Rune Translator

Write your name, your motto or a whole text – and see it instantly in runes. For engravings, tattoos or simply out of curiosity.

ᚱᚢᚾᛖᚾ

Your text

Elder Futhark (24) Younger Futhark (16)

In runes

Honestly explained. This is a transliteration: each Latin letter is matched to a runic sign. But this is not how people of the Viking age wrote. The Elder Futhark had 24 signs, the Younger Futhark only 16 – so in the Younger row several sounds share one sign (such as k/g or t/d). There was no "ch", "sh" or our modern alphabet. So use the result as a beautiful, fitting rendering – not as a historically "correct" inscription.

From text to engraving

Set your runes onto the workpiece with our configurator – or let us engrave them for you.

To the engraving configurator →Custom engraving To the rune lexicon

Image → recognise runes Beta

Upload a clear rune image (screenshot, digital rune text or a clean line drawing) – the tool detects the signs and returns them as runes and in Latin script.

Elder Futhark Younger Futhark

What it can – and cannot do. This recognition compares the shapes in the image with the real Futhark signs. It works well for clean, high-contrast runes in one line (digital texts, clear drawings). For photos of real, weathered runestones, intertwined bind-runes or inscriptions shot at an angle or out of focus, reliable recognition is technically impossible – there the result is only a suggestion. Choose the matching runic row before recognising.

Translate Your Name & Text into Runes

This free rune translator writes any name or text in the Elder Futhark (24 runes) or Younger Futhark (16 runes). Type your text – the transliteration appears instantly and can be copied with one click.

Honest note: runes are a script, not a secret alphabet. The mapping follows a transliteration convention – in the Younger Futhark several sounds share a single rune, so your name may look different depending on the row.

Frequently asked questions

Are these real runes?

Yes. We use the genuine signs of the Elder Futhark (24 runes, c. 150–800 AD) and the Younger Futhark (16 runes, Viking Age). The letter→rune mapping is a scholarly convention, not a “secret” alphabet.

Which runic row should I choose?

For a Viking-Age look, the Younger Futhark; for the older Germanic sound, the Elder Futhark. Both are historical – we honestly flag that modern names are always a transliteration.

Why does my name look different than expected?

The Younger Futhark has only 16 signs; several sounds share one rune (e.g. k/g), so the transliteration is shorter and differs from the Latin alphabet.

Can I have my name engraved in runes?

Yes – we engrave your name or wish text in runes on slate, wood, crystal glass and more. See our custom engraving page.