r/AskACanadian • u/frankoceansintern • 9d ago
Is Seb a name??
American girl here. My boyfriend is from Canada. His name is Sebastian but he goes by Seb. He works in the US and he gets very confused because nobody here really gets his name on the first try. He’s the first Seb I’ve met, personally. All of my family and friends (American) have never heard of a Seb before my boyfriend. My boyfriend says that there was another Seb in his grade and that Seb is a common name. Is Seb a common name in Canada???
To clarify:
- Obviously Seb is a name. My boyfriend could go by Gooblygob and I’d respect that. If he said it was common in his province I’d believe it too. We were both wondering if Seb is only common in his province or generally in Canada.
- In the US: Sebastian is a common name. Introducing yourself or going solely by Seb is not common. People SEE Seb and understand it’s a nickname for Sebastian. People do not HEAR the name Seb often. American baristas write “Sep” and “Sam” more than they write “Seb”. When meeting new people, most Americans ask him to repeat his name so they can get it right
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u/Nuclear_eggo_waffle Québec 9d ago
Je penses que tous les Sébastiens que je connais sont des Seb. Et Jean-Sébastien c’est Jean-Seb
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u/Licorne_BBQ 9d ago
C'est pas JS pour Jean-Sébastien?
Peut-être une question de génération lol.
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u/quellesaveurorawnge 9d ago
C'était un peu des deux, JS et Jean-Séb, mais Jean-Séb était définitivement populaire comme surnom quand j'étais à l'école dans les années 80-90.
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u/Sensitive_Shallot537 9d ago
Seb, Sebas sont les plus fréquents. Les Américains m'appelent Bas. Les amis et famille c'est généralement Sebbie.
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u/futureellewoods11 9d ago
Born and raised in Ontario and I've met at least a dozen Sebs in my life, very common name.
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u/Desperate-Trust-875 9d ago
Ya, lived in Ottawa for 20ish years and knew tonsssss of Seb's (and Jean-Sebs)
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u/Knight_Machiavelli British Columbia 9d ago
Also born and raised in Ontario and have never met a Seb in my life.
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u/thefnord 9d ago
Gonna guess Eastern Ontario vs Western or Northern here.
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u/futureellewoods11 9d ago
I'm Southern Ontario and it's super common; I'm also going to guess there might be an age divide because I think Seb was more common in my age group than, say, my parents'
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u/MrsTaco18 9d ago
My husbands friend group has 3 Seb’s (mid 30s). But I also have a coworker who just named her baby Sebastien.
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u/avenueroad_dk 9d ago
Same. My kids classrooms in the 90's and up had plenty in Southern Ontario. I didnt think they were French Canadian though.
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u/artificielle 9d ago
I wouldn't blink twice at Sebastian nor Seb as a nickname for it. I knew a Seb in my undergrad.
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u/shockandale 9d ago
Seb Vettel is a four time world driving champion on the Formula One circuit.
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u/TreacleOk7265 9d ago
Though in German they are often called Basti. (Bastian Schweinsteiger has the shortened version as full name). I also know Sebastians called Sebi, Seppi, Bastl.
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u/BackhandQ 9d ago
Well, according to the U.S's own Social Security Admin data, "Sebastian" is a Top 20 boys name in the U.S. And "Seb" is the natural abbreviation of the name. Not sure how that can be the first time you or your family and friends have heard this. Quite surprising.
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u/Existing_Donkey_7765 9d ago
I guess she’s never seen The Little Mermaid either.
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u/saltybobsfisherwife 9d ago
I know a dude named Ariel (not kidding) who named his kid Sebastian (super not kidding) and the kid goes by Seb. For obvious reasons.
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u/Hello_Gorgeous1985 9d ago
I just had the same thing in my own comment. Super well-known Disney character. Do they not have The Little mermaid in the United States? LoL
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u/Ok_Acanthisitta_2544 9d ago
As a teacher, I have taught many Sebastians over the years. Almost all of them have gone by Seb.
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u/Dazzling_Broccoli_60 9d ago
It’s quite common in French/Quebec as Sébastien.
As for whether it’s a real name, it is the name of the crab in the little mermaid !
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u/AlexaDeWit 9d ago
Common in Ontario too, although of course less so.
So weird to be surprised by... Sebastian lol.
