Given name & surname · also Old Norse
Runa
“of the secret lore”·“a secret”
Runa is a feminine form of Rune. One interpretation is “a secret.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Scandinavian use, Runa carries the interpretation “of the secret lore.” Runa is a feminine form of Rune. One interpretation is “a secret.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Old Norse.
How it developed
Runa is used as a feminine counterpart of Rune.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 2000. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Runa is a feminine form of Rune. The history of Rune gives this family its wider story. Rune was in use during the 20th century.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Runa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 624
- 0 boys · 624 girls
- Most popular year
- 2020
- 70 babies
- 2025
- 62
- #2,771 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +33%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 62 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,771 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 33.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California and Oregon shared the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (5 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 669 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Runa’s family of names
Runa is a feminine form of Rune. Runa has a related form in Roona. In Swedish usage, Runa has a masculine form in Rune.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Runa
- Runa ImaiJapanese swimmerborn 2000
- Runa FørdeNorwegian illustrator and painter (1933-2017)
- Runa AkiyamaJapanese voice actress (1954–2014)
- Runa NatsuiJapanese actressborn 1995
- Runa ToyodaJapanese gravure idolborn 2002
- Runa Sandvikprivacy and security researcherborn 1988
- Runa NarumiJapanese voice actressborn 1995
- Runa KonomiJapanese association football playerborn 2000
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Runa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Revna
“raven”
>99% girls
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“fierce”
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Danely
“a man from Denmark”
>99% girls
Katla
“kettle; helmet”
>99% girls
Signy
“a newly victorious woman”
>99% girls