The Rune Converter transforms Roman alphabet, as used in modern English, into five systems of Germanic runic writing: Elder Futhark, Anglo-Saxon runes, Long Branch Younger Futhark, Short Twig Younger Futhark and staveless runes (note that it does not translate the words themselves, it only converts letters into runes). A possibility to choose between these allows to establish a connection with a certain bloodline, tradition or historical period: for instance, if one wishes to emphasize the Viking connection, why use the Elder Futhark, if Vikings did not use it? One should choose between one of the Younger Futhark options instead.
Note that the present converter works with modern English only. Letters with Old Norse (or any other) diacritics will not be converted into runes.
Got Old Norse Word or Phrase to Convert Into Runes?
Here is the guide that will help: How to Write in Old Norse With Futhark Runes. Convert Old Norse texts manually, the choice of runes depends on grammar.
What Types of Runes Are Supported?
- Elder Futhark is the most ancient Germanic runic alphabet that was in use from the 2nd to 8th centuries by all Germanic tribes. This system of runic writing has a very peculiar and complex inner structure.
- Anglo-Saxon Futhorc.
- Long Branch variant of the Younger Futhark, also known as Danish runes, is the normal or standard representation of the Younger Futhark, which began to develop at the end of the 8th century and was accepted by the 10th century in the whole of Scandinavia.
- Short Twig variant of the Younger Futhark is also known as Rök runes. It was used in Norway and Sweden along with the Long Branch variant that was more characteristic for Denmark.
- Staveless or Hälsinge runes were used only in a restricted area and may be a good example of minimalism. They also may be interpreted as a secret writing system.
What To Write With Runes?
Perhaps the most obvious idea is to write with runes one’s own name. For more creative solutions and complex phrases one may find helpful to read about the magic runes or runic love quotes. Note that Scandinavians had a tradition to write with runes various Latin sentences.
Before You Ask a Question in the Comments Section Below
Make sure you checked the following articles:
How to Write in Norse Runes
How to Write A Name in Runes for a Tattoo
How to Translate into Runes Correctly
How to Write an Authentic Runic Inscription
Should I Write in Runes Phonetically?
Please do not post requests to translate anything into Old Norse. This page is about how to convert letters into runes, not about how to translate from English into ancient languages.
Waiver of Liability
Keep in mind that computer generated texts should be used with caution for any permanent use like tattoos or engravings. This tool is provided “as is”, without warranty of any kind.
Hi, i’m working on an extensive Viking/Norse tattoo, and it will include runes. My question regards the first letter of the word, another website I converted any word into runes at does not include the first rune. An example would be Muninn, it lists it as “Uruz, Nauthiz, Isa, Nauthiz” leaving out the M. I was wondering if that is correct or why they would say to leave out the first letter? Also would the runes translate better if the word was written in Norwegion or Icelandic rather than English?
Thanks.
Hi Craig. I think the problem with the converter on the other web site that you mentioned may be explained by the fact that it did not work with the capital letters. If you typed in “Munin” try “munin” instead. The rune converter on this site works fine both with the upper-case and lower-case letters. As for your other question, the result depends on the algorithm that stands behind the converter. Mine works with modern English only. If you incert letters with Old Norse diacritics, they won’t be converted into runes. I am working on a new algo that would work with Scandinavian graphics as well.
Thanks for the reply! Just to be sure, what should my kids’ names look like if done in the Younger Futhark? Thanks
Names
Bergen
Kamryn
Hi Brad. Find an image with your kids’ names in long branch Younger Futhark runes attached to an email that I’ve just sent. We do not know how Viking runemasters would carve these names, but this variant seems to be in line with the genuine tradition.
Hello, I was thinking of getting my two Kids’ names tattooed in Viking runes on my forearms. I was wondering which is the closest to true Runes that the Vikings used. I read to go with one of the Younger Furthark but I just want to be sure. Their names are Bergen (Boy) and Kamryn (Girl)
Hi Brad. The Viking Age began on June 8, 793 (Lindisfarne). Runic inscriptions dating to the 7th and 8th centuries are not numerous (all of them were found in Norway and Sweden). They are still in the Elder Futhark, but the use of several runes was changed, new forms were slowly introduced. The radical reform in the result of which the Younger Futhark emerged, happened at the end of the 8th century in Denmark. By the 10th century the Younger Futhark was accepted throughout Scandinavia, when it replaced all transitional forms. With this in mind we may say that people whom we call Vikings rather used Younger Futhark.
I’ve been looking for runic sequences for Thor’s hammer (Mjolnir or variant spellings). Clearly, I would expect the actual sequences used to be known but have not had luck in finding such. I lean toward the pronounciation rendered as myoel nir (oe ligature representing the German Holle or konnen sound). Assistance would be appreciated.
Hi Snorri. This is a very good question. I am not aware of any extant runic inscriptions containing the word. In Old Norse texts it is spelled either mjǫllnir or mjǫlnir. They sell lots of pendants that try to feature it in the Elder Futhark runes (here is an example: Thors Hammer Pendant
) through the sequence *mannaz-*jera-*oþila-*laguz-*naudiz-*isa-*raido or something similar. It is a mistake. The word mjǫlnir is an Old Norse word. Old Norse developed around the 8th century. It was so different as compared to its older form, Proto-Norse, that Scandinavians had to reform their writing system, adopting the Younger Futhark. By the 9th century the Elder Futhark was not in use any more.
