Irish and Scots Gaelic have the word "rún/rùn" (the former being Irish, the latter being Scottish) and it also means "secret" and is often used as a term of affection: "mo rùn geal, dìleas" ("my faithful, fair one").
If it was me, I wouldn't give my child the first name Rune, as it's a recognizable English word. I'd definitely consider it as a middle name, though! I really like it.
When I first came across this name, I thought it was unpleasant and too much of a fantasy name. But I love the sound of the name; from what I've seen of pronunciations, this name sounds very good. I can't see naming a child this, but it has an almost dreamy quality. Strange.
In very few of my stories, there is a mysterious character by the name of Rune. She is female, though, not male. Usually she has a confusing past that leads to her adopting her nickname as her given name--and she got the nickname Rune because of all the strange tattoos covering her back. It ties into the story nicely, as she isn't just plopped in there as a "oh, that's cool, huh?" element.
I really like Rune with either pronunciation. I do however like it better on a girl. I think there is a sort of charm behind the name that would be cute on a girl where as on a boy it's not quiet masculine enough. Great alternative for girls Rain, Rose, Renee etc.
This is an adorable name for a boy. I can also see this as a character name in a fantasy or sci-fi tale. I like how it is short and sweet, but it also strikes me as a powerful name.
Being fully aware that this is a male name pronounced "ROON-eh" in Scandinavia (and a dated one at that) I still can't help but envision this name on a female. Perhaps it's because as an English word it is pronounced "ROON" and refers to enscribed stone tablets. This pronunciation makes it similar to the names Ruth and June, which are feminine. I teeter back and forth on whether or not to use Rune for a girl. The dads in Norway would probably beat me up, lol.