waiting to be discovered. It suggests following the signs that come your way and relying on intuition. Reversed, it is read as an unwanted secret coming to light.
15. Algiz ᛉ (Pronunciation: Al-geez)
Name and sound: the "z" rune, a sound that later became the Norse R. Its name is uncertain: it is usually reconstructed as algiz, "elk", from the Old English eolhx, "elk-sedge".
In the rune poems: The Old English poem's eolhsecg is a marsh grass that grows in water and wounds grimly, staining with blood anyone who tries to grab it. The Norse poems have no stanza for it under this name.
Modern reading: instinct, and protection of your home or sanctuary against various threats. Reversed, it is read as a warning or some hidden danger.
16. Sowilo ᛊ (Pronunciation: So-wee-loh)
Name and sound: the "s" rune. Reconstructed name sōwilō, "sun" (Old Norse sól, Old English sigel).
In the rune poems: The Old English poem says the sun is always a hope to seafarers when they cross the fishes' bath, until the sea-steed brings them to land. The Norwegian poem calls the sun the light of the lands and bows to the holy judgement; the Icelandic poem calls it the shield of the clouds, a shining ray and the destroyer of ice.
Modern reading: health, sunlight, vitality and good energy, the strength to reach your goals and positive changes in life. Modern readings give it no reversed form.
17. Tiwaz ᛏ (Pronunciation: Tee-wahz)
Name and sound: the "t" rune. Reconstructed name tīwaz, the god Týr (Old Norse Týr, Old English Tīw).
In the rune poems: The Norwegian poem calls Týr the one-handed among the Æsir, and the Icelandic poem calls him the one-handed god, the leavings of the wolf and the prince of temples, recalling how the wolf Fenrir bit off his hand. The Old English tīr is a sign that keeps faith with princes and always holds its course through the mists of night, which suggests a star.
Modern reading: victory, courage and the warrior, from the rune's spear-like shape, and a willingness to sacrifice for greater goals. Reversed, it is read as a lack of motivation and a fear of failure.
18. Berkana ᛒ (Pronunciation: Bear-kah-nah)
Name and sound: the "b" rune. Reconstructed name berkanan, often written Berkano or Berkana, "birch" (Old Norse bjarkan, Old English beorc).
In the rune poems: The Norwegian poem says the birch has the greenest leaves of any shrub and adds a line about Loki's deceit; the Icelandic poem calls it a leafy twig, a little tree and fresh young wood. The Old English poem says the beorc bears no fruit, yet puts out shoots without seed, its branches beautiful, high-crowned and laden with leaves; some scholars think the poet meant the poplar.
Modern reading: birth, new beginnings, family and loved ones, and the life cycle. The birch as one of the first trees to turn green in spring is read as a hint of birth (sometimes pregnancy). Reversed, it is read as stagnation and slower progress toward your goals.
19. Ehwaz ᛖ (Pronunciation: Eh-wahz)
Name and sound: the "e" rune. Reconstructed name ehwaz, "horse" (Old English eoh, related to Latin equus). Only the Old English poem has it.
In the rune poems: The horse is a joy to princes in front of warriors, proud on its hooves, when rich men on horseback talk about it, and always a comfort to the restless.
Modern reading: partnership, loyalty, teamwork, progress and movement. Reversed, it need not be negative: it can simply mean a need for change, such as a change of lifestyle.
20. Mannaz ᛗ (Pronunciation: Mahn-awz)
Name and sound: the "m" rune. Reconstructed name mannaz, "man, human being" (Old Norse maðr, Old English mann).
In the rune poems: The Old English poem says a man in his joy is dear to his kinsman, yet each must fail the other, because the Lord will give the poor flesh back to the earth. The Norwegian poem calls man an increase of the dust and adds that the hawk's grip is great; the Icelandic poem calls man the delight of man, an increase of the earth and the adorner of ships.
Modern reading: humanity and self-awareness: the mind, reason, traditions and customs, and what all people share despite their differences. Reversed, it is read as a low period and a need to withdraw from other people.
21. Laguz ᛚ (Pronunciation: Lah-gooze)
Name and sound: the "l" rune. Reconstructed name laguz, "water, lake" (Old Norse lögr, Old English lagu).
In the rune poems: The Old English poem says the sea seems endless to men who must venture out on a tossing ship, when the waves terrify them and the sea-steed will not heed its bridle. The Norwegian poem calls it the water that falls from the mountain as a waterfall; the Icelandic poem calls it welling water, a wide kettle and the land of the fish.
Modern reading: water currents, intuition and cleansing, and a call to follow your instincts. Reversed, it is read as a stalemate and a lack of creativity.
22. Ingwaz ᛜ (Pronunciation: Ing-wahz)
Name and sound: the "ŋ" rune, the "ng" sound in "sing". Reconstructed name ingwaz, after Ing, a god or hero (Old English Ing). Only the Old English poem has it.
