Man fights 17-year battle over single letter in Norwegian place name

An 89-year-old Norwegian man has spent 17 years disputing the official spelling of his local place name, arguing that an extra “s” distorts its historical meaning, Dagbladet reports.

John Are Nor insists the correct spelling of the area in Tvedestrand municipality is Åstø (with one “s”), not Åsstø (with two), as approved by Norway’s Mapping Authority (Kartverket). The difference, he argues, alters the name’s origin: one version links to water (å, meaning river or stream), while the other suggests a hill (ås).

Nor’s campaign began in 2009 after noticing the double-“s” spelling on a local souvenir. He has since submitted historical documents dating to the 1600s and 1700s to support his claim, including old maps and records showing Åstø as the consistent spelling. The name also ties to his family history, he told Dagbladet.

“If they write it with two ‘s’s, it connects to ås [hill], but that’s not what it means. It comes from the river and the rapids there—so it should be å-s-t-ø,” Nor said.

Kartverket has upheld the Åsstø spelling, citing its likely derivation from a farm name (Ås) and historical variations like Aastø. The agency has forwarded the case to Norway’s Place Name Appeals Board (Klagenemnda for stedsnavnsaker), which will issue a final ruling.

Nor claims broad local support but says he will drop the fight if the decision goes against him. “I’m getting too old for this,” he admitted. If victorious, he plans to celebrate with a bottle of cognac.

The dispute highlights tensions between linguistic tradition and official standardization in Norway, where place names often carry deep cultural significance.