SUNGAI PETANI: For most Malaysians, naming a child is a painstaking process which requires great deliberation and discussion.
This, in turn, has led to a proliferation of unusual names among Malaysian babies, which in the past had included gems such as Ubat anak Nyamuk, Betik bin Kobis, and even Hairan binti Duakali
But for these parents from Sungai Petani, their ‘fruity’ choice of names for their children was done at the wish their elders.
Abi Amin Mahayadin, 40, and his wife, Nor Faridah Abd Rahim, 25, had nothing but the best of intentions when they named their children after local fruits.
Their six-year-old son is named Muhammad Dhury Yan (inspired by the durian) while their daughter, who is one year and five months, is named Nur Rambutt'an (after the rambutan).
Abi Amin said the names came from his grandfather, who had very much wanted to be given the opportunity to name his great grandchildren.
“My grandfather wanted to name his great grandchildren. Out of respect, we went along with his wishes. We were made to understand that the names have their own special meanings,” he said.
He said, contrary to belief, the had no connection to his grandfather’s favourite fruits.
“We believe there are hidden meanings to the names as they are spelt differently from the fruits,” he said.
Abi Amin said they didn’t mind that their children have fruit-inspired names.
In fact, the couple are still waiting for a name for their latest child, whom they welcomed last month.
Meanwhile, Abi Amin said since pictures of their children’s MyKid cards have gone viral, they have been subjected to criticism.
“We were shocked when we learnt that the pictures were being shared on WhatsApp and Facebook.
“We’re not angry with those who shared the pictures. However, we are disappointed by the comments by some people, which have offended our family.
“We hope the public would not judge us and instead, respect our wishes,” he said.