My son is in high school and is going to be an exchange student in Sweden next year.
Our family background is Swedish. His first name is a typical American name, but his middle name is Swedish, and our last name is Swedish.
For example, John Sture Andersson.
Nobody calls him Sture in the US; people can’t pronounce it. But he has been asking Swedish people who he’s met (so far, as part of the exchange program process) to call him Sture.
Is that weird; if he asks people in Sweden to call him Sture, will Swedes make fun of him or think that his request is bizarre, since he is called John in the US? And is the name “Sture” a nice name?
Thanks.
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The original was posted on /r/sweden by /u/CraftAccomplished784 at 2024-03-27 13:08:14+00:00.
Joimak at 2024-03-27 13:22:02+00:00 ID:
kwsleej
Does he speak Swedish?
CraftAccomplished784 (OP) at 2024-03-27 13:25:29+00:00 ID:
kwslx2q
Lite grann
quantum-shark at 2024-03-27 13:28:18+00:00 ID:
kwsmcem
I am swedish and I have three “first” names, let’s say A B C LastName. People call me B. It’s pretty normal.
Flashy-Let2771 at 2024-03-27 13:36:04+00:00 ID:
kwsnjms
My husband is the same. His name is A B C + last name, and he goes with C + last name. He also uses it as a legal shorter name too.
Saxit at 2024-03-27 13:45:54+00:00 ID:
kwsown1
There are 12452 males with the name Sture, 3743 has it as first name.
There are 69124 males with the name John, 20677 has it as first name.
2023, 21 boys were named Sture, 102 got the name John.
But he can introduce himself anyway he wants. It’s not weird.
oskich at 2024-03-27 14:20:49+00:00 ID:
kwsuwke
I wonder how many Sture there are below the age of 50?
Saxit at 2024-03-27 14:27:43+00:00 ID:
kwsw3dl
Well I can guarantee at least 21. :D
Average seems to be 72 years old. https://www.alltomnamn.se/namn/sture
fluffigtrov93 at 2024-03-27 13:44:39+00:00 ID:
kwspd68
Why would it be bizarre? Why on earth would one have 2 names if not for doing whatever they want with them? I think it’s nice to have options, and even nicer to utilize them. I only have one name, which is Hungarian, and people are always having a hard time pronouncing it. I would be glad to have Sture as an option. 😁
Also I’m kind of curious how Americans were trying to pronounce Sture, I bet there were some really funny outcomes.
Rockyshark6 at 2024-03-27 14:12:33+00:00 ID:
kwsuaua
It’s not weird to be called by your middle name, some part of the country it’s even the norm.
However it’s pretty weird to be asked to be called something you’re not usually called.
On top of that Sture is an old man’s name and everything about this screams heritage complex, which is ironic because all Swedes thinks the American “I’m x% and y%” is cringe and no one will see him as Swedish anyhow as he’ll be first and foremost American.
What’s even the reason he wants to go by Sture?
WaySad234 at 2024-03-27 14:17:13+00:00 ID:
kwsv4x3
Is sture his actual name? I only knew one sture and he was 90 years old. However, old names are seeing a revival currently with hipster parents giving their kids names that are not so common.
karbmo at 2024-03-27 14:35:14+00:00 ID:
kwsxltr
Damn, Sture is a nice name!
Definitely coming back and getting a popularity swing as it enters another name popularity cycle like all names do. I can feel it coming, oh yeah.
bobbylaserbones at 2024-03-27 14:40:59+00:00 ID:
kwsypfa
Why would we give a rats arse about what yanks say in yankeeland? If I meet a Somali named momo I don’t go “BUT WHAT DO THEY CALL YOU IN SOMALIA???”
inkube at 2024-03-27 14:42:43+00:00 ID:
kwsz25m
In Sweden we have something called “tilltalsnamn” that translate to something like “addressing-name” and it does not have to be the first name. For example my friends don’t even know my first name. And my 2nd name is my tilltalsnamn. And that’s what I tell people is my name.
There is nothing wrong with the name Sture. Its not a super common and I think the average age of a Sture is somewhat older.
dwitchagi at 2024-03-27 14:44:43+00:00 ID:
kwszch1
My great uncle is named Sture. Names come back around I guess, but still a bit odd for a kid. I’d wear it with pride, though, as a middle name :)
doctormirabilis at 2024-03-27 14:46:19+00:00 ID:
kwszzmu
as long as he wants a correct pronounciation of “sture” and not “sturr-ee”, i’m all for it.
HariSeldon1986 at 2024-03-27 14:49:57+00:00 ID:
kwt18eu
No one would find your son’s request “bizarre”! It’s his decision what name he wants to use. I hope your son will have a great time in Sweden.
Ratathosk at 2024-03-27 14:52:09+00:00 ID:
kwt1etp
No it’s fine.
Merinther at 2024-03-27 16:42:25+00:00 ID:
kwtlbqi
Is it weird? Eh, maybe a little, but it’s no big deal. I’ve met people who used one name with their parents and another with their friends. It happens. And in most cases you wouldn’t need to tell anyone.
Is Sture a nice name? It’s a matter of opinion, of course. It’s fairly common, but mostly with the older generation. Maybe it’ll make a comeback, but it would stand out among high school students.
Also, how sure are you that he can pronounce it? Not being able to pronounce your own name might be a bit awkward. If you don’t speak Swedish at home, it seems very likely that his pronunciation would be noticeably un-Swedish. It’s easy to learn that the E isn’t silent, but getting the U and R right is hard. And a more international pronunciation of the U would make it sound like the Swedish word store, which can mean “(the) great” or “(the) large one” – maybe not something you want to go around calling yourself.
alexdiezg at 2024-03-27 15:53:29+00:00 ID:
kwtddig
Introduce with the middle name, all the time. That’ll be enough. I have a classmate who did exactly that. There won’t be a problem!