Page "Øresund" Paragraph 4

The oldest known name of the strait is urasuti which appears on a runestone from about 950 and it was locally known as Oresund in the 13th century.

The strait is today called Øresund in Danish and Öresund in Swedish, informally Sundet in both languages.

The prefix ør ( e ) means gravel beach and a sund is a sound or narrow seaway.