According to the U.S. baby name data, usage of the name Colton rose significantly in the late 1980s:
- 1990: 2,235 baby boys named Colton [rank: 139th]
- 1989: 1,925 baby boys named Colton [rank: 157th]
- 1988: 880 baby boys named Colton [rank: 268th]
- 1987: 324 baby boys named Colton [rank: 494th]
- 1986: 236 baby boys named Colton [rank: 577th]
Why?
My guess is a character from the soap opera General Hospital (which has been airing on ABC since the 1960s, impressively).
Colton Shore — a “tall, blond, All-American ex-Marine with an air of spirituality” — first appeared on the series in February of 1988. The character was played by actor Scott Thompson Baker, who won Soap Opera Digest‘s award for “Outstanding Male Newcomer” in early 1989.
During the three years he was on General Hospital, Colton held several different jobs. Initially, he hosted an inspirational TV program called The Colton Connection. After that, he worked at a marine repair shop, then as a helicopter pilot. Eventually he purchased the local health club, which he renamed Body Heat.
He also had several romantic partners, starting with widow Felicia Jones. (Colton and Felicia got married, but the relationship didn’t last long after the return of Felicia’s not-dead-after-all husband Frisco.) He was later linked to Arielle Ashton and Olivia Jerome before settling on Carla Greco, with whom he left town in February of 1991.
What are your thoughts on the name Colton?
Sources:
- Warner, Gary. General Hospital: The Complete Scrapbook. Santa Monica, CA: General Publishing Group, 1995.
- Colton Shore (Scott Thompson Baker) – General Hospital Wiki – Fandom
- 1989 Soap Opera Digest Award Winners
- Curlyqgrl’s General Hospital Complete Episode DVDs 1978-2025
- SSA
Image: Screenshot of General Hospital