Discover Beautiful African American Names

Unique modern name

Form of Francis: Free man, or Frenchman (Latin).

Form of Regin: Judgment (reeg-un—Old Norse).

Little great one (Irish Gaelic).

“Manly” (shortened form of Andre, modern American origin)

Combination of “Ca” and “Mari”

No meaning available

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

No meaning available

Conqueror; victorious (Latin).

Form of Darren: Little great one (Irish Gaelic).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Tsalani: Goodbye, farewell (tsah-LAH-nee—Ngoni, Southern Africa).

“Ruler, strong as an eagle” (German origin)

Variation of “Darrell,” meaning “beloved”

Variation of “Pax,” meaning “peace”

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Dumisani: Praise (Xhosa, South Africa).

Twin (Aramaic; Greek; New Testament).

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

One from the field of hawthorns (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Badoro: A plant from the Niger river (Bambara, West Africa)).

Arabic origin, meaning “kind, gentle”

“Dedicated” (Hebrew origin)

Form of Dion or Dennis, from Dionysos, Greek mythological god of wine and revelry.

Blend of “De” and “Mari”

Elegance (Swahili, East Africa).

No meaning available

“Dark river” (Scottish origin)

“Firebrand” (French origin)

From the new town (French).

“Sacred hill” (English origin)

Nobleman (mar-KEE—French; MAR-quis).

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

Meaning unknown (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

From the garden (Old Norse).

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

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

Son of Gray (Irish; Scottish).

Modern African American name, “smooth, calm”

No meaning available

Prosperous, wealthy one (German).

Created name from African-American culture.

Unique modern name

“Forest worker” (English origin)

Keeper of the forest (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Form of Ewan: Born of the yew tree (Scottish, from the Gaelic).

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture.

Nickname that Billy Diamond gave to Antoine Domino, Jr., in 1946 when Domino played piano in Diamond’s band at the Hideaway Club. At the time, Domino carried 220 pounds on his five-foot, five-inch frame.

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

“God is good” (Greek origin)

No meaning available

Meaning and origin unknown.

Form of Dion or Dennis, forms of Dionysos: God of wine and revelry (Greek).

Arabic origin, meaning “leopard”

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

No meaning available

No meaning available

Industrious, strong (Old German).

Beautiful open country (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Albert: Noble and brilliant or illustrious (Old English).

No meaning available

“Woodcutter” (English origin)

“Wisdom” (Ghanaian origin)

Meaning unknown (Russian); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

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

Meaning and origin unknown; surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

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

Form of Koffi: Born on Friday (Ga [Gao], Ghana).

Dweller at the gates (Middle English).

“Sea protector” (Welsh origin)

Long life (Swahili, East Africa).

Gentle, lovable (Irish Gaelic).

Blend of “Ke” and “-ion” suffix

Handful; open hand (Swahili, East Africa).

No meaning available

Noble and brilliant or illustrious (Old English).

“Red meadow” (English origin)

Modern African American name

Lucky one (Old French).

Possessor of dates; date merchant; date trader (Arabic).

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

No meaning available

“Blessed” (Swahili origin)

“Son of Carr” (Scottish origin)

No meaning available

Spanish form of Benedict: Blessed one (Latin).

Elf counselor; good counselor; counselor with wisdom and diplomacy (Old English).

No meaning available

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

Blond ruler, elf ruler, spirit ruler (Old French).

Rocky fortress; sky fortress (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Arabic origin, meaning “powerful, capable”

Merciful; most gracious (Arabic, North Africa). al-Rahman is one of the ninety-nine names of Allah.

Dweller at the west estate or west-facing farm (Old English).

The earl’s shelter (English). Name found among descendants of slaves in Maryland during the late nineteenth century.

Form of Leon, a form of Leo: Lion (Latin).

Variation of “Mario,” meaning “warlike”

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