Calendar calendar = Calendar.getInstance();
Date date = calendar.getTime();
// 3 letter name form of the day
System.out.println(new SimpleDateFormat("EE", Locale.ENGLISH).format(date.getTime()));
// full name form of the day
System.out.println(new SimpleDateFormat("EEEE", Locale.ENGLISH).format(date.getTime()));
Result (for today):
Sat Saturday
UPDATE: java8
LocalDate date = LocalDate.now();
DayOfWeek dow = date.getDayOfWeek();
System.out.println("Enum = " + dow);
String dayName = dow.getDisplayName(TextStyle.FULL, Locale.ENGLISH);
System.out.println("FULL = " + dayName);
dayName = dow.getDisplayName(TextStyle.FULL_STANDALONE, Locale.ENGLISH);
System.out.println("FULL_STANDALONE = " + dayName);
dayName = dow.getDisplayName(TextStyle.NARROW, Locale.ENGLISH);
System.out.println("NARROW = " + dayName);
dayName = dow.getDisplayName(TextStyle.NARROW_STANDALONE, Locale.ENGLISH);
System.out.println("NARROW_STANDALONE = " + dayName);
dayName = dow.getDisplayName(TextStyle.SHORT, Locale.ENGLISH);
System.out.println("SHORT = " + dayName);
dayName = dow.getDisplayName(TextStyle.SHORT_STANDALONE, Locale.ENGLISH);
System.out.println("SHORT_STANDALONE = " + dayName);
Result (for today):
Enum = SATURDAY
FULL = Saturday
FULL_STANDALONE = Saturday
NARROW = S
NARROW_STANDALONE = 6
SHORT = Sat
SHORT_STANDALONE = Sat