Discover Beautiful African American Names

Blend of “Ra” and “Shawn”

Surname or family name given for a first or middle name: Hostage, noble youth; bright, famous (Early Medieval English).

Hunter (Greek).

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

“God is gracious” (modern African American origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

“Wise river” (Irish origin)

Hebrew origin, meaning “field of God”

Handsome, cheerful, harmonious one (Irish Gaelic).

Form of Frederick: Peaceful ruler (Old German).

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

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

Northern guardian (Old English).

Bold counselor (English, from the Old High German).

Created name from African-American culture.

“Fortified hill” (Spanish origin)

“Fifth born” (French origin, popularized by Quincy Jones)

Beloved, famous, and resolute (German).

Place name—A town near the thicket (English); city or town in 10 states in the United States: Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, four in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and two in Virginia.

Blend of two names such as David (beloved one—Hebrew; Old Testament, King of Israel) and Lawrence (from the place of the laurel tree; laurel-crowned one—English; Latin).

Unique African American name

Resembling a fox; sly, cunning (English; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Blend of “De” and “Monte,” meaning “mountain”

Unique African American name

Form of Alfred: Elf counselor; good counselor; counselor with wisdom and diplomacy (Old English).

No meaning available

Form of Shirrell: From the parish of Cherhill or Shirwell; clear spring (Anglo-Saxon). Surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Enduring, lasting, steadfast (Italian). From Dante Alighieri, born Durante Alighieri, thirteenth-century Italian poet who wrote the Divine Comedy.

Form of Chinwe: It belongs to God (Igbo or Ibo, Nigeria).

No meaning available

No meaning available

From Ella’s hill or foreign hill (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

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

Modern African American name, “smooth, calm”

“Laughs” (African origin)

No meaning available

Form of Milton: Dweller at the mill town (Old English; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Corliss: Benevolent (English).

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Malin: Little war-mighty one (Old English).

No meaning available

English origin, meaning “adventurous”

Blend of two names such as Bradford (from the broad river crossing—English) and Todd (resembling a fox; sly, cunning—English; Scottish; surname or family name given as a first or middle name).

Blend of “Ri” and “Shawn”

Blend of “Rod” and “-ion” suffix

Form of Brian: Strong one (Celtic).

Latin origin, meaning “tender, gracious,” used widely

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

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.

Little Tom, named for his father Thomas: Twin (Aramaic; Greek; New Testament); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Variation of “Zion,” meaning “highest point”

From the earth; from the settlement near the clay pit; mortal (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Small one (Old Welsh).

Place name, popular in African American culture

Form of Jerome: Sacred or holy name (Greek; Latin).

“Valley of the River Kent” (English origin, adapted)

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

Son of Fergus: Very choice one; strong man (Irish Gaelic).

Blond one (Old Flemish).

Modern African American name

Heavenly object that emits powerful blue light and radio waves (KWAY-zar). It is larger than a star and smaller than a galaxy.

No meaning available

Blend of “Omar” and “-ion” suffix

“The island” (French origin)

Dweller at the thicket or woods (Scottish form of Old French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

To wander (Latin).

No meaning available

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

“Brave ruler” (Spanish origin, popularized in African American culture)

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

“Land of lakes” (Scottish origin)

No meaning available

Residence in a valley; from the lowest part of the valley (Anglo-Saxon; Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Meaning and origin unknown.

“Noble, courteous” (English origin)

Place name, becoming popular in African American communities

Meaning unknown (NEE-ye—Nigeria).

“Famous ruler” (German origin)

“Land” (German origin)

Rest; comfort (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Blend of “Da” and “Quan”

Form of monte or montis: hill or wooded upland; a chase or hunt in the mountains (Latin; Spanish). Surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Kinkle: Spindle maker (German); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Strong man; ferocious warrior (Americanized form of the Italian family name Taliaferro; English form of Telfer from the Old French taille(r); Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Variation of “Frederick”

Form of Frederick: Peaceful ruler (Old German).

“Laughter” (Hebrew origin)

No meaning available

Welsh origin, meaning “king”

Meaning unknown (The Gambia); surname of the character Kunta Kinte in Alex Haley’s book Roots, given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

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

Son of Henry (Irish Gaelic).

Light; born at dawn (Latin).

Spanish form of Aemilius: Industrious one; rival (Latin).

Meaning and origin unknown.

Form of Roland: From the famous land (French; Old High German).