Discover Beautiful African American Names

Word name— the color green (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name. Common first name among free blacks in the South during the 19th century.

Form of Ellis or Elliott, English and French forms, respectively, of Elijah: Jehovah is my God (Hebrew; Old Testament—Prophet who was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire.

“Young warrior” (Welsh origin)

“Beautiful” (Arabic origin, inspired by sprinter Usain Bolt)

Meaning and origin unknown. Name found among free black men who lived and worked in late eighteenth-century New England.

Form of Coolidge or Coleridge: Dweller from the ridge where charcoal was made (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Form of Chauncey: Chancellor, church official; chief recordkeeper; a diligent man who earned his good fortune (English).

No meaning available

Form of Sundara: Beautiful (Sanskrit).

The advancer (Old English).

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

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

“Battle worthy” (French origin)

Variation of “Malik,” meaning “king”

No meaning available

“Strong” (Swahili origin)

Ruler of thunder (Old English); rooted in Thor, the mythological Norse god of thunder (Old Norse).

“Forceful, powerful” (Swahili origin)

“Small” (Welsh origin, often used in African American culture)

Form of Jaron: To sing, to cry out (Hebrew).

Gemstone name, meaning “black”

“Great” (short form of Augustus)

No meaning available

Form of Emmett: Industrious, strong (Old German).

No meaning available

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

Watchman, guard (Old English).

Born on Saturday (Akan, Ghana).

Form of Cleophas: One who comes to give a speech (Aramaic; New Testament); one of two disciples who encountered Jesus on the Road to Emmaus.

Cart driver (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Meaning and origin unknown.

“Crooked nose” (Scottish origin, widely adapted)

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

Unique variation of “Israel”

“Bear” (English origin)

Modern name, meaning “thankful”

“High guard” (English origin)

Modern African American name, meaning “good judgment”

Divinely strong (German).

Form of Golding: Son of the golden one (Old English).

No meaning available

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

“Noble, courteous” (English origin)

Form of Budd: One whose body is thick (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Salaam: Peace (Swahili, East Africa; Senegal).

“Handsome or beautiful” (modern American origin)

No meaning available

Speckled; freckled (Celtic; Scottish).

No meaning available

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

Form of Chico: Boy, lad (Spanish).

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

Form of Gale: Lively one (Old English).

Virtue name, meaning “bravery”

Form of Maurice: Moorish; dark-complexioned one (Late Latin). Rooted in the legendary Christian soldier from the island of Mauritius off the east coast of Africa, who served as captain of the Roman army’s Theban Legion; the patron saint of armies.

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

Form of Chaves: From the place near the waters of Flavius (Portuguese); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Unique blend of “Ke” and “Various”

May God hear; God’s own blessing; blessings of Chi, the name of an Ibo personal god who is thought to remain with a person from the moment of conception until death (CHEE-noo-ah—Igbo or Ibo, Nigeria).

No meaning available

Young lion (English; French; Latin); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Troy: At the place of the curly-haired people (Old French).

“Brewer” (English origin)

Combination of “Jar” and “-ell” suffix

“Wealth” (German origin)

Christ-bearer; one who carries Christ in his heart (Greek).

Form of Charles: Strong, manly (Latin; Old German).

“Land of the spear” (French origin)

Form of Chapman: Merchant (Middle English; Old English).

Dweller near the red swamp (Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Warrior” (Irish origin)

Charming, clever, beguiling (English).

Strong, manly (French).

No meaning available

“High mountain” (Hebrew origin)

No meaning available

Son of the ardent one (Old Welsh).

Created name from African-American culture.

Cloth finisher; sheepshearer (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Form of Jefferson: Son of Jeffrey (English).

Greece (Hebrew; Old Testament). Javan was a son of Japheth, a son of Noah, whose descendants, after the flood, populated what is now Eurasia.

“Sword” (Swahili origin)

Variation of “Theron”

“Leader” (English origin)

“Gray-haired” (Welsh origin)

Place name—A town near the thicket (English); city or town in 10 states in the United States: Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, four in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and two in Virginia.

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

Meaning and origin unknown.

Unique African American name

Arabic origin, meaning “well-developed,” popularized by Shaquille O’Neal

Form of Anthony: Inestimable, priceless one; worthy of praise (Latin).

Form of Brian: Strong one (Celtic).

“God will uplift” (Hebrew origin)

“God leads” (Igbo origin)

No meaning available