Talk:Geir H. Haarde

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I had believed that all native Icelanders had a surname that is an immediate patronymic: the new prime minister seems to have a more typically Danish (?) style of family name. Any explanation (preferably beyond "you believed wrongly")? Kevin McE 16:53, 7 June 2006 (UTC)

Many Icelanders do not have the traditional patronymic surnames, they can also inherit the family name of their parents. Geir's father was Norwegian. --Bjarki 17:11, 7 June 2006 (UTC)
It seems that most Icelanders with just Icelandic ancestors have no family names, although there is one that comes to my mind: Eldjárn (see Kristján Eldjárn) - the name sounds genuinely Icelandic, how did it happen that there is an Eldjárn family? Gestumblindi 00:32, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
Prior to 1925, it was legal to adopt new family names. Since then, one can't adopt a family name unless one has the "right" to do so. Such Icelandic family names include Eldjárn and Guðjohnsen for instance. --Bjarki 00:55, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
Not sure about Eldjárn, but note that many of the family names that Icelanders took up sound foreign because that was considered fancier and also because they took them up to use abroad. This applies eg. to Thoroddsen. Jón Thoroddsen the elder is the son of Þórður Þóroddsson. He converted the patronym of his father into a family name. Also there are a couple of cases where a last name has the appearance of a patronym but is actually a family name. An example of this is Thor Vilhjálmsson, his father was Guðmundur Vilhjálmsson. Then again, that family name didn't get passed down so the son of Thor Vilhjálmsson is Guðmundur Andri Thorsson. Stefán 19:09, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

For better information please include this in Icelandic naming conventions Bestlyriccollection

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[edit] Keir Hardie

Could he be the reincarnation of Keir Hardie, due to his similar name, or perhaps the same man, out of retirement, with a misspelling? Unforgivable Sinner 12:20, 29 June 2006 (UTC)

Hah, it has been said that the Independence Party has moved slightly to the left since Geir took over. No wonder if the chairman is a reincarnated socialist. --Bjarki 12:51, 29 June 2006 (UTC)
It's been moving towards the left? Good. Has it also moved towards Brussels? ;) —Nightstallion (?) 22:18, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
Well... while Davíð Oddsson was downright hostile towards the EU, Geir is probably more moderate and more of a pragmatist in the European matters. I think there will be an increased focus on Europe in the coming years but within the framework of the EEA. Iceland is probably going to increase its presence in Brussels and do some serious lobbying regarding its interests. The general sentiment in all parties is that the EEA is a mighty fine deal and that there is nothing to be gained by full membership that we don't already have through the EEA. I don't really expect a serious debate about the EU in Icelandic politics in the near future. --Bjarki 23:39, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
Too bad... well, we'll see what the future brings. I'm looking forward to the day when all of Europe is united in the Union. :) —Nightstallion (?) 12:11, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
I understand your European sentiment, but shouldn't each country look to its interests? If we're better off within the EEZ than the EU, where's the harm? We're just as as European in any case. :-) Cheers Io 17:41, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] numbers

Dose the Icelandic Prime Ministers have numbers like the Swedish Prime Ministers ?

[edit] Just for fun - Icelandic Prime ministers with surnames

Hannes Hafstein (the first of them all - twice)

Sigurður Eggerz (twice)

Ólafur Thors (Half-Danish - five times)

Jóhann Hafstein

Benedikt Gröndal

Gunnar Thoroddsen

Geir Haarde (Half-Norwegian)

That makes seven out of, well count for yourselves. :-)

Cheers Io 17:51, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

A similar thing is the case in Sweden. Lower class and lower middle class people typically have frozen patronymics (e.g. Persson, Olsson, Nilsson, Andersson etc) while upper middle and upper class people typically have "true" family names, often with a foreign element (e.g. Laurelius, Sandén, Kratz, Adlercreutz, Leander, Thulin etc). "True" family names with two parts with no foreign elements, preferrably taken from the nature, are also very common within both the lower and middle classes (e.g. Lindström, Ahlgren, Holmberg, Westergren etc.). Swedish prime ministers typically don't have the lower class -sson names, especially not the right wing ones. The current right wing prime minster's name is Reinfeldt, i.e. a foreign one of typical upper middle class type.
Jens Persson (213.67.64.22 21:20, 30 June 2007 (UTC))

[edit] Dutch namn

His namn looks like it is of a Dutch origin?, note the double-A. Falcon-eagle2007 23:06, 8 March 2008 (UTC)