Wunjo (ᚹ): meaning of the rune of joy and harmony

Who is Wunjo?

Wunjo is written ᚹ: a vertical stave topped on the right by a small triangular loop, like a flag or a leaning letter P. It is the eighth rune of the Elder Futhark, and it notes the sound w (as in “way”).

Its reconstructed name *wunjō means “joy, pleasure”. It is the rune that closes the first family of eight signs, the one that begins with Fehu.

The name of the rune and its meaning

The name *wunjō is reconstructed from Old English wynn, “joy, happiness”. It is the only attested name of this rune in the poems: Old Norse keeps no form of it, because the rune disappeared from the Younger Futhark.

A historical curiosity: in Old English, the rune wynn (written ƿ) was used as a letter in manuscripts to note the sound w, until around the 13th century, when it was replaced by the double v (“w”) we know today. So the letter “w” on our keyboards replaced an ancient rune of joy.

What the runic poems say

Note that the Anglo-Saxon poem does not define joy as an inner feeling, but through material and social conditions: being dry, fed and surrounded by others.

Inscriptions and ancient uses

The rune w appears in the Kylver Stone series (around 400), in eighth position. It then appears in inscriptions of names.

To our knowledge, there is no ancient inscription that uses it explicitly as a symbol of joy. The symbolic reading comes from the name preserved by medieval poems and from modern commentary.

Wunjo in a modern reading: upright

A reminder: rune casting is a modern practice. The readings that follow come from contemporary books.

Upright, Wunjo is associated with joy, harmony, conviviality and the feeling of belonging to a group. Many authors see in it the moment when the efforts of the previous series (wealth, strength, journey, gift) find their meaning.

In a spread, it can invite you to notice what does you good and to make yourself available to it. It does not promise that joy will come, nor that it will last: it suggests leaving room for it.

Wunjo reversed

Reversed, Wunjo is read as joy that is missing or fragile: a feeling of being out of step, isolation, disappointment, or on the contrary joy that one denies oneself. Other authors simply see in it a time to rest or to ask for help.

This is not a diagnosis. If you are going through a lasting period of sadness, talk to someone close to you or to a professional: a rune reading does not replace that conversation.

A reflection exercise with Wunjo

For one week, keep a small joy journal: each evening, write down one thing that gave you pleasure, however small (the smell of coffee, a message, a ray of sunshine).

At the end of the week, read back over your notes and look at what these moments have in common: place, people, season, activity. Choose one to repeat.

Wunjo’s place in the futhark

Wunjo is rune no. 8 of 24. It occupies place 8 in the first family (aett), sometimes called the family of Freyr. It follows Gebo and precedes Hagalaz.

Wunjo closes the first family. After it, everything changes: Hagalaz opens a darker series (hail, need, ice). Modern authors often read this passage as a deliberate contrast, but this order is that of recent centuries, not of antiquity.

To see all the runes in relation to one another, consult the rune guide and the page the Elder Futhark: history and reading of the 24 runes.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to the runes.