Convert English into Anglo-Saxon runes with the Anglo-Saxon translator below. It defaults to the Futhorc, the extended runic alphabet the Anglo-Saxons developed for Old English, and you can switch to the Elder Futhark or the Viking-Age Younger Futhark with the buttons above the box.
The Anglo-Saxon Futhorc is the natural choice for writing English in runes, because it was built for English in the first place. Where the older Elder Futhark had 24 runes, the Anglo-Saxons added new ones until the Futhorc reached as many as 33, giving it runes for sounds the original alphabet could not spell.
Runes are transliterated by sound, not letter for letter, so this is a thoughtful adaptation rather than an exact translation. See how it works.
What Is the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc?
When Germanic tribes settled in Britain from around the 5th century CE, they brought the runes with them. As Old English developed its own sounds, especially new vowels, the runes grew to keep up. The result was the Futhorc, an expanded alphabet used across Anglo-Saxon England for inscriptions and even in manuscripts alongside Latin.
The Futhorc kept most of the Elder Futhark and added extras such as ᚪ (ac), ᚫ (aesc), ᚣ (yr), and ᛠ (ear). These give it a fuller set of vowels, which is why it suits English names better than the older runes. For how the runic alphabets relate, see our guide to the Elder Futhark, and for the system in depth, our Anglo-Saxon runes page.
How the Anglo-Saxon Translator Works
The tool transliterates by sound. It reads your text, finds the nearest Futhorc rune for each sound, and joins them together. Because the Futhorc was made for Old English, it handles a few English sounds more precisely than the Elder Futhark does:
- C takes ᚳ (cen), the Anglo-Saxon c and k sound.
- G takes ᚷ (gyfu).
- Y has its own rune, ᚣ (yr), rather than borrowing the i-rune.
- TH becomes ᚦ, and NG becomes ᛝ (ing).
- The vowel pairs EA and EO get their own runes, ᛠ and ᛇ.
Writing Old English Names and Words
The Futhorc shines with English names and Old English words. Names like Alfred, Edith, or Oswald come out with the right vowels because the alphabet has runes to spare for them. The famous poem Beowulf, for instance, opens with the ᛒ, ᛇ, ᚹ sequence that the Futhorc spells cleanly. As always, the translator follows sound rather than spelling, so read your name aloud and trust your ear. Our rune alphabet page covers the method in more detail.
Anglo-Saxon Runes FAQ
What is the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc?
The Futhorc is the runic alphabet used in Anglo-Saxon England, roughly the 5th to 11th centuries CE. It grew out of the older Elder Futhark, expanding from 24 runes to as many as 33 to capture the sounds of Old English. It was carved on objects and stones and also appeared in some manuscripts.
How is the Futhorc different from the Elder Futhark?
The Futhorc is the Elder Futhark extended for English. It keeps most of the original 24 runes and adds new ones, especially vowels like ᚪ (ac), ᚫ (aesc), ᚣ (yr), and ᛠ (ear). This gives it a richer set of sounds, which makes it a better fit for writing English names and words in runes.
How do I write my name in Anglo-Saxon runes?
Type your name into the translator above and it converts it to the Futhorc instantly, ready to copy. The tool works by sound, so it matches how your name is pronounced to the nearest Anglo-Saxon runes, including the extra vowels the Futhorc provides.
Which alphabet should I choose?
Use the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc if you are writing English names or Old English words, since it was designed for those sounds. Switch to the Elder Futhark for the classic Norse look, or the Younger Futhark for authentic Viking-Age runes. The buttons above the box let you compare all three.