Younger Futhark: Rune Names and Rune Meanings

At the end of the 8th century an unknown rune-master reformed the Elder Futhark having reduced it to 16 runes. By the 10th century the new form of writing was accepted in the whole of Scandinavia. This variant of runic alphabet is known as the Younger Futhark. It is this set of runes that may be properly called Viking runes, since they were used by the Scandinavians during the Viking Age:

The spoken language of that period underwent serious changes. For instance, the number of vowels grew from 5 to 9. If the Agnlo-Saxon Futhorc multiplied the original Common Germanic runes to adapt them for the Old English, the Scandinavian solution was to reduce their number. The most of the runes could now designate a variety of sounds. The earliest Younger Futhark inscriptions were found in Denmark, that’s why they are sometimes called Danish runes (these are ‘normal’ Younger Futhark runes, see the first row above). However, very soon another variant of the Younger Futhark developed. These runes are sometimes called Norwegian-Swedish or Rök runes (see the second row above). Because of the obvious differences between the two, their more common respective names are long-branch and short-twig runes. The trend towards minimalism triumphed in another variant of the Younger Futhark, so called staveless or Hålsinge runes, which were used only in a restricted area (see the third row above).
Normal and short-twig runes were often mixed in inscriptions, which led to appearance of other regional variants. Later inscriptions were carved using so called Medieval runes. Basically, it is the same Younger Futhark with only a few changes, since propagation of the roman alphabet led to the addition of new runes that corresponded to letters, which had no counterparts in the 16-rune system (note that the nasalized /ã/ sound changed into /o/ and the corresponding rune now designated /o/, accordingly). Below, for the sake of convenience, the Medieval runes are arranged in ABC order:

The rune-names of the Younger Futhark are given below, each with a verse from the Icelandic Rune Poem (15th century) that explains their meanings. The translation is by B. Dickins (published in 1915).

fé, ‘wealth’ source of discord among kinsmen and fire of the sea and path of the serpent.	úr, ‘shower’ lamentation of the clouds and ruin of the hay-harvest and abomination of the shepherd.
þurs, ‘giant’ torture of women and cliff-dweller and husband of a giantess.	ą́ss, ‘god’ aged Gautr and prince of Ásgarðr and lord of Vallhalla.
reið, ‘riding’ joy of the horsemen and speedy journey and toil of the steed.	kaun, ‘ulcer’ disease fatal to children and painful spot and abode of mortification.
hagall, ‘hail’ cold grain and shower of sleet and sickness of serpents.	nauð, ‘constraint’ grief of the bond-maid and state of oppression and toilsome work.
iss, ‘ice’ bark of rivers and roof of the wave and destruction of the doomed.	ár, ‘plenty’ boon to men and good summer and thriving crops.
sól, ‘sun’ shield of the clouds and shining ray and destroyer of ice.	týr, ‘Týr’ god with one hand and leavings of the wolf and prince of temples.
bjarkan, ‘birch’ leafy twig and little tree and fresh young shrub.	maðr, ‘man’ delight of man and augmentation of the earth and adorner of ships.
lögr, ‘water’ eddying stream and broad geysir and land of the fish.	ýr, ‘yew’ bent bow and brittle iron and giant of the arrow.

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