The curious compound name Tiffaniamber has appeared in the U.S. baby name data a total of four times, all during the 1990s:
- 1998: unlisted
- 1997: 9 baby girls named Tiffaniamber
- 1996: unlisted
- 1995: 7 baby girls named Tiffaniamber
- 1994: 6 baby girls named Tiffaniamber
- 1993: 6 baby girls named Tiffaniamber [debut]
- 1992: unlisted
- 1991: unlisted
Why?
Because of ’90s teen idol Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, who had starring roles on two different TV shows during the 1990s.
First, the actress played popular cheerleader Kelly Kapowski on the Saturday morning sitcom Saved by the Bell (1989–1993).
Second, she played manipulative Valerie Malone on the teen drama Beverly Hills, 90210. She joined the cast in 1994 (following the sudden departure of actress Shannen Doherty) and remained on the show until 1998.
Tiffani-Amber Thiessen was born in California in 1974. According to one source, her “filigreed first name” was created because “her parents liked Tiffani; her grandparents liked Amber.”
Saved by the Bell producer Peter Engel noted that the Los Angeles Times “made fun of Tiffani-Amber Thiessen’s name” in a negative review of the show’s very first episode.
In 2000, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen decided to drop the hyphen and shorten her professional name to Tiffani Thiessen. (Incidentally, her Saved by the Bell co-star Mark-Paul Gosselaar retains his hyphen to this day.)
What are your thoughts on the name Tiffani-Amber?
Sources:
- Tiffani Thiessen – Wikipedia
- Weisholtz, Drew. “How ‘Saved by the Bell’ defied the odds to conquer Saturday mornings.” Today.com 8 Jul. 2019.
- Meisler, Andy. “‘90210’ newcomer moving into Shannen Doherty’s room.” Gainesville Sun 7 Sept. 1994: 2D.
- SSA
Image: Screenshot of Saved by the Bell
I like her — she is very winsome — but I have always hated her name. It’s so cutesy and 80s (even if she was born in the 70s). I don’t like Tiffany or Amber, and Tiffani is even worse.
I pretty much agree with Sharky on this. While I don’t strongly dislike either Tiffany or Amber, they are not names I like either, and together as a hyphenated first name or as a dual name used as first name, they are just too much. And I definitely dislike both Tiffani and Tiffaniamber.
As for the actress, I do think losing the Amber probably helped her transition to more mature/serious options in her acting career.
And I’m of the opinion that losing the Tiffani and just becoming Amber Thiessen would have gotten my vote. Well, different strokes for different folks…