The origin of john within the name of the dish has not been definitively proven, but may derive from British use of the first name John to address any male person, especially when that person's first name is unknown, difficult to remember or difficult to pronounce, thus a name that may have been used by British armed forces members to address native vendors in British Malaya or vice versa. Oral sources have claimed that the dish and name originated with a Malay cook who lived in Singapore during the early 1970s.
The origin of "John" within the dish's name is unclear, but it may be linked to British military practice of using "John" as a generic term for any male person, especially when their actual names were unknown or difficult to pronounce. This practice might have been used by British soldiers in Malaya to address local vendors. Oral accounts suggest that the dish and its name originated with a Malay cook who lived in Singapore during the early 1970s.