S'pore expat comes up with quirky & hilarious baby names inspired by Lion City

One of a kind.

Aug. 2, 2022

S'pore expat comes up with quirky & hilarious baby names inspired by Lion City

If you've ever been an expecting parent, you're probably more than familiar with the excitement that comes with figuring out names for your child(ren).

While we can safely say that most people take a lot of time in deciding what their future child will be called, some people like to go the extra mile and make their names extremely unique – like Singapore-based expatriate (and expecting mother) Monica Millington, who shared her ideas for Lion City-inspired baby names on TikTok.

On the baby-name hunt.

Millington, an American based in Singapore (and also a contestant in last year's The Apprentice: One Championship Edition) doesn't know whether her unborn child is a girl or boy. Either way, she's come up with a few interesting names for them, all inspired by foods and places that can be found in Singapore.

Of course, as Southeast Asians, it might seem weird to name your kid after some of the things that Millington came up with. But watching the video will make you realize that some names can be made special, regardless of their origin.

@monicamillington Let me know ur pick in the comments #babynameideas #singaporetiktok #sglife #tiktoksg #singlish #babynames #pregnancytok #newmomlife #expatsg #expatlife #singaporelife #americanabroad #multiculturalkid #multiculturalfamily ? original sound - Monica from The Apprentice

First up is 'Kaya', named after the delicious spread made of coconut milk, sugar, and eggs.

"I can already see it. Kaya Millington? Like, it really, really works," Millington says. "And it's just delicious."

Well, she has a point. It does have a nice ring to it, to be honest. And yes, kaya is very delicious.

Up next, also a baby girl's name, is 'Laksa'. Of course, this dish doesn't need any introduction. But as someone's name, 'Laksa' might be a little too out there for most people. But like 'Kaya', Millington has a perfectly good justification for this name as well.

"I think 'Laksa' is, like, very foxy, very mysterious, very chique. This girl would be like a bad bitch."

Confident and empowered. We like that.

And then there's 'Marina', inspired by Marina Bay Sands. At first glance, the iconic buildings are definitely an architectural marvel, or as Millington says it aptly in just three words – nautical, relevant, and chique.

"It is a little bit pretentious, just like me. Or so I'm told in all of my TikTok comments," Millington quips. "Marina's definitely the upper-crust of society."

The last girl's name on her list is 'Clementi', named after the residential area in western Singapore, with Millington making comparisons to "the British 'Clementine'" but more sassy and local.

First up on the boys' list is 'Fullerton', inspired by the Fullerton Hotels chain in Singapore.

"Fullerton Millington? I mean, this guy is already the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of some bank somewhere," says Millington. "He exclusively wears Ralph Lauren, hangs out at Robertson Quay on the weekend with the guys, and he definitely has a Golden Retriever."

And then for a "little Texan-Singaporean hybrid" as Millington calls it – 'Boon', inspired by Boon Lay MRT Station.

"I feel like that's just a really Texan name. Super, super country," Millington reveals, also sharing that her brother has a dog named 'Boon'. "But I think it's a strong man's name."

Last, but not least, is 'Sian' – like the Singlish word that denotes boredom and exhaustion. Except, instead of being pronounced 'See-anne', Millington is opting for 'Sean'. It's only the spelling that stays Singlish. However, she did say the Singlish pronunciation would be nice as a girl's name.

'Kaya' seems to be the crowd favorite.

Looking at the comments section of the video, it's clear as day that the most popular baby name idea is 'Kaya', with multiple people sharing their approval of that choice.