Discover Beautiful African American Names

Form of William: Resolute protector (Old German).

Rightfully guided (Swahili, East Africa).

Unique blend of “D” prefix and “Marr”

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Youkioma: Almost perfect (Hopi, Native North American).

“High-born” (English origin)

From the spearland (Old English).

Father of peace (Old Testament—son of King David; Hebrew).

Homestead near a river (English).

Created name from African-American culture.

Blend of “Omar” and “-ion” suffix

Created name from African-American culture.

My father returns, meaning the child looks like one of his grandfathers; or, the reincarnated grandfather of the grandson who was born soon after the grandfather’s death (bah-bah-TOON-day—Yoruba, Nigeria).

Surname or family name given for a first or middle name: Hostage, noble youth; bright, famous (Early Medieval English).

“Thin, lean” (Scottish origin)

Son of the follower of St. John (Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Named after Langston Hughes, the famous poet (English origin)

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Shawn or Sean: God is good, gracious (Irish).

Little Tom, named for his father Thomas: Twin (Aramaic; Greek; New Testament); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Roderick (famous ruler; rich in fame—Old German) or Rodney (famous one’s island—Old English).

“Cliff” (English origin)

No meaning available

Youthful, springlike, born in the spring (Latin).

From the stony estate (Old English).

“Son of Carr” (Scottish origin)

Form of Arnall, from Arnhold: Eagle-gracious (French; Old German).

“Ruler, strong as an eagle” (German origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

“Thorny patch” (English origin)

Keeper of the grains (English; French).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Theophilus: Beloved of God (Greek; New Testament).

Resolute spirit or mind (Old German).

Helped by God, saved by God (o-SHE-ah—Hebrew).

Dweller from Pincino's village (Old French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Mustafa: The chosen one (Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

Conquering one (Latin).

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of McConville: Son of the bald hound (Irish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Combination of “Leon” and “Andre”

“Linden tree hill” (English origin)

No meaning available

Form of Elwin: Godly friend (Old English).

“Valley” (Scottish origin)

Arabic origin, meaning “lamp, light”

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

No meaning available

English origin, meaning “safe place”

“Son of Edward” (English origin)

Form of Darius: King, kingly; one who is wealthy (Hebrew).

No meaning available

“Dark or swarthy” (Irish origin, popular in African American culture)

“Sacred name” (Greek origin, popularized in African American culture)

Living; generous; form of Zeus, chief of the Olympian gods (Greek). Name found among enslaved black men in eighteenth-century New England.

Gatekeeper (French, from the Latin).

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Richard: Powerful ruler (English, from the Old French and Old High German).

Of honorable birth; nobleman, leader (Old English).

Created name from African-American culture.

“Dear friend” (English origin)

From the old manor (Anglo-Saxon); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

“Fair town” (modern American origin)

“Seen” (Yoruba origin)

No meaning available

“Oarsman” (French origin)

Blend of “Ja” and “Monte”

“To be pampered” (Yoruba origin)

“God is gracious” (modern American origin)

“Fire” (Latin origin)

Form of Chester: Dweller at the fortified army camp (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Horse (BAH-ree—Mende, Guinea; Mende, Sierra Leone).

From the pool or waterfall (Old Welsh).

Blend of “Sha” and “Von”

Form of Darren: Little great one (Irish Gaelic).

Dweller by the mill (French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Quarrelsome (Middle German); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Son of the dark one (Irish Gaelic).

Form of Quinton: Fifth child (Latin).

“Light” (Latin origin)

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

“Conquering” (shortened form of Vincent)

Form of Jordan: Descender (Hebrew); also a female name.

Place name—from Haynes, Bedfordshire, England; surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Modern African American name

Unique African American name

Form of Louis: Great fighter; famous warrior; warrior prince (French; Old German).

English origin, meaning “nobleman, warrior”

Form of the word veritas: Truth (Latin).

Spanish form of Reginald: Mighty and powerful; judicious; wise counselor (Latin; Old English; Old German).

Dweller by the spring hill (Old English).

Servant of God (Old Testament; Hebrew).

“Warrior” (Irish origin)

“Gentle” (African American origin)

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

No meaning available

Variation of “Niles,” meaning “son of Neil”

No meaning available

Long stick; a tall, thin person (Middle English).

“Prayed for” (Hebrew origin)

Bowman, archer (Old English). Surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“High, coastal land” (English origin)