Discover Beautiful African American Names

Form of Maccabees: Supporters of Judas Maccabeus, the leader of a successful revolt of Jewish patriots against Syria in 166 B.C.E. (MAK-ah-BEE—Hebrew).

Latin form of Heracles: Glorious, famous; son of Zeus in Greek and Roman mythology (Greek; Mythology).

Form of Aharon: Lofty or exalted (Old Testament—brother of Moses and Miriam; Hebrew).

Representative of the initials “B.B.”

“Strong, brave bear” (variation of Bernard)

“Light” (Latin origin)

No meaning available

Modern name, meaning “thankful”

God supports; God heals (jo-SY-ah—Hebrew; Old Testament).

Meaning unknown (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name—sometimes the name is given to honor the surname of the late great bandleader Count Basie.

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

Son of Lans (Dutch); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Bold for the people (Old German).

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

Meaning unknown (South Africa).

“Golden town” (French origin)

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

“God of wine and revelry” (modern American origin)

Form of Primus: First (Latin).

Portuguese origin, meaning “son of Tavares”

Blend of “Ke” and “Monte”

No meaning available

Form of Erik: Ever powerful; ever ruler (Old Norse).

Capable; one of the ninety-nine attributes of Allah (kay-dir—Arabic, North Africa).

Modern blend of “Dae” and “Lon”

Dweller at the church (Old Norse; Scottish).

“Great, magnificent” (Latin origin)

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

Spanish and Italian form of Laurence: From the place of the laurel tree; laurel-crowned one (English; Latin).

Greater (Latin); surname, family name, or military rank given for a first or middle name.

Grower or seller of beans (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Rightfully guided (Swahili, East Africa).

No meaning available

A prime minister during the Third Egyptian Dynasty who was the mastermind behind the step pyramid.

Form of Donald: Mighty world ruler (Scottish Gaelic).

English origin, meaning “nobleman, warrior”

No meaning available

No meaning available

“Patience” (Igbo origin)

Dweller at the elm tree moor (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Well-born one; young warrior (Old Welsh).

Meaning and origin unknown. Name found among free black men during the eighteenth century.

“God is gracious” (modern American origin)

“Fair-haired” (English origin, modern American adaptation)

Variation of “Wendell,” meaning “wanderer”

Form of Timothy: He who honors God (Greek; New Testament).

“Faith” (Swahili origin)

Mighty, strong (jeh-LAH-nee—Igbo or Ibo, Nigeria).

Form of Arnall, from Arnhold: Eagle-gracious (French; Old German).

Sea friend (Old English).

Form of Stephanos: Crowned one (Greek).

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

Blend of “Deon” and “Trey”

Blend of two names such as Cain (smith, craftsman—Hebrew; Old Testament, first-born son of Adam and Eve) and Abel (breath—Hebrew; Old Testament, second-born son of Adam and Eve).

No meaning available

Noble one’s son; son of the highborn; holy or sacred fame (Old English; Old Franco-German).

Modern variation of “Bruno” with “-ell” suffix

Form of Augustine or Augustus: Exalted one, imperial, revered (Latin).

Modern African American name

The god of divination; a tool for removing pulp of green calabash; good luck, gain (ee-FEH, EE-fay—Yoruba, Nigeria).

Form of Quincy: Dweller at the fifth son’s estate (Old French).

From the black or dark water (Scottish Gaelic).

No meaning available

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

Form of Ahmadou, a West African form of Ahmed: More commendable, praiseworthy (Arabic, North Africa).

Free man (Old English).

Form of William: Resolute protector (Old German).

Unique modern name

Variation of “Sean” with unique spelling

Homestead near a river (English).

Form of Colbert: Famous helmeted one; dark-haired one (English; French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Fortress” (English origin)

Form of Quinlan: Son of the comely one (Irish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Keeper of the park” (English origin)

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Rasheed or Rashid: Rightly guided (Arabic, North Africa).

Meaning and origin unknown.

Blend of two names such as Alvin (friend of all; noble friend—Old German) and Ester (star—Hebrew; Persian [Farsi], Iran).

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

“Wealthy defender” (Scandinavian origin)

“Heir” (Scandinavian origin)

Blend of two names such as Bradford (from the broad river crossing—English) and Kevin (gentle, lovable—Irish Gaelic).

Dweller on the plain or fields (Irish; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Light; to illuminate (Arabic, North Africa; Islam—one of the ninety-nine names of Allah).

Unique blend of “Aldon” and “-is”

“Third son” (modern African American origin)

No meaning available

“A Breton” (French origin)

Blend of “Ky” and “Ron”

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

Modern African American name

No meaning available

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

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Nayland: Dweller at the island (English).

No meaning available

Unique blend of “Cor” and “-tell”

No meaning available