In old Icelandic, calling someone a “raum” or “raumr” was a way of mixing an insult in with your compliment (or vice-versa). That’s because if someone was a “raum”, they were both exceptionally large, and exceptionally ugly. According to legend (specifically, the Saga of Thorstein, Viking’s Son), this usage is derived from the characteristics of the descendants of King Raum the Old. For example, “King Alf was married to Bryngerd a daughter of king Raum of Raum’s ric; she was a large woman but she was not beautiful because her father king Raum was ugly-looking.” In general, people named or called raum were generally exceedingly terrifying troll-like human — strong in arms, but weak in social niceties.
– A few thoughts from your friend Saxo