Discover Beautiful African American Names

Second-born child (man-NOO—Akan, Ghana).

Little branch (English, from the Scandinavian); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Mighty world ruler (Scottish Gaelic).

No meaning available

Form of Earl: Nobleman, chief (Old English).

“God listens” (Hebrew origin)

From the old estate or town (Old English).

“Trent’s town” (English origin)

Form of William: Resolute protector (Old German).

No meaning available

Form of Halbert: Brilliant hero (Old English).

No meaning available

Form of Pompey: Tendril; young shoot (Latin). Name found among free black men who lived and worked in early eighteenth-century New England.

Sultan (MAHN-sah—Mande, Mali).

Unique blend of “Har” and “Win”

Form of names beginning with “Ben”: Benedict (blessed one—Latin); Benjamin (son of the right hand—Hebrew; Old Testament); Bennett (little blessed one—Latin-French).

Form of Arnall, from Arnhold: Eagle-gracious (French; Old German).

“Dark warrior” (Irish origin)

“Olive tree” (English origin)

Blend of “Da” and “Quan”

Form of Colbert: Famous helmeted one; dark-haired one (English; French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Kwasi or Kwesi: Born on Sunday (Akan, Ghana; Ewe, Ghana).

Form of Lamont: Law man (Scottish, from the Old Norse); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Place name—a river in Scotland.

No meaning available

Beloved one (Hebrew; Old Testament—King of Israel).

Dweller from the colony by the lake or pool—Lincoln, a city in Lincolnshire, England; surname or family name given for a first or middle name. Surname of the sixteenth president of the United States (Abraham Lincoln).

Meaning unknown (Ghana).

Place name—a place in Greater Manchester, England: Settlement of Cara's people; dwellers at the rocky settlement (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Raymond: Mighty or wise protector (Old German).

Blend of two names such as Thomas (twin—Aramaic; Greek; New Testament) and Kevin (gentle, lovable—Irish Gaelic).

African origin, unique name

Unique blend of “Ka” and “rell” suffix

Upright, just one (Old French).

Second King of Rome (Latin).

Variation of “Javonte,” a unique African American name

Form of Ryan: Little king; kingly (Irish Gaelic).

Form of Finley: Little fair-haired valorous one; fair soldier (Irish Gaelic).

No meaning available

Form of Douglas: From the black or dark water (Scottish Gaelic).

Form of Abram: Exalted father (Hebrew; Old Testament—Abraham’s name before God changed it). Name found among enslaved men in the South during the mid-nineteenth century.

“Well-born” (Greek origin)

Unique spelling of “Marquis”

No meaning available

Form of Xavier, a village in Navarre in the Basque region of Spain: New home (hah-bee-AIR—Spanish).

“Stream” (Swahili origin)

Form of Philon, a form of Philemon: Loving, friendly (Greek; New Testament).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Kenyatta: A traditional beaded belt that carries the meaning "light of Kenya" (Kikuyu, Kenya).

Form of Donald: Mighty world ruler (Scottish Gaelic).

Blend of “Tae” and “-lan”

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Ezekiel: Strength of God; God will strengthen (Hebrew; Old Testament—prophet for whom a book in the Old Testament is named).

Form of Chea: Red (Cherokee, Native North American).

Form of Gamliel: God is my reward (GAM-lee-el—Hebrew).

King; person given the title of king for his royal bearing or for the part played in a religious pageant (French).

Form of Lot: To cover (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Form of Linwood: Dweller from the pool or waterfall near the forest (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Javan: Greece (Hebrew; Old Testament). Javan was a son of Japheth, a son of Noah, whose descendants, after the flood, populated what is now Eurasia.

All-knowing; wise one (Latin).

Gift of God (Greek).

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Germain: Brother (French, from the Late Latin).

Pilgrim to Rome (Italian; Late Latin).

Form of Nikolaos: Victorious army; victorious people; victorious one (Greek).

Amharic origin, meaning “descendant”

To wander (Latin).

Created name from African-American culture.

Stone (EH-ben—Hebrew).

Variation of “Niles,” meaning “son of Neil”

Strong and ardent; battleworthy (French).

Consecrated, dedicated (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Form of Ambrosios: Immortal, divine (Greek).

Form of Scott: Dwells in Scotland (English).

Exalted father (Hebrew; Old Testament—Abraham’s name before God changed it). Name found among enslaved men in the South during the mid-nineteenth century.

“Valley” (English origin)

English origin, meaning “son of Harry”

Dweller at a forest (Old French).

Unique African American name

Stone bridge (English; Old French); surname or family name given as a first or middle name.

“Ever ruler” (Norse origin)

Modern blend of “Le” and “Sean”

Modern African American name with a unique sound

“Mighty warrior” (Hebrew origin)

No meaning available

Father is exalted (EE-bra-heem—Hausa, Nigeria).

Variation of “Quinton,” meaning “fifth”

Form of Gilbert: Brilliant pledge or hostage (Old French).

Variation of “Darren,” meaning “great”

From the pool or waterfall (Old Welsh).

“Wise advisor” (Irish origin)

Form of Robert: Bright or shining with fame (Old English).

Form of Zachariah: Jehovah has remembered (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Created name from African-American culture.

Lime-tree wood (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Alfonso, Alonzo: Noble, ready for battle (Spanish form of the German Alphonso).

Well-born one; young warrior (Old Welsh).

Form of Henry: Ruler of a home or private property (Old German).

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture.