Discover Beautiful African American Names

Fierce chief or fierce lord, red-haired; ruddy one (Old Welsh).

Form of Adolphus, a Swedish form of Adolph: Noble wolf; noble hero (Old German).

Blond ruler, elf ruler, spirit ruler (Old French).

Of God’s peace (English).

Justice (Swahili, East Africa).

Form of Basil: Kingly; magnificent (Latin).

No meaning available

Form of Dumisani: Praise (Xhosa, South Africa).

Form of Rachiim: Seed of rulership (Arabic, North Africa; Persian [Farsi], Iran).

Form of Emery: Industrious ruler (English, from the Old German).

Gracious protector (English).

“Steep valley” (English origin)

Form of Maurice or Morris: Moorish; dark-complexioned one (Late Latin).

English form of the French Hilaire, a form of Hilarius: Cheerful one (Latin).

Cloth finisher; sheepshearer (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Terence: Smooth, polished one; tender (Latin).

“Dark-skinned” (Latin origin, widely used in African American communities)

From the grove of trees (Old English).

Exalted one, imperial, revered (Latin).

Form of Louis: Great fighter; famous warrior; warrior prince (English, from the Old French and Old High German).

Form of Caesar: Long-haired or hairy; through use, emperor (Latin).

Unique African American name

Latin origin, meaning “fifth,” adapted in African American communities

To rejoice (Latin).

Form of Cleophas: One who comes to give a speech (Aramaic; New Testament); one of two disciples who encountered Jesus on the Road to Emmaus.

Form of Coleman: Coal worker (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

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

Unique blend of “De” and “Marius”

Broad clearing (Old English).

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

No meaning available

No meaning available

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Shawn or Sean, a form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament).

Form of Aristaeus: One pertaining to a noble (ahr-ih-STAY-us—Greek). From Greek mythology.

Form of Peter: Rock or stone (Greek; Latin; New Testament).

Form of Chauncey: Chancellor, church official; chief recordkeeper; a diligent man who earned his good fortune (English).

“Thin, lean” (Scottish origin)

Keeper of the grains (English; French).

The truly bold; noble; sacred prince; genuine (Anglo-French; German).

Victory, triumph (Chinese).

No meaning available

Born on Tuesday (eh-BO—Fante, Ghana).

Meaning and origin unknown. Name used among free black men since the 18th century.

Household administrator (Scottish, from Middle and Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Modern variation of “Aaron”

Form of Philip: Lover of horses (Greek).

“Youthful” (Latin origin)

Arabic origin, meaning “powerful”

Form of Amin: Trustworthy and honest (ah-MEEN—Arabic, North Africa).

“Peace” (Zulu origin)

Little fair-haired valorous one; fair soldier (Irish Gaelic).

“White-haired man” (English origin)

John's town (Middle English; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

No meaning available

Short land (Dutch).

No meaning available

A creative variation of “Antoine,” meaning “priceless”

No meaning available

No meaning available

Conquering one (Latin).

Created name from African-American culture.

Meaning unknown (Yoruba, Nigeria).

Unique blend of “Fa” and “Zon”

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.

“Wolf shield” (English origin)

Name that honors Saint Julian the Hospitaler, legendary patron of travelers, boatmen, innkeepers, and the like.

Meaning and origin unknown.

Form of Verdell: Flourishing, green (French).

“Brown’s son” (English origin)

No meaning available

Form of James, the English form of Jacob from the Old Spanish Jayme: The supplanter or one who takes the place of—Hebrew; Old Testament.

No meaning available

Combination of “Quan” and “-trell”

Fearless person, brave one; comforter, bringer of consolation (Muslim; Swahili, East Africa).

Place name—a town in West Virginia.

Form of Andrew: Strong, manly (Greek).

Rocky fortress; sky fortress (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Variation of “Jager,” meaning “hunter”

Form of Rephael: Healed by God (Hebrew; Old Testament).

No meaning available

Blend of two names such as John (God is gracious—Hebrew; New Testament) and Karen (pure—Greek).

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Sharp: Keen, active, quick (English; Irish; Middle English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

From the iron one’s estate (Old English).

No meaning available

Meaning and origin unknown.

Modern African American name

“God is gracious” (Scottish origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Tyrell, a form of Terrell: Ruler of thunder (Old English).

Giver (Hebrew; Old Testament—prophet who rebuked King David).

Meaning and origin unknown. Name found among free black men who lived and worked in late eighteenth-century New England.

Lucky one (Old French).

Form of name beginning with “Mal,” such as Malachi (messenger of God—Hebrew; Old Testament), Malcolm (disciple of St. Columba—Scottish Gaelic), and Malcus or Malvin (polished chief—Irish Gaelic; council friend—Old English).

Variation on “Trevon,” meaning “fair town”

Modern African American name

Man of the North (English; French).

Arabic origin, meaning “well-developed,” popularized by Shaquille O’Neal