Discover Beautiful African American Names

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

Elf counselor; good counselor; counselor with wisdom and diplomacy (Old English).

“Gravelly homestead” (Scottish origin)

Born on Friday (Ga [Gao], Ghana; Ewe, Ghana).

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

Variation of “Hakim,” meaning “wise”

No meaning available

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

Blend of two names such as Clovis (great fighter; famous warrior—French; Old German; Teutonic) and Louis (great fighter; famous warrior; warrior prince—French; Old German).

Our master (Swahili, East Africa).

Blend of “Tray” and “-on”

Son of the ardent one (Old Welsh).

Place name—city in twenty-nine states in the United States.

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

Modern name, similar to “Tyler”

Meaning and origin unknown.

Place of the roses (Greek).

Fine, fortunate (English, from the Irish Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Lamar: Famous for land (Old German).

Created name from African-American culture.

Courageous; valiant, warlike one (Irish).

“God’s protection” (German origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Shining brightly; glorious one (Old English).

No meaning available

Lord (Amharic, Ethiopia).

Vain (Latin).

The chosen one (Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

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

“Spear strength” (English origin)

English origin, meaning “son of Harry”

Dweller at the west estate or west-facing farm (Old English).

Form of Darrell: Little dear or beloved one (French).

“Serious, determined” (German origin)

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

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

Created name from African-American culture.

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

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

Form of Patrick: Noble one (Latin).

Justice (Swahili, East Africa).

Form of Kendrick: Son of Henry (Irish Gaelic).

“Steep valley” (English origin)

Wry or crooked nose (Scottish Gaelic); also a Scottish clan name.

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

No meaning available

No meaning available

From the watch hill (Old English).

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

Dwells in Scotland (English).

Son of the dark one (Irish Gaelic).

No meaning available

Unique spelling of “Isaiah,” meaning “God is salvation”

Modern blend of “Ky” and “-len”

Form of Burkhard: Hardy protection; strong as a castle (German).

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

One who praises (Latin).

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture.

French form of Peter: Rock or stone (Latin; New Testament).

Place name—a river in Scotland.

He laughs (Old Testament—son of Abraham and Sara; Hebrew).

No meaning available

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.

The master (Hindi, India).

No meaning available

Blend of two names such as Boyce (word name—English, Irish, and Scottish forms of bois: wood, dweller by the wood—Old French—surname or family name given for a first or middle name) and Reid (one who has red hair—Scottish; surname or family name given for a first or middle name).

Blend of two names such as Kenneth (handsome one—Irish Gaelic; royal oath—Old English) and Rick (powerful ruler—Old German; powerful, brave—Old English).

Form of Carlisle: One from the castle tower (Old English).

“Good, handsome” (Arabic origin)

Form of Pompey: Tendril; young shoot (Latin). Name found among free black men who lived and worked in early eighteenth-century New England.

No meaning available

English origin, meaning “island near the clearing”

“Fifth born” (French origin, popularized by Quincy Jones)

Form of Erik: Ever powerful; ever ruler (Old Norse).

Form of Beaufort: From the beautiful stronghold (Old French).

“Born on a Friday” (Akan origin)

Arabic origin, meaning “kind, gentle”

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

Exalted one, imperial, revered (Latin).

Strong and ardent; battleworthy (French).

Form of Caesar: Long-haired or hairy; through use, emperor (Latin).

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

English origin, meaning “claw”

Hebrew origin, meaning “peace”

Strong as an eagle (Old German).

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Dweller in the clearing by the temple (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Unique blend of “Jah” and “Sir”

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Variation of “Shawn” with unique “-den” ending

Son of shield (Old English).

Variation of “Quinton,” meaning “fifth”

“Beauty” (Swahili origin)

“Decisive” (Arabic origin)

Meaning and origin unknown. Possibly derived from the name of botanic gardens in Jackson, Mississippi—the Mynelle Gardens.

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