A former Apple employee, originally named Sam Sung, has opted for a name change to steer clear of becoming a recurring joke on the internet.

Sam Sung gained online fame in 2012 when a photo of his business card from his job at an Apple store surfaced online, capturing widespread attention.

Now 36, he has adopted the name Sam Struan. He initially worked for Apple in Glasgow, his hometown, before relocating to Canada.

The viral moment came when a customer he assisted at a Vancouver store noticed his name coincided with that of Apple’s competitor, setting off a wave of online amusement.

Mr. Struan decided to change his name to avoid the notoriety, believing it might negatively impact his career opportunities after his tenure at Apple.

Currently thriving as a recruitment consultant, he selected the surname Struan, inspired by a Scottish village bearing the same name.

He said: ‘I left Apple in 2013. I was ready to move on from retail and start a new career in recruitment.

‘I hadn’t considered adopting a new name before I went viral, but that moment changed everything. 

Sam Sung changed his surname to Struan after to avoid being the butt of internet jokes 

The Scot went viral after a photo of his Apple business card was posted online

‘It’s not like being known for doing great work or being a philanthropist; it was just an online joke.

‘Also, Samsung has its own brand. I was early in my career, trying to establish myself, and from a social media and email perspective, all the handles were taken.’

The Scot explained an online presence and professional brand matter in recruitment adding it ‘made sense to adopt a new name’.

He continued: ‘I had already moved on from working at Apple and begun a new job search. I wanted to put this behind me.

‘After some consideration, I chose to adopt the last name Struan because it’s the name of one of my favourite places in Scotland – a village on the Isle of Skye.

‘No one really recognises me, and that’s exactly how I want it. But sometimes, if it comes up in conversation that I worked at Apple, the moment arrives, and they’ll be like, “Oh my god, are you that guy”.

‘The reality is that I adopted a new name because I didn’t want my name to be a joke, which it had already been.’

Mr Struan claimed there were studies which show your name can influence the number of job opportunities and the likelihood of receiving interviews.

Although he does not have a ‘before-and-after data’ to prove his case, he says his new name boosted his career options.

He said he was left ‘terrified’ by his sudden internet fame and feared for his future employment prospects but now wishes he had been more relaxed about it.

The 36-year-old said he’ll never forget the moment he went viral while working in the Apple store in Vancouver 

Speaking to Business Insider, he added: ‘Growing up, I received a few silly comments or playground chants about my name, Sam Sung, but nothing like what happened in my early 20s.

‘During that time, I worked at an Apple store in Glasgow. There were friendly jokes about Sam Sung working for Apple, but it wasn’t a big deal. Then I moved to Vancouver and started working at an Apple retail store there.

‘I’ll never forget the moment I went viral. I was working at my other part-time job, and my phone started ringing like crazy. 

‘I thought a family member had died. I peeked and saw a text from someone saying I’d gone viral on Reddit, and they sent me a link.

‘People came in and called asking if Sam Sung worked at the store, and I just pretended it wasn’t me. 

‘I have a Scottish accent, and assumptions about what I would sound like based on my appearance meant that they didn’t recognise me on the phone.

‘It only lasted a few months, and then the commotion died down, but I was so scared, and I just wanted to keep my head down and stay employed.

‘I wish I’d just chilled out a bit about it and been less worried about job security and potential work opportunities, and enjoyed it for what it was.’