In 1981, the baby name Tierra suddenly jumped into the girls’ top 1,000:
- 1983: 289 baby girls named Tierra [rank: 609th]
- 1982: 260 baby girls named Tierra [rank: 678th]
- 1981: 344 baby girls named Tierra [rank: 542nd]
- 1980: 41 baby girls named Tierra
- 1979: 34 baby girls named Tierra
- 1978: 33 baby girls named Tierra
Similar names such as Tiera and Tiarra also got a boost that year, and others (like Teairra, Tieara, and Teirra) appeared for the very first time in the U.S. baby name data.
What was drawing attention to the name Tierra in the early 1980s?
The eight-member Latin R&B band Tierra.
Tierra’s three most successful songs all appeared on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart during 1981:
- “Together” peaked at #18 in February
- “Memories” peaked at #62 in April
- “La La Means I Love You” peaked at #72 in November
The band’s name comes from the Spanish word tierra (pronounced tee-EH-rrah, with a rolled r), which means “land” or “earth.”
Tierra was co-founded by brothers Rudy and Steve Salas of East Los Angeles in the early 1970s. During a recent interview, Rudy said he chose “Tierra” as the band’s name for two reasons: because it reflected his involvement in the Chicano movement at the time, and because the band had a “real earthy sound.”
What are your thoughts on the baby name Tierra?
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