The intriguing name Toika first appeared in the U.S. baby name data in 1962:
- 1964: unlisted
- 1963: 6 baby girls named Toika
- 1962: 6 baby girls named Toika [debut]
- 1961: unlisted
- 1960: unlisted
Where did it come from?
A single-episode character on the TV show Route 66. The episode was called “One Tiger to a Hill” and aired on September 21, 1962.
In the episode, main characters Tod and Buz traveled to Astoria, Oregon, to work on a fishing boat owned by widow Anna Gustafson. While there, Tod became interested in Anna’s daughter Toika, who was already in a relationship with a moody local fisherman named Karno. Toika was played by actress Laura Devon (born Mary L. Briley).
I’m not sure where the writers got the name Toika, but they may have been inspired by the Finnish surname Toikka, or the Finnish word taika, which means “magic.”
What are your thoughts on this name?
Sources: Route 66 “One Tiger to a Hill” (TV Episode 1962) – IMDb, Laura Devon – Wikipedia