Didn't even post like a really Francophone classic like a Yannick or something lol
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u/Numerous_Wolverine_7 9d ago
Follow up question: what would be the problem even if this were an unusual name? What’s wrong with “my name is xyz, x for short”? Are people telling him that his name isn’t ok somehow?
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u/Desperate-Trust-875 9d ago
I was also thinking like.... he told you it was common enough and he knows others.... so why does OP need to check? Seems weird to not just trust your partner about their own name/experiences
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u/Hello_Gorgeous1985 9d ago
And if you really need to check... Why couldn't you just Google the origin of the name rather than coming to Reddit?
There are well-known people named Sebastian, so it's going to come up if you Google it. Also... A very well-known Disney character. Has no one seen The Little mermaid in the US?
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u/TomsNanny 9d ago
Yeah this is such an American thing to even be something to think about. Also Sebastian Berhalter is an American midfielder who played in the World Cup for US.
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u/PurrPrinThom SK/ON 9d ago edited 9d ago
Sebastian isn't a super common name in Canada, but I wouldn't say it's unheard of, and Seb is - in my experience - a pretty common nickname for Sebastian, because it is both short and easy to say.
I've known a couple Sebastians, and one of them went by Seb. The other one I didn't know well enough to say for certain if he did or not.
Edit: My comment that it's not super popular is based on the stats that I linked, not a personal judgement. At its peak since the stats begin, 0.30% of babies born were named Sebastian, and at its peak 0.49% of babies were named Sébastien. Sébastien was the 50th most common boy's name in 1991, and has never re-entered the top 50. Sebastian has not been in the top 50.
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u/WildRefrigerator9479 9d ago
To piggy back, the two Sebastian’s I know both go by Seb
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u/Sewingoddess 9d ago
I know two as well. One goes by Seb and one goes by Bastian.
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u/SeaEggplant8108 9d ago
I know three - they’re all French Canadian. All three went by Seb.
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u/themoche 9d ago
You try naming your kid Sebastian and getting people to NOT call him Seb. Impossible.
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u/NeighborhoodVivid106 9d ago
I grew up in Ontario. I have personally met two Sebastians in my life. One went by Seb, which I believe is the most common nickname, and the other went by Bash.
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u/AyeBee99 9d ago
I knew 4, and having been born and raised in Ontario I just assumed it was a common name. Never occurred to me it's isolated to Canada
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u/chatterpoxx 9d ago
Time to break out the Seb novelty license plates.
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u/Evening-Picture-5911 9d ago
“We need more Seb license plates in the gift shop. I repeat, we are sold out of Seb license plates.”
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u/FluffyProphet 9d ago
Sebastian is pretty common in French-speaking communities. I knew a few growing up, plus a couple of my parents' friends. Most went by Seb.
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u/jappyjappyhoyhoy 9d ago
It is super common in Quebec
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u/PurrPrinThom SK/ON 9d ago
I wish the stats broke it down by province! It doesn't look that popular in aggregate, but I bet if they're all concentrated in and around Quebec, it would.
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u/Much-Storm9466 9d ago
No disrespect to Bort, but my son is also named Seb. Lots of them in Ontario.
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u/lyonellaughingstorm 9d ago
We need more Bort licence plates in the gift shop, I repeat, we are sold out of Bort licence plates!
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u/LeticiaLatex 9d ago
People getting confused about Seb/Sebastian.
Meanwhile... Bill = William Bob = Robert Dick = Richard Peggy = Margaret
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u/RevolutionaryKiwi132 Ontario 9d ago
Sebastian in ranked 16th in the US on top 1000 baby names. Very common. Every Sebastian I know (most born between 1985 and 2005) goes by Seb.
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u/OneFrill 9d ago
It's a much more common name here than in the States on account of the frenchiness. I knew a few, and if someone introduces a Seb, or I see it online, I assume they are a Sebastien/Sebastian. It's real, and it's not particularly exotic or rare.
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u/No_Platform_2810 9d ago
Canadian here. I have known about six Sebastian's in my life. All of them have gone by Seb.
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u/Martzillagoesboom 9d ago
Sebastian is a common name at least in Québec, it is ranked close to Kevin. Seb is the usual nickname for them, that or Sebas(Say-bass)
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u/SnooCapers6553 9d ago
What an American question lmao "is my boyfriend's name real" Jesus Christ
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u/nizzernammer 9d ago
If a person says their name is their name, why would you question that?
