Clarification of expected values, please

Question

Greetings,

I am asking for clarification regarding the coding of the WikiTree site vis a vis Swedish (et al.) names. I get a warning when I enter (fake) "John Jacob" "Jingelheimer-Smith" because I put two space-separated strings in the forename field. As I was taught by another G2G thread, those two given names are not "middle" names.

When asked if I want to enter an exception, I do so. I believe, based on G2G tutelage regarding Scandinavian naming conventions, and also on my (incomplete and ignorant) understanding of church/religious names, that this is the correct response.

If I don't understand the preferred WT response to "John Jacob" "Jingleheimer", please tell me so before I add a slew of my wife's ancestors. (Riksarkivet rocks, as mentioned elsewhere.)

Thank you, G2G, for your support and guidance,

Rob Lane

Comments

I have entered three forenames in the one field, because the person didn't regard any one of them as a "first" name, and was wont to use any and all of them interchangeably.  (Tracking them on records is such fun!)

The system may not like it, but that's how it was for many European nationals back in the day .. and still is.  A single first" name and anything else being a "second" name is a "western" Anglo-centric way of thinking.

Answer 1

It isn't just Sweden. The Dutch, for example, are adamant about not using the middle name field for multiple given names.

We just have to learn to ignore the warning banner and remember to be grateful that we are allowed to join the global tree.

Answer 2

I will never understand why they are so hostile if you suggest one of the names, that falls in the middle of the whole name, be called a middle name.  It is there in the middle - What is the deal?