Rune: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#1,789

among boys · ↑144 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

119

named Rune · +17% vs 2024

How common

1 in 18,979

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2025

119 babies

All-time total

861

#6,366 all-time among boys

First recorded

2001

in Social Security records

Rune popularity over time

861 babies have been named Rune since 2001, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1970s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1980s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1990s	–	–	–	–	–	–
2000s	–	129	129	13	–	#4,239
2010s	39	216	255	26	+98%	#3,159
2020s (to 2025)	109	368	477	80	+212%	#1,789

Where Rune is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	104	0.06	outside top 500
2027	118	0.07	outside top 500
2028	131	0.08	outside top 500
2029	144	0.08	outside top 500
2030	155	0.09	outside top 500

The story of Rune

Rune is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,789 in 2025 with 90 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 2001, 861 American babies have been named Rune, about 83% boys and 17% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 119 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Rune stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Rune?

The median living Rune is about 5 years old; half are between 1 and 11. An estimated 900 people named Rune are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Rune year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	29	#4,734	90	#1,789
2024	20	#6,119	82	#1,933
2023	19	#6,365	62	#2,288
2022	17	#6,938	65	#2,235
2021	9	#10,997	35	#3,350
2020	15	#7,505	34	#3,331
2019	9	#11,218	29	#3,783
2018	8	#12,288	37	#3,159
2017	–	–	25	#4,209
2016	–	–	19	#5,099
2015	7	#14,227	22	#4,521
2014	5	#18,704	20	#4,829
2013	5	#18,773	17	#5,352
2012	–	–	18	#5,206
2011	5	#19,020	12	#6,923
2010	–	–	17	#5,426
2009	–	–	16	#5,759
2008	–	–	10	#8,182
2007	–	–	7	#10,671
2006	–	–	17	#5,264
2005	–	–	15	#5,525
2004	–	–	21	#4,239
2003	–	–	18	#4,578
2002	–	–	17	#4,667
2001	–	–	8	#8,163
2000	–	–	–	–
1995	–	–	–	–
1990	–	–	–	–
1985	–	–	–	–
1980	–	–	–	–
1975	–	–	–	–
1970	–	–	–	–
1965	–	–	–	–
1960	–	–	–	–
1955	–	–	–	–
1950	–	–	–	–
1945	–	–	–	–
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Rune

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Rune Bratseth Norwegian footballer (born 1961) Contemporary
2 Rune Velta Norwegian ski jumper b. 1989 · Contemporary
3 Rune Larsson Topics referred to by the same term 1924–2016 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Rune, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Rune?

The median living Rune is about 5 years old. Half of all living Runes are between 1 and 11 years old.

How many people named Rune are alive today?

An estimated 900 people named Rune are alive in the United States, based on 861 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Rune mean?

Rune is a unisex given name in English speaking nations as well as Thailand, though it is predominantly masculine in Europe.

How popular is the name Rune in 2025?

Rune ranked #1,789 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 90 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Rune?

861 babies have been named Rune in the United States since 2001, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Rune most popular?

Rune peaked in 2025, when 119 newborns received the name.

Is Rune a boy or girl name?

Rune is used for both: about 17% of babies named Rune have been girls and 83% boys.

Is the name Rune rising or falling?

Rune is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Rune become more popular?

Rune is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 155 boys named Rune in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Rune?

Well-known people named Rune include Rune Bratseth (soccer player), Rune Velta (skier), Rune Larsson (athlete).

Names like Rune

Names that sound and feel close to Rune: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Rune with similar names → More names starting with R →