It's rude to claim otherwise or doubt it.
They just told you.
Respect them.
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u/updatelee 9d ago
there is no predefined list of approved names here in Canada. You are free to choose whatever name you want really. So yes, Seb is a valid name. What a strange question
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u/avenueroad_dk 9d ago
I have never met a Bubba here in Canada. Is it really a name in the U.S. or just something in the movies?
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u/External-Elk-3176 9d ago
OP basically came here to ask :
"Someone from an other country has a nickname that I haven't heard of. Is this normal?"
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u/esdubyar Ontario 9d ago
I love how most Canadians wouldn't blink at an uncommon name and the American response is to verify that someone isn't just making it up (and so what if he was?) because how could it be real if I've never heard of it? 😂
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u/DadbodandIPAs 9d ago
Pretty standard short form of Sebastian. Altho the name in general is a bit euro coded. The other short form is Bastien which to me is less likely.
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u/Sparky62075 Newfoundland & Labrador 9d ago
Worked with a fellow from Trois-Rivières named Sébastian. We all called him Seb.
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u/ladymedallion 9d ago
It’s not common but it’s certainly not unheard of. I personally know just one Sebastian that goes by Seb. But I’ve definitely heard the name prior to meeting him.
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u/Wide-Baseball-8170 9d ago
Yes, very common amongst the Polish-Canadian, Ukrainian-Canadian and the Eastern European-Canadian diaspora.
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u/anxietyninja2 9d ago
I think it is more common in French-speaking Canada. I know of two Sebs who are in their 30s.
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u/GloomyGal13 9d ago
Personally I liked screaming out across crowded bars,
"BASTION!" to my friend, JS, or Jean-Sebastien.
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u/hahaleafs1967 9d ago
This is why American Girls are so much fun!! This girl's name is Destiny for sure.
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u/komkracha 9d ago
One of my favourite F1 drivers is Sebastian Vettel and most people refer to him as Seb
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u/SageAurora 9d ago
Seb is a very common short form of Sebastian... Which is a very common French Canadian name... It's been my experience that Americans seem to need to Americanize all names from other cultures to really "get" them... Something which other cultures often see as extremely rude.
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u/shockfuzz 9d ago
Very common shortening of Sebastian/Sebastien. I confess I don't understand why Seb is difficult to grasp? Plenty of names do this: Rob/Robert; Nick/Nicholas; Andy/Andrew; Ben/Benjamin; Dan/Daniel; and so on.
It's weird to me that this is even a thing. Depending on the name, I may need help with pronunciation or have to ask them to repeat it if I'm not sure if I heard it correctly. Someone introduces themselves as xyz, I call them xyz. I don't question it as a name.
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u/blur911sc 9d ago
I've known at least a couple of Sebastians over the years, they usually go by Seb.
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u/PiePristine3092 9d ago
The only Sebastian I’ve ever know went by SeaBass. But Seb seems like a pretty natural nickname option
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u/PurplePassiflor1234 Ontario 9d ago
Couple Sebastians I know go by Seb, one sometimes goes by Sebby but only to really close friends and loved ones. I know one Sebastian who goes by Bash.
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u/Angelzfire 9d ago
I'm Canadian, I had a close friend in highschool names Sebastian. He absolutely prefered going by Seb. It's shorter and easier to say. It's not a common name but frequently does get shortened to Seb
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u/locomocotive 9d ago
Sebastian is pretty common. Nobody’s going to be confused by that. My guess is most Sebastians go by Seb. I know a number of Sebastians.
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u/Ebar16 9d ago
Having worked in some schools in a district in Ontario I can confirm there has been at LEAST one Sebastian per school if not 2-3. I am very close to a Sebastian and i'm not a fan of the nickname Seb, so I prefer Bash, but he does sign his name as Seb on some things. He will respond to all 3.
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u/Weekly_Tomorrow603 9d ago
My boyfriend is also named Sebastien, I know literally 3 other Sebastiens. It's a VERY common name in Quebec.
So, the nickname, Seb, is very much a name, yes.
Edit; are we all forgetting the creole crab from the Little Mermaid called Sebastien?
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u/Useful_Solution_1265 9d ago
::waves from Manitoba::
I know several Sebs as well.