In the rune poems: Ing was first seen among the East Danes, until he later went back over the waves, his wagon running after him; so the Heardingas named the hero. He is often linked with Yngvi-Freyr, the Norse god of fertility.
Modern reading: fertility, happiness, inner growth and good timing, the energy needed to finish a business, creative or other undertaking. Modern books also tie it to male sexuality. Modern readings give it no reversed form.
23. Dagaz ᛞ (Pronunciation: Dah-gaz)
Name and sound: the "d" rune. Reconstructed name dagaz, "day" (Old English dæg). The oldest full rows disagree on the last two runes: the Kylver Stone ends with Dagaz and then Othala, the Vadstena bracteate with Othala and then Dagaz.
In the rune poems: Only the Old English poem: day is the Lord's messenger, dear to men, the Creator's glorious light, a joy and a hope to rich and poor, useful to all.
Modern reading: called the "rune of dawn" in modern books: hope, coming out of darkness, radical change and self-transformation. With a strong will, the reading says, even darkness can be turned into light. Modern readings give it no reversed form.
24. Othala ᛟ (Pronunciation: Oh-tha-lah)
Name and sound: the "o" rune. Reconstructed name ōþila, also written Othala or Othila, "inherited land, ancestral estate" (Old English ēþel). Only the Old English poem has it.
In the rune poems: An estate is very dear to every man, if there in his house he may enjoy what is right and proper in steady prosperity.
Modern reading: ancestral heritage and spiritual power, the bond with ancestors and family support in life's decisions. Reversed, it is read as strained family relationships.
Let Us Wrap Up our Story About Elder Futhark Rune Meanings
Dear fellow Vikings, we have reached the end of our story about the Elder Futhark Runes meaning. As mentioned earlier, this is quite a complex topic that we have tried to explain as simply as possible.
We hope that you now have a clearer picture of what each Elder Futhark rune meant in the rune poems and how it is read today, upright and reversed. Remember that the Vikings themselves wrote with the 16-rune Younger Futhark, on memorial stones, tools, jewellery and sticks of wood.
We have a large range of Rune themed jewelry and symbolic rune themed clothing in our store.
Anyway, may the All-father protect you until our next meeting,
Skål!
Elder Futhark Runes FAQ
What is the Elder Futhark?
The Elder Futhark is the oldest runic alphabet, 24 runes used from roughly 150 to 800 AD by Germanic peoples, including the ancestors of the Norse. Its name comes from the sounds of its first six runes, f, u, th, a, r and k: Fehu, Uruz, Thurisaz, Ansuz, Raidho and Kenaz. By the Viking Age, Scandinavians wrote with the 16-rune Younger Futhark instead.
How many runes are in the Elder Futhark?
Twenty-four, arranged in three rows of eight called ættir, a split already marked on gold bracteates from Sweden made around the 6th century. Later Icelandic tradition named the three groups of the 16-rune Younger Futhark Freyr's, Hagall's and Týr's ætt, and the names are now used for these rows too; assigning each row to gods such as Freyr and Freyja, Heimdall and Tyr is a modern custom.
Where do the Elder Futhark rune meanings come from?
Each rune had a name that was an ordinary word, such as Fehu, "cattle" or wealth, Hagalaz, "hail", and Tiwaz, the god Týr. No list of the Elder Futhark names survives from the time; they are reconstructed from three medieval rune poems, the Old English, the Norwegian and the Icelandic. The upright and reversed meanings used in rune readings today come from modern divination.
What does it mean when a rune is reversed?
In modern rune divination, a rune drawn upside down or mirrored (merkstave) is read with a weakened or opposite meaning. This is a 20th-century practice, popularised by Ralph Blum's The Book of Runes in 1982; no Viking Age source describes reversed readings. Runes that look the same either way up, such as Gebo, Hagalaz, Isa, Jera, Eihwaz, Sowilo, Ingwaz and Dagaz, are given no reversed form.
What were runes used for?
They were letters for writing several Germanic languages: names, memorials, makers' and owners' marks and messages, carved on stone, wood, bone and metal. Some inscriptions and Eddic poems also use runes as charms, for victory, healing or safe sailing. The idea that each rune stands for a cosmic force is modern.
How do I write my name in Elder Futhark?
Use our free rune translator to convert any name or word into Elder Futhark runes, then copy the result or download a card.
Explore each rune in depth. All 24 guides, in Elder Futhark order, grouped into the three ættir:
Freyr's ætt: Fehu, Uruz, Thurisaz, Ansuz, Raido, Kenaz, Gebo, Wunjo.
Hagall's ætt: Hagalaz, Nauthiz, Isa, Jera, Eihwaz, Perthro, Algiz, Sowilo.
Týr's ætt: Tiwaz, Berkano, Ehwaz, Mannaz, Laguz, Ingwaz, Othala, Dagaz.
See also the full Viking runes guide, or write your name in runes with our free translator.