Discover Beautiful African American Names

Meaning unknown (South Africa).

Variation of “Alonzo”

Place name from the Old Norse personal name Klakkr or the Old English personal name Clacc: From the settlement on the hill; surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Ever ruler” (Norse origin)

Spanish origin, meaning “wise power”

Modern African American name

Unique African American name

Form of Roscoe: From the deer forest (Old Norse).

Mighty, strong (jeh-LAH-nee—Igbo or Ibo, Nigeria).

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

Created name from African-American culture.

Elevated, greatest, noble, exalted (Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

“By the ash tree” (English origin)

“Freeman” (German origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Ezekiel: Strength of God; God will strengthen (Hebrew; Old Testament—prophet for whom a book in the Old Testament is named).

“Great” (short form of Augustus)

Noble title (English origin, used as a given name in African American culture)

Modern African American name

No meaning available

No meaning available

Owner of a grassy plain; territory (Middle English, from the German).

Son of Fire, the name of a Celtic pagan god (Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Handsome lord (Greek). From Greek and Roman mythology.

No meaning available

Form of Vincent: Conquering one (Latin).

To hear (Hebrew).

Form of Zachariah: Jehovah has remembered (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Created name from African-American culture.

Latin origin, meaning “strong”

“Noble” (variation of Marquis)

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

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.

Meaning and origin unknown.

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

A prime minister during the Third Egyptian Dynasty who was the mastermind behind the step pyramid.

Modern blend of “Le” and “Sean”

Unique blend of “Va” and “Rion”

“Round hill” (Scottish origin)

Populous; prince (ah-MEER—Arabic, North Africa).

Born away from home (Yoruba, Nigeria).

Form of Vernon: Youthful, springlike, born in the spring (Latin).

The keeper of tradition (Swahili, East Africa).

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

Lion of the new city; lion from the woodland (Greek).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Sam: To hear (Hebrew).

“Noble friend” (English origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Desmond: Gracious protector (English).

No meaning available

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

Pulling the branch of a tree; troublemaker (Xhosa, South Africa).

Helper and defender of humankind (English).

Hairy (EE-saw—Hebrew; Old Testament—son of Isaac and the twin brother of Jacob).

A form of Lawrence: From the place of the laurel tree; laurel-crowned one (English; Latin); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

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

“Hollow” (Irish origin, adapted)

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Latin origin, meaning “night”

Form of Terence: Smooth, polished one; tender (Latin).

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

Military officer; keeper of horses (Middle English).

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

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Jalal: Greatness (jah-LAL—Arabic, North Africa).

Form of Oswald: Divinely powerful (German, borrowed from the English).

“Famous warrior” (English origin)

No meaning available

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

“Works with a lathe” (English origin)

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

Combination of “Ke” and “Andre,” meaning “manly”

No meaning available

Form of Dion or Dennis, from Dionysos, Greek mythological god of wine and revelry.

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

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Otha: Prosperous (German).

“Manly” (variation of Andrew)

Unique African American name

All wise (Scandinavian).

“Bringer of treasure” (Persian origin)

No meaning available

Form of Ezra: Salvation (Hebrew; Old Testament—prophet for whom a book in the Old Testament is named).

Form of Sharif (sha-REEF): Honorable, eminent (Arabic, North Africa).

“Land of the spear” (French origin)

Blend of “Bri” and “Son”

“Acquired” (Hebrew origin)

Upper estate or town (Old English).

Form of Jerome: Sacred or holy name (Greek; Latin).

Long life (Swahili, East Africa).

Form of Augustine or Augustus: Exalted one, imperial, revered (Latin).

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.

No meaning available

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

“Great, magnificent” (Latin origin)

No meaning available

Arabic origin, meaning “friend,” used widely

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

Helmeted head; helmeted chief (Irish Gaelic); old Irish and Scottish clan name. Surname of the thirty-fifth president of the United States (John F. Kennedy).

From the heath cliff (Middle English).