Why this baby’s ‘strange’ name is causing ripples online
The name Malaya is slowly becoming common for babies. On a popular Facebook page “Babies are beautiful” where photos of children are shared, the name Malaya is slowly getting common.
A screen shot of a baby named Malaya was shared in a Kenyan women Facebook group where many wondered if the parents knew the Swahili meaning.
Well, in Swahili the name means prostitute but what many might not know is that the name also has a Filipino meaning of free.
Malaya, according to Babycentre.com, is a feminine name meaning free.
In Kenya though, giving your baby girl that name would be setting her up for ridicule all her life.
The name is often used when people are being abusive in Kiswahili.