If we were to write the word designating Thor’s hammer in the Elder Futhark runes, we would have to reconstruct it in Proto-Norse. If we agree with what Pokorny states in his Indogermanisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, and ON mjǫlnir is indeed akin to Russian молния, ‘lightning’ (<*mьldnьji), then in Proto-Germanic (Common Germanic) we would reconstruct it as *melð[u]nii̯az. In Proto-Norse the final z would have changed to -R (*algiz, not *raido rune). However, there are other possible etymologies and reconstructions. Therefore I would simply use the Younger Futhark to write this word in runes. One would have the following sequence: maðr-iss-óss-lögr-nauð-iss-ýr (note that the final rune should not be reið, see above).
Hi, I’m looking to possibly get a tattoo of my name in runes, but I’m not sure which alphabet to use. My name is Jared Compton.
I have very distant Saxon heritage, from around and before the time the Saxons invaded Wessex. What runes were used at that time and were they used by the Saxons?
Hi Jared. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle states that Wessex was founded by a Saxon leader named Cerdic who landed in Hampshire in 495 with his son Cynric in three ships, and became the first king of Wessex about 519. The use of runes seems to be very rare in early Saxon Wessex. As for some inscriptions there is disagreement whether they belong to the Anglo-Saxon or Continental type. In general the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc was in use from the 5th through the 9th centuries. As early as about the time the Saxons came to Wessex, those who remained on the Continent might well use the Elder Futhark, whereas those in Wessex and the Isle of Wight probably preferred the variant that is known to us as the Anglo-Saxon runes. I would advise to contact a specialist in early Wessex inscriptions in order to have more specific information. I hope it helps.
There would be a sowilo rune on the end because the “S” is pronounced in mccombs, basically, pronounced mac-combs.
So we have mannaz-kauna-oþila-mannaz-berkana-sowilo for your second name. Of course this does not mean that real rune masters would carve it the same way at the time when the Elder Futhark was in use. They would take the sound of name as a basis. Moreover, they would change the name in a way that would be more familiar for an ancient Germanic ear (basically the same names were not pronounced the same way in various ancient Germanic languages, cf. viking names in the Anglo-Saxon sources). But the variant that we just have worked out together certainly pays homage to the ancient runic tradition.
I’ll be getting a tattoo soon, and am interested in my name (SETH) in Elder Futhark, a little bit Viking-esque, it would be only three runes long, right?
sowilo-ehwaz-burisaz
Because there’s a TH sound, and the e is short.
Correct me if I’m wrong, I’d like to make sure I get it right! And which sowilo is “correct” the one like a capital E or the stylized angular S? Thanks!
Hi Seth. Yes, the sequence sowilo-ehwaz-þurisaz for your first name is correct (where þ=th, not to be confounded with b). The variants for the sowilo rune depend on area and time, and all are “correct,” if used in original runic inscriptions (“correct” I understand as “historic” here, since there were no strict orthography or any other strict rules for individual signs or words). As for your second name, as far as I understand, in its English form it has a sound that is not written but pronounced (Mc = Mac), and a sound that is written, but not pronounced (b in Comb). Please correct me if I am wrong. So I’d rather write it in runes the same way as it is written in English, since phonetic transcription presents too many complications. Double c in McComb should probably be written with a single rune for k, kauna. So we get mannaz-kauna-oþila-mannaz-berkana.
I’m thinking about getting Huginn and Muninn tattooed on my back, with their names written in Norse runes below them, but I’m having a preposterous amount of difficulty finding any examples of their names written in runes. Do you know anywhere I could find them?
Hi Mike. If you would like to have them in the Younger Futhark runes (which would be more correct, since their historic use is closer to the period when the ravens of Odin became a characteristic feature of the Scandinavian mythology) the sequence for Huginn would be: hagall-úr-kaun-iss-nauð, and for Muninn: maðr-úr-nauð-iss-nauð. Then you may want to type in both names in the form Hugin and Munin into the converter and check whether you got the same result. If you have any difficulties, let me know.
I entered my name into another converter on a diffrent website and the two bolts at the start and end of my last name appear in a diffrent direction than on this site.
Is there a diffrent meaning with the bolts backwards and how do I know which is correct.
Dan
Hi Dan. I think this post on the Elder Futhark inner structure would be a good answer. Opposite direction of certain signs as compared to the main direction of an inscription is a very common thing (this does not affect meaning). Researchers do not have an unshakeable agreement as for the correct direction of all the runic signs. Actually, there are no correct variants, there are those which occur more often and those which occur less often. However, if one follows the link above and studies the two most ancient sequential listings of Elder Futhark runes, the main tendences should become clear.
I was hoping to have my daughter’s name, Isadora (Ih-Za-Doh-Ra), converted into Saxon runes, but am having trouble with the phonetics.
Any advice?
Hi Tedd. Anglo-Saxons did not use a special rune for the sound z. So the second rune in the name Isadora would be the one that corresponds to the Roman letter s (just like in the modern English orthography). All the other sounds have corresponding runes in the Anglo-Saxon system. You have just to type in the name and press the convert button. You’ll get the correct variant.