Laguz

Laguz or Laukaz is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name for the l-rune ᛚ. Laguz means "water" or "lake," and laukaz means "leek." In the Anglo-Saxon rune poem, it is called lagu, meaning "ocean." In the Younger Futhark, the rune is called lögr in Icelandic ("waterfall") and logr in Old Norse ("water").

The corresponding Gothic letter is 𐌻 l, called lagus. The rune has the same form as the letter l in the Raetian alphabet.

The "leek" hypothesis is not supported by the rune poems, but by early inscriptions where the rune was interpreted as an abbreviation for laukaz, a fertility symbol, as seen in the Bülach brooch.

Rune Poem

Old Norwegian
ᛚ Lögr er, fællr ór fjalle foss;
en gull ero nosser.

A waterfall is a river falling from a mountain slope;
but ornaments are made of gold.

Old Icelandic
ᛚ Lögr er vellanda vatn
ok viðr ketill
ok glömmungr grund.
lacus lofðungr.

Water is swirling stream,
and broad geyser,
and land of fish.

Anglo-Saxon
ᛚ Lagu byþ leodum langsum geþuht,
gif hi sculun neþan on nacan tealtum
und hi sæyþa sƿyþe bregaþ
und se brimhengest zäumt ne gym[eð].

The ocean seems infinite to men,
when they venture on the rolling bark,
and the waves of the sea scare them,
and the steed of the deep pays no heed to its reins.