Discover Beautiful African American Names

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

Variation of “Raul” with “-ston” suffix

Spanish form of Raphael: Healed by God (Hebrew).

Variation of “Andre”

“Famous ruler” (Welsh origin)

Form of Abram: 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.

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

Form of Budd: One whose body is thick (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Created name from African-American culture.

Second King of Rome (Latin).

“Famous land” (German origin)

No meaning available

No meaning available

“One who divides goods fairly” (Arabic origin)

“Gift of God” (modern American origin)

Scholar (Old French).

“Wolf shield” (English origin)

Italian origin, African American variation of “Dante”

“Sword” (Swahili origin)

Form of Ozni: Hearing (OZ-ny—Old Testament—grandson of Jacob; Hebrew).

From the friend’s field (Old English).

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

Behold, a son (Hebrew; Old Testament—eldest son of Jacob and Leah).

Corncake (Bini).

Dweller in the valley (Old English); surname or family given for a first or middle name.

Small one (Old Welsh).

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

Powerful warrior; army ruler (Old German).

“Wealth” (Igbo origin)

Justice (Swahili, East Africa).

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

Gracious protector; protected by God’s grace (Old English).

Created name from African-American culture.

Son (Hebrew).

Modern name with “x” suffix

Youthful, springlike, born in the spring (Latin).

Form of Kalif: Holy boy (Muslim; Somalia).

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

No meaning available

Upright, just one (Old French).

Greatest in excellence; great pool or spring (Irish; Latin; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“God is gracious” (modern American origin)

Blend of two names such as Joseph (God will add or increase—Hebrew) and Van, a form of Evan, a form of John—God is gracious—Hebrew; New Testament).

“God is salvation” (Hebrew origin, widely used)

Modern blend of “Tray” and “Von”

This one is dependable (Central Africa).

Battle chieftain (Old English).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Lamont: Law man (Scottish, from the Old Norse); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Wisdom” (Ghanaian origin)

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

Modern African American name, often with “De” prefix

Modern African American name

Form of Scott: Dwells in Scotland (English).

Form of names beginning with “Vin,” such as Vincent (conquering one—Latin) and Vinton (from the wine town—English).

No meaning available

Form of the Middle English Jenyn, a form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Combination of “Le” and “Shaun”

Form of Bacchus: In Roman mythology, the god of wine and revelry (Roman).

Blend of two names such as Laurence (from the place of the laurel tree; laurel-crowned one—English, Latin; place name—small town in Italy) and Maurice (Moorish; dark-complexioned one—Late Latin).

Place name—Three towns in France.

Meaning unknown (Guyana).

“Champion” (Irish origin)

Hill of the powwow (pow-hat-an—Algonquin, Native North American).

Form of Abduhl: Servant of God (Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

No meaning available

Firm, constant one; steadfast (Latin).

No meaning available

No meaning available

Modern variation of “Jackson,” meaning “son of Jack”

Form of Jennifer: White-cheeked; white wave; white phantom; yielding (Old Welsh); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Dweller at the gates (Middle English).

“Warlike” (Polish origin)

Form of Stephanos: Crowned one (Greek).

A valiant man does not die in vain (Yoruba, Nigeria).

Little king; kingly (Irish Gaelic).

“Come home” (Yoruba origin)

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

No meaning available

“Priest’s town” (English origin)

Form of Louis: Great fighter; famous warrior; warrior prince (French; Old German).

Inspired by the university name

Blend of “Ra” and “Shaud”

Modern take on “Alden,” meaning “old, wise friend”

Youthful; downy-bearded (Old French).

Created name from African-American culture.

Variation of “Omri,” meaning “my sheaf”

Modern blend of “Dae” and “Lon”

Form of Marquis: Nobleman (mar-KEE—French; MAR-quis).

Hebrew origin, meaning “devoted to God”

“Handsome, peaceful” (modern African American origin)

No meaning available

“Dark-skinned” (Latin origin)

“Manly” (variation of Andrew)

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).

Blend of “Ja” and “Vari”

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).

Form of Salaam: Peace (Swahili, East Africa; Senegal).

Place name—a town in Germany (Slavic).

Son of the dark one (Irish Gaelic).