Discover Beautiful African American Names

No meaning available

He has flowered, flourished, grown (ah-BUH-buh—Amharic, Ethiopia).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Leroy: King; person given the title of king for his royal bearing or for the part played in a religious pageant (French).

Form of Tobiah: The Lord is good (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Created name from African-American culture.

“Warrior” (African origin)

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

Joined, united (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Form of Jerrold, a form of Gerald: Rules by the spear (German).

Polished chief (Irish Gaelic).

Benevolent; content, happy (nah-EEM—Arabic, North Africa).

“God is salvation” (Hebrew origin, widely used)

Born on Sunday (Akan, Ghana; Ewe, Ghana).

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

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Anthony: Inestimable, priceless one; worthy of praise (Latin).

Bright, excellent ruler (English).

Form of Beverley: Dweller at the beaver meadow or stream (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

First, chief (Old French).

“Long hill” (English origin)

Blend of “Tor” and “-ion” suffix

Blend of the two names Glen, a form of Glenn (dweller in a glen or valley—Irish Gaelic) and Allen (handsome, cheerful, harmonious one—Irish).

Representative of the initials “B.B.”

Man of the North (English; French).

Blend of two names such as Fay (raven—Irish Gaelic) and Bernard (brave as a bear—Old German).

Generous (kah-REEM—Arabic, North Africa).

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

“Gray” (Welsh origin)

English origin, meaning “dweller at the holly trees”

Form of Jojo: Born on Monday (Fante, Ghana).

“Edge of the river” (English origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

“Crooked nose” (Scottish origin, widely adapted)

Form of Aldrich: Old, wise ruler (German).

To rejoice (Latin).

Meaning and origin unknown.

“Of Mars, warlike” (modern African American origin)

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Lamar: Famous for land (Old German).

Form of Abram: 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.

No meaning available

Son of Henry (Irish Gaelic).

Physically and morally attractive (jah-MEEL—Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa). Also spelled Jamili and Jamiil.

Spanish form of Michael: Who is like God? (Hebrew).

Place name—city in Cuba (Spanish).

Form of Dick, a form of Richard: Powerful ruler (Old German).

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Warlike (Old English).

Form of Riddock: From the smooth field (Irish Gaelic).

Resolute, brilliant one (Old German).

Peaceful one (English).

Meaning and origin unknown.

“Famous land” (German origin)

One who shrinks cloth (English).

No meaning available

Form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament).

Form of Michael: Who is like God? (Hebrew).

“Army ruler” (German origin)

From the island (French).

No meaning available

Very choice one; strong man (Irish Gaelic).

Born on Saturday (Akan, Ghana).

Form of William: Resolute protector (Old German).

Form of Tad, a form of Thaddeus: Father (Greek; Late Latin; Old Welsh).

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

Meaning and origin unknown.

No meaning available

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

No meaning available

Form of Stephen, a form of Stephanos: Crowned one (Greek).

No meaning available

No meaning available

Blend of “La” and “Various”

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

No meaning available

“Hollow” (Irish origin, adapted)

Modern African American name

“Pledge” (English origin)

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

Tall man’s estate or town (Old English).

Beloved, famous, and resolute (German).

Swineherder (English, Irish, and Welsh, from the Old French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

French origin, meaning “brotherly,” popular in African American culture

Form of Frederick: Peaceful ruler (Old German).

“Decisive” (Arabic origin)

A blend of two names such as Micah (like unto the Lord—Hebrew; Old Testament prophet) and Elijah (Hebrew; Jehovah is my God—Old Testament).

One who dwells near a beech tree (French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Conqueror” (Latin origin)

No meaning available

Meaning and origin unknown.

Keeper of the money; money lender (Italian); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Place name—village in Cumbria, England: Fortress homestead (broo-um—Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Joseph: He shall add (Hebrew).

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.

Blend of “Ba” and “Shaun”

Form of Ratcliff: Red cliff or riverbank (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Of unique birth or origin (origin unknown).

“Tile maker” (English origin)

Form of Cliff, a 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.

The child is like a crown that brings honor to a king (Youruba, Nigeria).

Blend of two names such as Malcolm (disciple of St. Columba—Scottish Gaelic) and Marcus (little hammer; little warlike one—Latin).