Discover Beautiful African American Names

“Sword” (German origin)

God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament).

“Enduring” (Latin origin, often used in African American culture)

Form of Yoseph or Joseph: He shall add (YOO-suf—Arabic, North Africa; Hebrew; Swahili, East Africa).

Peaceful (sah-LEEM—Swahili, East Africa).

Strong as an eagle (Old German).

Form of Bristol: Rich, noble, powerful; place name—sight of the bridge (English).

Meaning and origin unknown.

Form of Cornelius: Like a horn (Latin).

Rebel (Hebrew; Old Testament).

“Candlemaker” (French origin)

“Of Marcus” (modern American origin)

English origin, meaning “famous ruler”

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.

Form of James, the English form of Jacob from the Old Spanish Jayme: Supplanter; one who takes the place of; protector (Hebrew; Old Testament).

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

Bright, excellent ruler (English).

Variation of “Avant,” meaning “forward”

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

No meaning available

Form of Henry: Ruler of the home or private property (Old English; Old German).

English origin, meaning “adventurous”

Form of Vincent: Conquering one (Latin).

Word name—The time of day when the sun appears above the horizon.

Blend of “Von” and “-tez” suffix

“Little bald one” (Latin origin, popular in African American culture)

No meaning available

Form of Thomas: Twin (Aramaic; Greek; New Testament).

Unique blend of “De” and “Quarius”

Unique blend of “De” and “Marius”

Form of Carl: Freeman, peasant, man (English).

No meaning available

No meaning available

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

“A Breton” (French origin)

Gift of God (Greek).

Elf ruler (English).

Meaning and origin unknown.

Place name—an estate in southwestern Glasgow (English; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Form of Ozni: Hearing (OZ-ny—Old Testament—grandson of Jacob; Hebrew).

Form of Frederick: Peaceful ruler (Old German).

Mercy; saved from the water, referring to the biblical Moses (Egyptian; Swahili, East Africa; Wolof, Senegal).

Unique variation of “Lamont”

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

Form of Coleman: Coal worker (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Roger: Famous spearman (Old High German).

Form of Kwasi or Kwesi: Born on Sunday (Akan, Ghana; Ewe, Ghana).

Champion (Irish Gaelic).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Lamont: Law man (Scottish, from the Old Norse); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Wise river” (Irish origin)

Unique blend

Created name from African-American culture.

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

No meaning available

No meaning available

English origin, meaning “noble’s son”

No meaning available

Dweller by a fortified stronghold (Dutch); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Word name—from the word blaec: Dark complexioned (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Unique African American name, meaning “beloved”

Welsh origin, meaning “king”

Blend of “Dan” and “-trell” suffix

Modern African American name with unique spelling

Modern African American name

Form of Nedaviah: Generosity of the Lord (NED-ah-VY-ah—Hebrew).

Exalted father (Hebrew; Old Testament—Abraham’s name before God changed it). Name found among enslaved men in the South during the mid-nineteenth century.

Created name from African-American culture.

“Arrow maker” (English origin)

Gracious protector (English).

Dweller at the sandy ford (English).

Dim-sighted one (Latin).

Little blessed one (Latin-French).

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

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Raymond: Mighty or wise protector (Old German).

Arabic origin, meaning “powerful”

No meaning available

Form of Alfred: Elf counselor; good counselor; counselor with wisdom and diplomacy (Old English).

Form for a name that begins with “Red,” such as Redford, a form of Radford, a place name in England.

“The king” (French origin)

Unique modern name

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

Form of Isaiah: Salvation of God (Old Testament—prophet; Hebrew).

“Thorny patch” (English origin)

Form of Iman: Faith (ih-MAHN-ee—Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

Modern variation of “Aaron”

“Lion” (Greek origin, popularized)

From a field near the town (English).

Light; born at dawn (Latin).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Uther: According to medieval legend, a king of Britain who was the father of King Arthur (Old English).

No meaning available

Brave with a spear (English).

Blend of “Tae” and “-lan”

Hebrew origin, meaning “warrior”

From the deer forest (Old Norse).

From the lake between the towns (English).

Blend of “Rae” and “Kwon”

Form of Alfonso, Alonzo: Noble, ready for battle (Spanish form of the German Alphonso).