A seminar organiser found herself in a surprising situation when she almost reprimanded a participant for using a nickname, only to realise that the participant's real name was, in fact, Baby Girl.
Nina Othman, the founder of the social enterprise Borneo Cocoa, shared the incident on Facebook after holding a leadership seminar for entrepreneurs.
During the seminar, she emphasised the importance of using real names on social media for a professional image and advised against using nicknames. However, during the ice-breaking session, Nina discovered a participant who had listed her name as 'Baby.'
Photo via MyMetro
Apologising for her assumption, Nina recounted the incident on Facebook, expressing her guilt for almost questioning the participant. The post gained viral attention, and Baby Girl Ariffin, the participant with the unique name, shared that it wasn't the first time people were surprised by her name.
Despite initial scepticism, Baby Girl explained that 'Baby Girl' was indeed her real name, as stated on her identification card.
The 37-year-old from Tuaran, Sabah, revealed that her aunt had given her the name, as her aunt couldn't decide on a name at the time and chose 'Baby Girl' instead.
Baby Girl, who has five siblings, is the only one with a distinct name. Contrary to expectations, she has never faced bullying for her unique name. She shared that people are usually surprised upon first meeting her but inquire politely to confirm.
Comfortable with her name, Baby Girl has never considered changing it at the National Registration Department. She sees her name as endearing and emphasises that it doesn't carry any negative connotations.
Her husband and family members affectionately refer to her as 'Baby,' reflecting the positive associations she has with her name. Baby Girl encourages understanding and kindness, urging people not to judge others before getting to know them.
