Thoughts on Swedish names Vidar and Rune

[mammaragnhild]

I'm Swedish, hubby is English. Would love to call our son the Swedish name Vidar (pronounced Vee-dahr) but as he will probably grow up in the UK I want a name that works well among English speakers. What do you think of the name? What does it bring to mind? Also have you heard it before?

We're also talking about Rune which I really like but I'm worried it's a bit too larpy, like we wanted him to sound like a Vikings character...

I love both of them but particularly Vidar.

Not heard of either but I think they work. I prefer Rune, just personal preference I don't really like names beginning with V I find them harsh. Do you pronounce it to rhyme with tune? I like it.

@diddlediddle Yes, you would. In Swedish it's really pronounced Rune-eh but I think we'd stick with Rune as in tune because people will say it that way when they read it anyway haha and it sounds good! + works really well with our surname

Tbh I'd just go with names you like rather than worrying too much about English speakers.

My aunt is Danish and of my four cousins two have names that work in both countries and two have very Scandinavian names. Hasn't held any of them back.

FWIW I love both your names, especially Rune with the proper pronunciation.

I really dislike Rune. If you’re not even going to pronounce it correctly, what’s the point? It has quite an unpleasant sound.

I've not heard of Vidar before but my first thought was that it was an Indian name - probably because of the V. I would probably go for more Swedish iyswim - Lars, Anders, Axel, and I love Gunnar!

Rune would be very Glastonbury/Totnes in the U.K. I’d assume you were v new age.

I like Rune. Never heard of it but really think its handsome! Not a fan of Vidar honestly- it does sound harsh. Could be a nice middle name though!

I like Rune pronounced the Swedish way.

I like Rune. Prefer it with the correct pronunciation. Vidar is nice too but if I'm honest my first thought was (Darth) Vader which would put me off slightly...

I've been watching Ragnarok on Netflix so Vidar makes me think of an evil giant

Rune in nice but as pp says there might be an assumption that you're a "hippy" / LARPy type family given the English meaning.

I think they’re both nice, and don’t think that they pose any problems to native English speakers.

What does larpy mean?

Rune would make me think of rune stones. So that's not good

Vidar sounds like a cleaning product. Vileda make mops. Sorry

Yy wouldn’t attempt to anglicise Rune.
If pronunciation is an issue how about other Swedish options- Elias, Axel, Ebbe, Christian (and variants)

Love them both. Rune is Gaelic as well as Norse.

Rune is a Swedish old man's name to me and I wouldn't like the English pronunciation of Rune.

Axel or Fredrik or Magnus?

@glitterbiscuits Live Action Role Play i.e. dressing up as elves and pretend fighting with bows & arrows and swords (at least that's how I'm interpreting it..)

I don't think Rune is Gaelic; it's Norse, as the OP says.

If I had any Swedish connection I'd have called DS Viggo. Love that name

LARPy; live action role play. I had to look it up.

I think both are nice but not sure I would use either in the UK. The mispronunciation would irritate me, especially of Rune. I think they re nicer Swedish names.

I like Rune pronounced the Swedish way.

I have a friend named Rune. He pronounces it as it should be pronounced and that is not to rhyme with tune!!! Why would you think English speakers have difficulty with this name and if they don’t know, they will once they hear how it is pronounced surely?

I like Rune.. but then it does make me think of Rooney.

Thanks everyone! I don't think Rune with the proper pronunciation is difficult for English speakers to say once they know it but I do think they will just say Rune as in tune if they read it and have to be corrected. I've grown up with an unusual name for Sweden and internationally so have sworn many times to give my child a normal name after being fed up with teaching every single person I meet how to say it. Yet now I sit here with these unusual names that I love hahah!

I do think that for any name, what people think of it changes according to what kind of person it belongs to once they meet them.

Vidar is great. Very 'strong' sounding. Really like it.

Rune sounds (in English) a bit wet and drippy. I'd expect some wishy-washy vegan parents to turn up to parent's evenings with tie-dye and dreadlocks!