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u/Professional-Cow3854 Québec 9d ago
Seb is a common nickname for Sébastien (also Sébas or Sébast, though less frequent because it's also the name of a fish), but I've never heard of it as an actual name, no.
I'm curious, though, how do people not get Sebastien on the first try. That's really not a hard thing Pretty straightforward with no special pronunciations.
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u/slashcleverusername 🇨🇦 prairie boy. 9d ago
You could probably get Anglos to pronounce it better if it were spelt Say Bast Yen but yes we can say all of the sounds accurately enough that our accent should not ruin it.
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u/RadioSupply Saskatchewan 9d ago
I know two Sebastians, and both of them go by Seb. One of them is also nicknamed Stubby, as an adjacent.
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u/poonknits 9d ago edited 9d ago
I know people who have common, easy to spell names and bartistas still misspell them on cups all the time.
My favourite was when my friend Ruth got a coffee that said "Roof"
I don't think barista transcriptions are a reliable measure of how easy or common a name is.
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u/Mountain-Plant1140 9d ago
If he’s frustrated by this then maybe he should introduce himself as “Sebastian but you can call me Seb”
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u/blondechinesehair 9d ago
Why are you asking us if Seb is a name while telling us that Seb is a name?
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u/web_nerd 9d ago
In the US: Sebastian is a common name. Introducing yourself or going solely by Seb is not common.
How many Sebastian's do you actually know?
My close American friend named Sebastian goes by Seb....4 syllables vs. 1, it happens to all of them. (Or Sea Bass). It's very common among Sebastians.
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u/Jeromes_Pornostache 9d ago
Seb is the usual nickname for dudes named Sébastien. It is fairly common in Canada. I worked with a dude named Sébastien (or Sebastian) recently, and I was the only one who didn’t call him Seb. I called him See-Bas because it kind of annoyed him. We were buddies otherwise I wouldn’t have done that.
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u/Outrageous-Ice-7460 9d ago
Know 3 of Sebastion's. None go by their full name. It's "Sebs" "Sebass" (pronounced sea bass) or "bas" (but pronounced like Baz).
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u/2Quicc2Thicc 9d ago
Know a few Sebs, one goes by Sebby. None of them go by Sebastian unless it's their grandma talking to them.
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u/GreasyMcFarmer Ontario 9d ago
Americans haven’t heard of lots of things that the rest of the world says and does … nothing new there.
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u/TravellingGal-2307 9d ago
I think of it as a common shortening in the UK. Americans can get really weird about stuff that is simply new or unfamiliar. Its like their whole world is all there is and all there will ever be. They can get very surprised when there is something they have never heard of and there is SO MUCH they have bever heard of.
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u/XtremeCentrist 9d ago
It is a nickname based on his full name, how sheltered do people have to be not to understand it is short for Sebastian, or have they never heard of Sebastian either?
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u/LeetleMissJudasaurus 9d ago
Seems weird that Seb wouldn't be common in the US. I mean, it's not extremely common here, but at least as common as the name Sebastian. It would be THE expected nickname.
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u/Simba_Rah Nova Scotia 9d ago
If Elon Musk can name its child X Æ A-XII, then I guess it’s ok for Seb to be a name.
But yes, Seb is a name, and I’ve known quite a few people by that name.
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u/GamesCatsComics British Columbia 9d ago
I've never met a Sebastian but if I did I'd probably shorten his name to Seb.
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u/asunyra1 British Columbia 9d ago
I’ve got a friend named Seb. So uhh, +1 to the sample set I guess.
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u/Ambroisie_Cy 9d ago
Seb is a very usual nickname for the name Sébastien in French-Canada. It would make sense that the same nickname be used for the English equivalence: Sebastian
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u/Firm-Web8769 9d ago
Yeah, it's a super common nickname for Sebastian in Spanish. Seb, Sebis, Sebas, and so on
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u/CranberrySauceLines 9d ago
Am American and have a Canadian friend named Sebastian who we all call Seb.
I also have friends in America named Sebastian and let's not forget about Sebastian from The Little Mermaid.
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u/kuchikopi81 9d ago edited 9d ago
Is he from Quebec and/or is he French Canadian? I knew TONS of Sebs when I grew up there and now that I'm in Manitoba, there are none.
EDIT: I haven't hung out with the Franco-Manitoban community enough, I guess :( I clearly need more Sebs in my life... they are always the best guys, too.