Discover Beautiful African American Names

Form of Du Bois: Dweller near the wood; woodsman; woodworker (French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Third” (modern American origin)

Form of Valery or Valerian: Strong, healthy, powerful (Late Latin).

“God is my strength” (Hebrew origin)

Form of Maggio, referring to the month of May (Italian); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Meaning unknown (NEE-ye—Nigeria).

Form of Evan, a form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament).

From the spearland (Old English).

No meaning available

Form of Leiandros: Lion man; brave one (Greek).

“Steward” (Scottish origin)

Variation of “Khalil”

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Shawn, a form of Sean, the Irish form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament).

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Form of Primus: First (Latin).

“Serious, determined” (German origin)

Northern guardian (Old English).

Unique African American name

“Wolf shield” (English origin)

“Steep valley” (English origin)

Dark one (Latin); from Adria, an ancient town in central Italy.

From the high settlement (Anglo-Saxon); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Meaning and origin unknown.

Jehovah’s gift (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Son of Wilkin, an Old English form of William: Resolute protector (Old German); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Acute hearing (Greek).

Dweller in the valley (Old English).

Charming, clever, beguiling (English).

Unique variation of “Dakarai”

Beloved, famous, and resolute (German).

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

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

No meaning available

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

“Faith” (Swahili origin)

No meaning available

“Green valley” (French origin)

Keeper of the enclosed hedge (Old English).

Unique modern name

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Dennis, the English form of Denis, the French form of Dionysos, Greek mythological God of wine and revelry.

No meaning available

No meaning available

Black-eyed one (Irish Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Meaning and origin unknown.

“Royal power” (Scottish origin, commonly used in African American culture)

Generous (Swahili, East Africa).

Form of Sean, the Irish form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament).

No meaning available

To destroy (English, from the Greek Perseus); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Cordier: Make or seller of cord (French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Tender” (variation of Terrence)

From the cliff estate or town (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“West meadow” (English origin)

“In honor of God” (Igbo origin)

Form of Clifford: From the cliff ford; one who dwells at the ford near the cliff (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“God’s protection” (German origin)

No meaning available

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

Form of Gilbert: Brilliant pledge or hostage (Old French).

Form of Jonah: Peace, dove (Hebrew).

No meaning available

“Crowned” (modern American origin)

Form of Gino, a form of Eugenio (Italian).

“Born fourth” (Irish origin, adapted in African American culture)

“Of the past” (Swahili origin)

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

English form of Evert: Strong or brave as a boar; always true (Dutch).

Goes through one place to another, referring to a shooting star (Shawnee, Native North American).

Meaning unknown (African-American); name found among enslaved men in New England at the time of the Revolutionary War.

Boar tree estate (Old English).

Form of Paul: Little; small in stature but big in love and constancy (Amharic, Ethiopia; Latin; New Testament).

Day-bright; brilliant; noble (Old English).

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Tagliaferro: Ironworker (Italian); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Created name from African-American culture.

Sanskrit origin, meaning “king”

Hebrew origin, meaning “God has heard”

Variation of “Emmanuel,” meaning “God is with us”

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

No meaning available

Form of William: Resolute protector (Old German).

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

Wise; intelligent (Irish Gaelic).

“Hidden nook” (English origin, modern African American adaptation)

No meaning available

“Valley” (Scottish origin)

“Stone settlement” (English origin)

“Warlike” (Latin origin)

Keeper of the grains (English; French).

“Handsome or beautiful” (modern American origin)

Great fighter; famous warrior; warrior prince (English, from the Old French and Old High German).

Blend of “De” and “Mari”

“Hero” (English origin, popularized by musician Pharrell Williams)

Modern variation of “Tariq”

Place name—city in Rhode Island. Name found among free and enslaved black men in late eighteenth-century New England.

“Wealth” (German origin)

English origin, meaning “nobleman, warrior”

Form of Darrell: Little dear or beloved one (French).