Discover Beautiful African American Names

No meaning available

“Gift of God” (modern African American name)

No meaning available

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

“Blessed” (Swahili origin)

Noble title (English origin, used as a given name in African American culture)

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Anthony: Inestimable, priceless one; worthy of praise (Latin).

Famous bearer (Italian).

From the estate of a noble one (English).

Handsome lord (Greek). From Greek and Roman mythology.

“Divine” (modern American origin)

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Cornelius: Like a horn (Latin).

Form of Isaac: He laughs (Old Testament; Hebrew).

From the king's meadow (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Dweller by the spring hill (Old English).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Troy: At the place of the curly-haired people (Old French).

One who lives by a stream; one who lives in the county of Cumberland; surname or family name given for a first or middle name (Scottish).

No meaning available

Quarrelsome (Middle German); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Richard: Powerful ruler (English, from the Old French and Old High German).

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

Form of Bradford: From the broad river crossing (English).

No meaning available

Variation of “Giovanni,” meaning “God is gracious”

Shortened form of “Zephaniah”

Form of Brian: Strong one (Celtic).

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Read or Reed: Red-haired or red-complexioned (Old English).

“To be pampered” (Yoruba origin)

Blend of “Darius” and “-ion” suffix, meaning “upholder of good”

“Trent’s town” (English origin)

Gift; wealth; the Lord exists (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Acute hearing (Greek).

“Speckled” (English origin, modern American adaptation)

Form of Harland: gray, rocky land (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Mackeggie or Mackaggie: Son of Adam (Scottish Gaelic). Surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Edge of the river” (English origin)

Variation of “Shawn” with “Da” prefix

“Warlike” (Spanish origin, modern American adaptation)

No meaning available

Form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament).

Dweller at the old town or estate (Old English).

Form of Virgil: Rod or staff bearer (Latin).

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

Form of Akello: I have brought, bring forth (ah-KEHL-oh—Alur, Uganda).

Meaning and origin unknown.

Variation of “Aaron” with “La” prefix

Form of Terrell: Ruler of thunder (Old English); rooted in Thor, the mystical Norse god of thunder.

Of the cliff (African-American; English).

Bringer of light and knowledge (Latin).

Mighty, brave (Old German).

From an unattested Old Norse personal name: Farmstead, settlement; surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Descendant of the red-haired one or the rosy-cheeked one (Irish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Lafayette: One who dwells near a beech tree (French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Disciple of St. Columba (Scottish Gaelic).

“Third” (modern American origin)

Combination of “Le” and “Quon”

Blend of “Ja” and “Darius”

“Army ruler” (German origin)

Spanish form of the name Martin, the English form of the Latin Martinus: Warlike one; surname or family name given for a first or middle name. Rooted in the mythological god of war, Mars.

Form of Jason: Healer (Greek).

Watchman, defender, true man (Old German).

“Love me” or “loved by God” (Yoruba origin)

Form of Adolf: Noble wolf; noble hero (Old German).

“Settlement of free men” (English origin)

Form of McCoy: Son of fire (Irish; Manx; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

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

Spanish form of Reginald: Mighty and powerful; judicious; wise counselor (Latin; Old English; Old German).

“Small” (Welsh origin, often used in African American culture)

Ruler of thunder (Old English); rooted in Thor, the mythological Norse god of thunder (Old Norse).

Unique blend of “Xavier” and “-ion” suffix

Intelligence; spirit (Old English).

Form of Michael: Who is like God? (Hebrew).

“God is good” (Greek origin)

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

Blend of “Tae” and “-lan”

No meaning available

Of God’s peace (English).

Dweller at the church forest (Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Field of spears (English).

Modern African American name with a unique sound

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Leroy: King; person given the title of king for his royal bearing or for the part played in a religious pageant (French).

Farmer; burning spear (Kikuyu, Kenya).

Hunter (Greek).

No meaning available

No meaning available

“Valiant” (Swahili origin, widely used in African American communities)

Created name from African-American culture, the backward spelling of the male name Enoch: Dedicated, consecrated (Hebrew).

Meaning and origin unknown.

Form of Glenn: Dweller in a glen or valley (Irish Gaelic).

“Strong” (Swahili origin)

No meaning available

Meaning and origin unknown.

No meaning available

No meaning available

Name created by writer Oscar Wilde for his title character in The Portrait of Dorian Gray—thought to be influenced by inhabitants of Doris (Dorians), a mountainous region of Greece (English).

Form of Wallace: Man from Wales (Old English).

From the friend’s estate or town (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Great” (English origin, adapted in African American culture)