Speaking of Erik Estrada, here’s another Erik-related pop culture name from the ’80s.
Jon-Erik Hexum was an up-and-coming actor in the early ’80s. His first role was as Phineas Bogg in the TV show Voyagers! (1982-1983), and his final role was as Mac Harper in the TV show Cover Up (1984-1985).
His career was cut short when, on the set of Cover Up in late 1984, he accidentally killed himself with one of the guns used for filming.
The compound name Jonerik debuted in the U.S. baby name data in 1983 and saw peak usage in 1985, the year after Hexum died.
- 1986: 25 baby boys named Jonerik
- 1985: 62 baby boys named Jonerik [peak]
- 1984: 25 baby boys named Jonerik
- 1983: 20 baby boys named Jonerik [debut]
- 1982: unlisted
- 1981: unlisted
The name Joneric followed a similar trajectory.
By the early 1990s, though, both names had fallen off the list entirely.
What do you think of the name Jon-Erik?
Source: SSA