Discover Beautiful African American Names

Form of Dawa: Medicine (Swahili, East Africa).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Flora: Flower; Roman goddess of flowers (Latin).

Worker at a college (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Kateb: Writer, scribe (kah-teb—Arabic, North Africa).

“Wolf shield” (English origin)

Possible form of Akin, Akins: Warrior, hero, brave man or boy (ah-KEEN, ah-KEENS—Yoruba, Nigeria).

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

“Holy stone” (English origin)

No meaning available

“Of the sea” (Spanish origin, adapted)

French form of Julius: Youthful; downy-bearded one (Latin).

“Wise” (Latin origin)

“God is gracious” (English origin)

Place name—town in Niger, a country in West Africa.

“Dyer” (shortened form of Dexter)

Military officer; keeper of horses (Middle English).

No meaning available

“Lover of the earth” (Greek origin, adapted)

No meaning available

No meaning available

The advancer (Old English).

Place name—city in Italy.

No meaning available

No meaning available

No meaning available

Watchman, guard (Old English).

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.

Form of Charles: Strong, manly (Latin; Old German).

Variation of “Devon” with “te” suffix, meaning “protector”

Form of Daw: Light (Arabic, North Africa).

Created name from African-American culture.

“Gift of God” (modern African American origin)

Masculine form of Marie, the French form of Mary, the English form of the Latin Maria (New Testament), from the Hebrew Miryam: Sea of bitterness or sea of sorrow (Old Testament—sister of Moses and Aaron).

French origin, meaning “wool worker”

Name that honors Saint Elmo, an early bishop and martyr of the Christian faith. He is the patron saint of sailors.

Unique spelling, modern African American name

Hunter (Greek).

A traditional beaded belt that carries the meaning "light of Kenya" (Kikuyu, Kenya).

No meaning available

Gentle, lovable (Irish Gaelic).

Form of Lawrence: From the place of the laurel tree; laurel-crowned one (English; Latin).

“Sun child” (Hebrew origin)

The Lord is my salvation (ee-LY-sha—Hebrew; Old Testament). Name found among free black men in late eighteenth-century New England.

No meaning available

“One who is like God” (Hebrew origin, popularized in African American culture)

“Gushing waters” (Latin origin)

Modern African American name with a distinctive style

“Born fourth” (Irish origin, adapted in African American culture)

No meaning available

No meaning available

No meaning available

Son of Dick, a form of Richard (Old English; Scottish).

“Devotion to God” (Hebrew origin, widely used)

Father of peace (Old Testament—son of King David; Hebrew).

Charming, clever, beguiling (English).

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

Modern African American name

No meaning available

Famous protector (Old German).

“Peace” (Zulu origin)

Form of Quinton: Fifth child (Latin).

Variation of “Devonte” with “-tay” ending

Form of Clifford: From the cliff ford; one who dwells at the ford near the cliff (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Beauty” (Arabic origin)

Blend of two names such as Lee (from the pasture meadow—Old English; poetic—Irish Gaelic) and Darryl (little dear or beloved one—French).

Form of Joseph: He shall add (Hebrew).

Created name from African-American culture.

Strong (Fulani, West Africa).

One choice; only choice (Irish Gaelic).

No meaning available

“Help” (Hebrew origin)

Meaning and origin unknown.

Form of Jeffrey: Divinely peaceful (Old French).

Form of Erik: Ever powerful; ever ruler (Old Norse).

Form of Lloyd: Gray-haired one (Old Welsh).

Blend of two names such as Simeon or Simon (heard by God; hearing; one who hears—Hebrew; New Testament) and Samuel (his name is of God—Hebrew; Old Testament).

Place name—Two cities in the United States: Boise, Idaho; Boise City, Oklahoma.

Brave spearman (German).

“God increases” (Arabic origin)

“Immortal” (Greek origin)

May God hear; God’s own blessing; blessings of Chi, the name of an Ibo personal god who is thought to remain with a person from the moment of conception until death (CHEE-noo-ah—Igbo or Ibo, Nigeria).

Form of McNeil: Champion (Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Meaning and origin unknown.

Blend of “Car” and “Dell”

White, noble (English).

No meaning available

“Son of Jeffrey” (English origin)

Son of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament); Anglo-Scottish surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Unique name blending “De” with “various”

No meaning available

Blend of “Ja” and “Quarius”

Like a horn (Latin).

“Handsome” (variation of Kenneth)

Form of Obadiah: Servant of God (Old Testament; Hebrew).

No meaning available

From the cliff land; land near the steep bank (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Tile maker” (English origin)

Son of the servant of Saint Fintan, the old white one (Anglo-Irish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Created name from African-American culture.

Place name—a country in North America.