TUARAN: "Baby Girl is my real name."
It seems that for this 37-year-old Tuaran native, every introduction with a stranger requires that opening line.
The story of Baby Girl Ariffin, who earns a living by selling breakfast meals, gained attention after Facebook user, Nina Othman, shared it on the platform.
"Many people I meet don't believe me. They think it's a nickname when, in fact, it's my real name on my identity card," Baby Girl said.
Baby Girl, who lives in Taman Telipok Ria, Tuaran, Sabah, said that her name was not given by her mother or father but by her aunt.
"I once asked my aunt why she gave me that name. She answered that she (aunt) didn't know what to name me at the time... so she chose the name 'Baby Girl'.
"I have five siblings; I am the third child, but only my name is different from the others," she said when contacted by Metro Ahad.
Baby Girl said that she has never experienced being ridiculed because of her name.
However, she admits that many people were surprised after she introduced herself with the name.
"I've never been ridiculed; only those who have just met me will be surprised and would ask again to be sure.
"That situation usually happens after I write or tell my name for registration purposes, such as at hospitals and for official affairs.
"Maybe they think it's a nickname, but they believe it after I show them my identity card as proof," she said.
Baby Girl said she is comfortable with her name and has never thought of going to the National Registration Department (NRD) to apply for a name change.
"I'm okay because Baby Girl is a good name and doesn't mean anything bad. My husband doesn't have any problem with it and calls me 'Baby'.
"My nephews or those who are younger than me will call me 'Aunty Baby' or 'Kakak Baby'," she said, adding that she did not expect her story to go viral after nearly four decades of using that name.