Ansuz (rune)
 |
The a-rune ᚨ, Younger Futhark ᚬ was probably named after the Æsir, in Proto-Germanic *Ansuz.
The shape of the rune is likely from Neo-Etruscan a (
), like Latin A ultimately from Phoenician Aleph.
Its name survives only in the Icelandic rune poem as Óss, however, referring to Odin, identified with Jupiter:
- ᚬÓss er algingautr
- ok ásgarðs jöfurr,
- ok valhallar vísi.
- Jupiter oddviti.
- Óss is aged Gautr
- and prince of Ásgardr
- and lord of Vallhalla.
- chief Jupiter
The Norwegian rune poem, óss has a meaning of "estuary" while in the Anglo-Saxon one, futhorc Os ᚩ has the Latin meaning of "mouth". The Younger Futhark rune is transliterated as ą to distinguish it from the new Ár rune (ᛅ), which continues the Jēran rune after loss of prevocalic *j- in Proto-Norse *jár (Old Saxon jār).
Since the name of 
a is attested in the Gothic alphabet as ahsa, the common Germanic name of the rune may thus either have been *ansuz "god", or *ahsam "ear (of corn)".
A variant of the rune is Futhorc Æsc ᚫ "ash". The Latin ligature Æ in Old English was called Æsc after the rune. Another variant is Ac "oak" ᚪ.