Runes are considered to be the earliest written symbols of the Western European peoples and are at least 2,000 years old. There are indications, however, that runes may be significantly older. The symbols themselves consist of straight lines which are relatively easily carved onto stone, wood, or metal.
Each Rune stands for a letter and a phonetic sound and as a discrete grouping they represent an entire alphabet known as the "Futhark". Within this alphabet, or Futhark, there are three divisions known as "Aettir" consisting of eight letters each in numerical order. Therefore the first Aett will be comprised of runes 1 - 8, the second Aett will be comprised of runes 9 - 16, and the final Aett is comprised of runes 17 - 24.
The 25th rune is widely disputed among students of Runemal and rejected by some experts who consider the common Elder Futhark consisting of the first 24 runes to be self-contained and complete. Others, however, attribute great importance to the 25th or blank rune. The use of this rune is then for each individual to decide for themselves.
If you wish to return to the Midnight Moonchild Rune Page, please select the Runes icon to your left. If you wish to review more detailed information on the meanings of each individual rune, please select the Rune Image to the left of each phonetic description
The First Rune
Names - FEHU - FAIHU - FEOH - FE
Pronunciations - "fayhoo" "feeoh" "fay" or "fee"
Phonetic Value - "F"
Symbolism - The horns of cattle
Keywords - Wealth
The Second Rune
Names - URUZ - URAZ - UR - AURUZ -
Pronunciations - "oo rooz" "or ahz" "oowr" "oar ooz"
Phonetic Value - "U"
Symbolism - The Aurochs (A kind of ox)
Keywords - Strength
The Third Rune
Names - THORN - THURISAZ - THUITH - THURS
Pronunciations - "dhorn" "dhur es ahz" "dhoo ith" "dhur"
Phonetic Value - "TH" unvoiced as in "thorn" or "Thursday"
Symbolism - The Giant, or The Hammer
Keywords - Challenge
The Fourth Rune
Names - ANSUZ - OS - ASS - ANSUR
Pronunciations - "ahn sooz" "ah z" "ahn sur"
Phonetic Value - "A"
Symbolism - A windblown cloak
Keywords - Message
The Fifth Rune
Names - RAIDHO - RADH - RAD/RAED
Pronunciations - "ray tho" "rayth" "rayd"
Phonetic Value - "R"
Symbolism - The Chariot of the Sun
Keywords - Advancement
The Sixth Rune
Names - KENAZ - KEN - KAUNAZ
Pronunciations - "keen ahz" "kehn" "kawn ahz"
Phonetic Value - "K"
Symbolism - The light of a Torch
Keywords - Illumination
The Seventh Rune
Names - GYFU - GIBA - GEBO - GIFU
Pronunciations - "gee foo" "gee ba" "gee bo" "gif oo"
Phonetic Value - "G"
Symbolism - The Solar Wheel
Keywords - Exchange
The Eighth Rune
Names - WUNJO - WINJA - WYNN - VEND
Pronunciations - "Woon joe" "win jha" "win"
Phonetic Value - "W"
Symbolism - A Clan Banner or Flag
Keywords - Joy
The Ninth Rune
Names - HAGAL - HAGALAZ - HAGL - HAGALL
Pronunciations - "hag ahl" "hag ahl ahz"
Phonetic Value - "H"
Symbolism - Hail
Keywords - Shelter
The Tenth Rune
Names - NYD - NAUTHIZ - NAUTHS - NAUDH
Pronunciations - "not iz" or "need" "nod iz"
Phonetic Value - "N"
Symbolism - Signal Fire
Keywords - Necessity
The Eleventh Rune
Names - ISA - EIS - IS - ISS
Pronunciations - "ee sa" "iess"
Phonetic Value - "I"
Symbolism - Ice
Keywords - Stagnation
The Twelvth Rune
Names - JERA - JER - GER - AR
Pronunciations - "jer rah" "jer" "are"
Phonetic Value - "J" or "Y" as in yard
Symbolism - The Threshing Stave
Keywords - Completion
The Thirteenth Rune
Names - EIHWAZ - EIHWAS - EOH or EOW - IHWAR
Pronunciations - "Ay waz", "yah waz" "ee yoh" "eye war"
Phonetic Value - "E/I"
Symbolism - The Yew Tree
Keywords - Survival
The Fourteenth Rune
Names - PERTHO - PEORTH - PEORDH
Pronunciations - "per dho" "pee orhd"
Phonetic Value - "P"
Symbolism - The Dice Cup
Keywords - Fate
The Fifteenth Rune
Names - ELHAZ - ALGIZ
Pronunciations - "ahl has" "ahl gaz"
Phonetic Value - "Z"
Symbolism - The Elk
Keywords - Defense
The Sixteenth Rune
Names - SIGIL - SOWULO - SOWILO - SOL
Pronunciations - "so wu lo" "so will lo" "see gel" "sowl"
Phonetic Value - "S"
Symbolism - The Sun
Keywords - Success
The Seventeenth Rune
Names - TIWAZ - TIEWS - TIR - TYR
Pronunciations - "tee waz" "tey waz" "teer"
Phonetic Value - "T"
Symbolism - The Spear
Keywords - Justice
The Eighteenth Rune
Names - BERKANO - BAIRKAN - BEORC - BJARKAN
Pronunciations - "ber can no" "bare can" "be york" "be yark an"
Phonetic Value - "B"
Symbolism - The Breasts
Keywords - Birth
The Nineteenth Rune
Names - EHWAZ - AIHWAS - EH - IOR
Pronunciations - "ee waz" "aye waz" "ayh" "eeor"
Phonetic Value - "E"
Symbolism - The Horse
Keywords - Partnership
The Twentieth Rune
Names - MANNAZ - MANNA - MANN - MADHR
Pronunciations - "man az" "man na" "man" "ma thr"
Phonetic Value - "M"
Symbolism - The Human Being
Keywords - Mankind
The Twentyfirst Rune
Names - LAGUZ - LAGUS - LAGU - LOGR
Pronunciations - "lah gooz" "lah goos" "lah goo" "lah ghr"
Phonetic Value - "L"
Symbolism - The Water
Keywords - Intuition
The Twentysecond Rune
Names - INGWAZ - INGUZ - ING - YNGVI
Pronunciations - "ing waz" "ing ahz" "ing" "ng vee"
Phonetic Value - "NG" as in "long"
Symbolism - The Gift of the Gods
Keywords - Creativity
The Twentythird Rune
Names - OTHALA - OTHAL - ETHEL - ODAL
Pronunciations - "othahlah" "othahl" "eh thel" "odahl"
Phonetic Value - "O"
Symbolism - The Ancestral Home
Keywords - Heritage
The Twentyfourth Rune
Names - DAGAZ - DAG -DAGS - DAEG - DOGR
Pronunciations - "dahg ahz" "dahg" "dahgs" "dayg" "daghr"
Phonetic Value - "D" and voiced "th" as in "then"
Symbolism - The Dawn
Keywords - Awakening
The Twentyfifth or Blank Rune
Names - WYRD - YR
Pronunciations - "werd" "yer"
Phonetic Value - silence
Symbolism - The Roots of Yggdrasil, the tree of the world
Keywords - The Unknown