Tag: daniel

The police drama Hill Street Blues, which aired on NBC from 1981 to 1987, revolutionized the “cop show” TV genre. The series was the first of its kind to feature sequential storylines (vs. stand-alone episodes), an ensemble cast (vs. a single star), overlapping dialogue, hand-held camerawork, and more.

In fact, CNN went ahead and labelled Hill Street Blues “the most influential TV show ever.”

But it wasn’t just influential in the world of television. It also left its mark on American baby names. Hundreds of babies born in the ’80s got a Hill Street Blues-inspired baby name, such as…

Travanti

Actor Daniel J. Travanti, who played main character Capt. Frank Furillo, was nominated for the “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series” Emmy five times in a row (1981 to 1985), winning twice (in ’81 and ’82). Also in 1982, the name Travanti debuted in the baby name data:

• 1985: 14 baby boys named Travanti
• 1984: 12 baby boys named Travanti
• 1983: 8 baby boys named Travanti
• 1982: 15 baby boys named Travanti [debut]
• 1981: unlisted
• 1980: unlisted

Taurean

Actor Taurean Blacque (born Herbert Middleton), who played Det. Neal Washington, was nominated for the “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series” Emmy in 1982. (In fact, all five nominees for the award that year were HSB actors.) The name Taurean debuted in the data for both genders in 1981:

• 1985: 143 baby boys named Taurean [rank: 745th]
• 1984: 172 baby boys [rank: 659th] and 10 baby girls named Taurean
• 1983: 231 baby boys [rank: 554th] and 17 baby girls named Taurean
• 1982: 210 baby boys [rank: 593rd] and 7 baby girls named Taurean
• 1981: 91 baby boys [rank: 944th] and 6 baby girls named Taurean [dual-debut]
• 1980: unlisted

Taurean was the top boy-name debut of 1981, and the variants Taurian, Tauren, and Taureon all popped up in the data as well that year.

(And how did Herbert come up with the stage name “Taurean Blacque”? It’s “a combination of astrology and race with some fancy spelling thrown in.” He wanted a name he “could identify with and one that would stand out on a billboard.”)

Kiel

Actor Kiel Martin played Officer John “J.D.” LaRue. While the show was on the air, the baby name Kiel rose to peak usage among baby boys:

• 1985: 221 baby boys [rank: 591st] and 5 baby girls named Kiel
• 1984: 260 baby boys [rank: 534th] and 5 baby girls named Kiel
• 1983: 277 baby boys [rank: 505th] and 8 baby girls named Kiel
• 1982: 194 baby boys named Kiel [rank: 623rd]
• 1981: 68 baby boys named Kiel
• 1980: 9 baby boys named Kiel

Darylann

Actress Deborah Richter played recurring character Daryl Ann from 1982 to 1987 (but primarily during the last three years). In response, not only did the usage of the name Daryl for baby girls increase, but the name Darylann appeared for the first time:

• 1989: unlisted
• 1988: 7 baby girls named Darylann
• 1987: 5 baby girls named Darylann [debut]
• 1986: unlisted

Shirret

Actress Van Nessa L. Clarke played minor character Shirret Anders in a pair of back-to-back 1981 episodes. The same year, the baby name Shirret debuted in the data:

• 1982: unlisted
• 1981: 5 baby girls named Shirret [one-hit wonder]
• 1980: unlisted

Have you ever met someone with a Hill Street Blues-inspired baby name?

Sources:

• Hill Street Blues – IMDb
• ‘Hill Street Blues’ Created Two Eras For TV Drama: Before And After
• ‘Hill Street Blues’: The most influential TV show ever
• “People Are Talking About…” Jet 29 Mar. 1982: 53.