Discover Beautiful African American Names

A good spear thrower (Old English).

Place name—Short form of the former Republic of Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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

From a field near the town (English).

Created name from African-American culture.

Blend of “Jar” and “Mar”

Created name from African-American culture.

From the springs (Old English).

Unique modern name

Form of Tsalani: Goodbye, farewell (tsah-LAH-nee—Ngoni, Southern Africa).

No meaning available

The king is ruler; king of kings (RAH-jesh—Sanskrit).

“Home ruler” (short form of Henry)

Created name from African-American culture.

“Bright pledge” (German origin)

German origin, meaning “wolf power”

“Gray-haired” (Welsh origin)

Eighteenth-century African name of unknown meaning and origin.

Industrious, strong (Old German).

Of unique birth or origin (origin unknown).

Blend of “Rod” and “-ion” suffix

“Handsome or beautiful” (modern American origin)

Unique spelling variation of “Antoine”

No meaning available

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

Combination of “Zay” and “-len”

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

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

Rightly guided (Arabic, North Africa).

Form of Virgil: Rod or staff bearer (Latin).

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).

Form of Clement: Mild, gentle, merciful (Latin).

Form of Tarik: Visitor (Swahili, East Africa).

Dweller in the clearing by the temple (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

“Steward” (Scottish origin)

Blend of “Va” and “Shawn”

Place name—The continent of Africa reminded early enslaved people of their homeland.

Unique blend of “Ke” and “Various”

Combination of “Leon” and “Andre”

From the town near the clearing in the woods (Scottish).

“Great” (English origin, adapted in African American culture)

Lime-tree wood (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Blend of “Ra” and “Shawn”

No meaning available

“Brewer” (English origin)

Rock or stone (Greek; Latin; New Testament).

Blend of “Ken” and “-trell” suffix

“Land of the spear” (French origin)

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

No meaning available

Blend of “Ri” and “Shawn”

“Warm” (Scottish origin)

“Son of Iver,” popularized in African American culture

No meaning available

“Noble promise” (Swahili origin)

Modern name, meaning “glorious defender”

Powerful (Old English).

Form of Leroy: King; person given the title of king for his royal bearing or for the part played in a religious pageant (French).

“Noble, loyal” (modern American origin)

Blend of “Tae” and “Lon”

Shortened form of “Zephaniah”

Created name from African-American culture.

Variation of “Irvin”

Created name from African-American culture.

Combination of “Ja” and “Gabriel”

“Pierce valley” (French origin)

Mature counselor (German).

Powerful, brave (Old German).

“Good, handsome” (Arabic origin)

Modern blend of “Le” and “Sean”

No meaning available

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Form of Devin: Poet; a man of learning (Irish Gaelic).

No meaning available

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

Brother (Latin).

Dweller near the wide riverside meadow or from the wide island in the river (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“From the sea” (Greek origin, widely used)

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

“Scribe, bookbinder” (English origin, popularized by Booker T. Washington)

Good friend; friend of God (Old English).

“Man from the north” (English origin)

Dweller in the valley (Old English).

“Fair” (Irish origin)

“Dear friend” (English origin)

Dispenser of provisions; provider (Middle English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Child of the freeborn” (Igbo origin)

Sea tide (Irish Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Augustinius, a form of Augustus: Exalted one, imperial, revered (Latin).

Dangerous undertaking.

Form of Arnaud, a form of Arnall, from Arnhold: Eagle-gracious (Old German).

Form of Antaios: An adversary; one who is opposite (an-TEE-us—Greek).

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Form of Jeffrey: Divinely peaceful (Old French).

Form of Durant: The enduring one (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.