The self-employed native of Paroi here said his late mother, Mazni Abdul Hamid, had named him Aidil Fitri as a token of gratitude for his birth on the first day of Syawal in 1983 at Tuanku Jaafar Hospital here.

“My name represents something that brings joy to people,” said the 42-year-old, fondly known as Aidil. “Whenever someone hears my name, they immediately think of celebration, happiness and togetherness, so I should be proud of it.

“Of course, when I was in school, I used to feel shy because my name was associated with the festive season. But over time, I got used to it. Even now, my friends still tease me, saying I celebrate Aidilfitri every day,” he shared with a laugh.

His three children now face a similar situation, as their father’s unique name often becomes a source of playful teasing among their friends.

Still, Aidil does not see this as a bad thing: instead, he views it as an opportunity to teach his children to embrace and be proud of the names they have been given.

Recalling the story of his birth, Aidil said his late mother had told him she’d felt labour pains after performing Aidilfitri prayers on 1 Syawal. Aidil, the third of seven siblings, was born at 5pm that day.

“At the time, my late father, Zainal Abidin Abdullah Zaid, wanted to add ‘Mohd’ at the beginning of my name, while my late grandmother suggested ‘Syawal’.

“After some discussion, they finally decided on Aidil Fitri,” he concluded with a smile.