Discover Beautiful African American Names

Form of Andre: Strong, manly (French).

“Fortified hill” (Spanish origin)

Merchant; storekeeper (French).

Form of Judah: Praise (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Son of life; man of religion (Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Unique modern name

Lordly one (Greek).

Form of Derek: Ruler of the people (Old German).

Unique African American name

Inestimable, priceless one; worthy of praise (Latin).

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

No meaning available

Noble and brilliant or illustrious (Old English).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Alphonso: Noble and ready; eager for battle (Old German).

Nobleman (mar-KEE—French; MAR-quis).

Form of Christian: Follower of Christ, a Christian (Ecclesiastic Greek; Late Latin).

Unique name blending “De” with “various”

“Soldier” (Latin origin)

“Faith, peace” (Swahili origin)

No meaning available

Old, wise protector or friend; friendly (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Gift of God” (Hebrew origin)

No meaning available

Famous bearer (Italian).

Merchant (Middle English; Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Unique variation of “Amari”

Blend of “Tor” and “-ion” suffix

“Pilgrim to Rome” (Italian origin, widely used in African American culture)

No meaning available

No meaning available

No meaning available

Blend of “Qu” and “Arian”

Meaning and origin unknown. Named found among enslaved men in the South during the nineteenth century.

No meaning available

No meaning available

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

Form of Leslie: Garden of hollies; gray fort (English; Gaelic; Scottish).

“Son of Adam” (English origin)

Form of Eli: High (Hebrew).

Name of a Cadillac automobile model.

Created name from African-American culture.

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

Form of Steven, a form of Stephen: Crowned one (Greek).

No meaning available

“Courteous” (French origin)

“Clever warrior” (English origin)

Form of Tindall: Dweller near the River Tyne (Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Place name—Form of Scoville, a form of Escoville in Calvados, Normandy, France.

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

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

“Strong, noble” (variation of Brian, popularized in African American culture)

Smooth, polished one; tender (Latin).

Word name—The English word marvelous: Causing wonder (Middle English).

“Mountain” (Spanish origin, modern American adaptation)

Modern African American name

No meaning available

Meaning unknown (Mali).

Form of Gyantwaka: By what one plants, the planter (gy-an-twak-ah—Iroquois, Native North American).

“Counsel” (English origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

From the people’s meadow; from Dudda's meadow (Irish; Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Willard: Resolute and brave (Old English).

Handsome one (Irish Gaelic).

“Prince” (Arabic origin, popular in African American culture)

Hebrew origin, meaning “carried by God”

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.

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

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

Northerner (Old French).

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of William: Resolute protector (Old German).

African American adaptation of “Marcel”

No meaning available

“Long hill” (English origin)

Boundary marked by clovers; brook near a clay bed (French; German; Old English).

Created name from African-American culture.

Form for a name that begins with “Red,” such as Redford, a form of Radford, a place name in England.

No meaning available

Unique African American name

Form of Coolidge or Coleridge: Dweller from the ridge where charcoal was made (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Son of Henry (Irish Gaelic).

Moorish; dark-complexioned one (Late Latin). Rooted in the legendary Christian soldier from the island of Mauritius off the east coast of Africa, who served as captain of the Roman army’s Theban Legion; the patron saint of armies.

No meaning available

No meaning available

“Priest’s town” (English origin)

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture.

French form of Dominic: Belonging to God (Latin).

Unique modern name

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Vaughn: Small one (Old Welsh).

Variation of “Zion,” meaning “highest point”

English form of Jordan: Descender (Hebrew); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Spear strength” (English origin)

Mercy; saved from the water, referring to the biblical Moses (Egyptian; Swahili, East Africa; Wolof, Senegal).

Spanish origin, meaning “courteous”

“Dark river” (Scottish origin)

No meaning available

Day-bright; brilliant; noble (Old English).

Prosperous spearman (Old English).

No meaning available