KUALA LUMPUR: A programme organiser from Sabah was left astounded after learning one of her participant's actual names– Baby Girl Ariffin– during a leadership programme.
The programme organiser, Nina Othman, founder of Borneo Cocoa recently shared on Facebook an incident from a recent entrepreneurship programme she organised, where she asked participants to use their real names on Facebook and WhatsApp to showcase their professional image as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.
However, she was shocked upon learning that one of her participants introduced herself as "Baby Girl Ariffin" and said she was even more surprised when the participant showed her identification card as proof.
"I instructed them not to use any nicknames or usernames such as 'Sweet Girl' or other names similar to it and everyone agreed to use part of their actual names, provided that it was not a nickname.
Baby Girl Binti Ariffin pic.twitter.com/lgu8SXUWzh
— Self-sufficient MinMin (@aymeemin) January 7, 2024
"However during the ice-breaking session, I realised that there was a participant with the name 'Baby' and questioned the participant.
"She then told me that Baby Girl Ariffin was indeed her name," she said in the post.
Nina also apologised to the participant following doubts about the latter's actual name.
Nina's post has since garnered widespread attention on both Facebook and Twitter with almost one million views.
Following her post, netizens have also expressed a mix of amusement and bewilderment at the unusual name.
While many stated that unusual or distinctive names are frequently found in Sabah, some recommended that parents refrain from giving their children eccentric names, highlighting the risk of possible bullying and developing resentment towards the given name.
