Boon Tat Street was originally known as Japan Street. Following the defeat of the Japanese in the Second World War, It was renamed in 1946 after local businessman and Municipal Commissioner, Ong Boon Tat (1888-1941), who runs the New World amusement park along Jalan Besar. Boon Tat's father Ong Sam Leong was also honoured with a street name, Sam Leong Road. Boon Tat Street was traditionally known in Hokkien as Mah1 Cor1 Keong3 Phi1 媽祖宮邊 , literally, "Beside the Mazu Temple," in reference to nearby Thian Hock Keng Temple.