Given name & surname
Rune
“a secret”
Rune is used as a given name and a surname. One interpretation is “a secret.”
Original Old NorseRúni
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “a secret.”
How it developed
In Swedish usage, Rune is a masculine form of Runa. In Swedish usage, Rune developed from Rúni.
The story
Rune was in use during the 20th century.
Rune through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 861
- 713 boys · 148 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 119 babies
- 2025
- 119
- #1,789 for boys · #4,734 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +143%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 90 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,789 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 131.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 29 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 617 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.
Rune’s family of names
In Swedish usage, Rune is a masculine form of Runa. In Norwegian Nynorsk usage, Rune continues an earlier form in Rúni. Rune has a feminine form in Runa.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Rune
- Rune JarsteinNorwegian association football playerborn 1984
- Rune BratsethNorwegian association football playerborn 1961
- Rune LarssonSwedish hurdler (1924–2016)
- Rune DahmkeGerman handball playerborn 1993
- Rune CarlssonSwedish footballer (1909-1943)
- Rune VeltaNorwegian ski jumperborn 1989
- Rune TemteNorwegian actorborn 1965
- Rune EriksenNorwegian guitaristborn 1975
- Rune BrattsveenNorwegian biathleteborn 1984
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rune, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ryker
“a powerful ruler”
98% boys · 2% girls
Ymir
76% boys · 24% girls
Durin
>99% boys
Fenris
>99% boys
Kasen
“one who is pure; chaste” · “protected by a helmet”
>99% boys
Sutherland
“from the southern island”
>99% boys
Hakan
“one who is noble” · “a fiery man”
>99% boys
Trigg
“one who is truthful”
>99% boys