Discover Beautiful African American Names

Form of Arthur: Noble one; bear-man; brave as a bear (Welsh; English).

“Leaves” (Malawian origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Genuine; of excellent quality (English).

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Yahweh is Father (Old Testament; Hebrew).

No meaning available

Amharic origin, meaning “descendant”

Place name—a town in Germany (Slavic).

Latheworker; woodworker (Latin; Middle English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

English form of Elijah: Jehovah is my God (Hebrew; Old Testament—Prophet who was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire.

Blend of two names such as Boyce (word name—English, Irish, and Scottish forms of bois: wood, dweller by the wood—Old French—surname or family name given for a first or middle name) and Reid (one who has red hair—Scottish; surname or family name given for a first or middle name).

No meaning available

Form of Ahmed: Highly praised (Arabic, North Africa).

Modern blend of “Amir” with “-ion” suffix

No meaning available

Modern name with “x” suffix

Blend of “Day” and “Von”

Warrior (Old German).

Unique blend of “Mar” and “Tavious”

Form of Cyril: Lordly one (Greek).

Created name from African-American culture.

Divine, god-like; temple (dayv-al—Hindi, India; Sanskrit).

Form of Gerald: Rules by the spear (German).

Speckled; freckled (Celtic; Scottish).

Meaning and origin unknown.

Unique spelling variation of “Michael”

First, chief (Old French).

Great king (Zulu, South Africa).

Broad clearing (Old English).

From the field by the small river (Old English).

Form of Errol: To wander (Latin).

Created name from African-American culture.

“Little star” (English origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Created name from African-American culture.

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

Born away from home (Yoruba, Nigeria).

Place name from the Old Norse personal name Klakkr or the Old English personal name Clacc: From the settlement on the hill; surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Far away, high up (Ewe, Ghana).

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

No meaning available

Arabic origin, meaning “friend,” used widely

From the stony estate (Old English).

Form of names that begin with “Al.” Alain, Alan, Allan, Allen: Handsome, cheerful, harmonious one (Irish).

Arabic origin, meaning “morning star”

Abounding in elm trees (Scottish Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Attendant; he who serves (Old French, from the Old German).

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

Unique combination of “Ja” and “Shawn”

Form of Pompey: Tendril; young shoot (Latin). Name found among free black men who lived and worked in early eighteenth-century New England.

Form of Douglas: From the black or dark water (Scottish Gaelic).

English form of Denis, the French form of Dionysos, Greek mythological God of wine and revelry.

Modern blend of “Le” and “Sean”

Valley enclosure or settlement (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Helper and defender of humankind (Greek).

Combination of “Dion” and “Andre”

Form of Gale: Lively one (Old English).

Bringer of light and knowledge (Latin).

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

Blend of “Ja” and “Vari”

“Little fire” (Irish origin, adapted in African American culture)

No meaning available

No meaning available

Hairy (EE-saw—Hebrew; Old Testament—son of Isaac and the twin brother of Jacob).

From a field near the town (English).

Form of Basil and Bazil: Kingly; magnificent (Latin).

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

From the pear tree (Middle English).

Form of Bandele: Born away from home (Yoruba, Nigeria).

No meaning available

“Town on a cliff” (English origin)

Modern African American name

All-knowing; wise one (Latin).

Variation of “Callan,” meaning “rock”

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

Quarrelsome (Middle German); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Dweller at the crag or rock (Scottish Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Blend of “Jay” and “-lin,” a unique African American name

Elf ruler (English).

“Guide” (South African origin)

Word name—form of Boyce—English, Irish, and Scottish forms of bois: Wood, dweller by the wood (Old French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

“Dark-haired” (English origin)

Ruler (Old German).

Powerful (Old English).

Created name from African-American culture, an adaptation of Makeba, in honor of the late South African singer and activist, Miriam Makeba.

“The king” (French origin)

No meaning available

God will uplift (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Son of Garret or Garrett: A good spear thrower (Old English).

Modern African American name, “smooth, calm”

Form of Ronald: Mighty power (Old Norse).

No meaning available

Gift; wealth; the Lord exists (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Irish form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew: New Testament).

Combined names that reflect John the Baptist (French; Hebrew; New Testament).

Form of Vance: Grain thresher; dweller near the grain-winnowing fans or marshlands (Middle English).