Runo

An appealing Finnish name, with a touch of literary magic and whimsy, Runo means "poem" in its native language. Traditionally said with a slightly rolled R and a softer 'oh' sound at the end (more like in on that in open), it comes from the Proto-Norse and Proto-Germanic, where it means "secret, literature, letter", in turn relating it to rune.

Nearly 90 boys were called Runo in a Finland in a recent year, with a further 70 receiving it as a middle name.

Pronounced ROO-noh.