Discover Beautiful African American Names

“Son of Hudd” (English origin)

The crown honored us (Yoruba, Nigeria).

“From the farm” (English origin)

“Faith, peace” (Swahili origin)

Seventh month; fifth month of the Roman calendar; the month Gaius Julius Caesar was born (Latin).

From the field estate or town in the garden (English).

“Hidden nook” (English origin, modern African American adaptation)

African origin, meaning “one who brings joy”

No meaning available

English form of Jacob from the Old Spanish Jayme: Supplanter; one who takes the place of; protector (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Form of Hamadi: Praised (Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

Variation of “Devonte,” meaning “protector”

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Sean, the Irish form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament).

Modern African American name

Unique African American name

No meaning available

Thin (Irish; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Lion” (Greek origin, popularized)

“God is gracious” (modern African American origin)

“Renowned warrior” (German origin)

No meaning available

No meaning available

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

Free man (Old English).

No meaning available

Form of Mitchell, a form of Michael: Who is like God? (Hebrew).

No meaning available

From the garden (Old Norse).

Place name—city in Rhode Island. Name found among free and enslaved black men in late eighteenth-century New England.

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

The god of divination; a tool for removing pulp of green calabash; good luck, gain (ee-FEH, EE-fay—Yoruba, Nigeria).

No meaning available

No meaning available

Dwells in Scotland (English).

No meaning available

Variation of “Darren,” meaning “great”

Form of Terrell: Ruler of thunder (Old English).

The sacred text comes into the home (Yoruba, Nigeria).

No meaning available

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

Watchman, defender, true man (Old German).

Dweller at the church (Old Norse; Scottish).

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

No meaning available

One who knocks at the door (TAH-reek—Arabic, North Africa).

“Fortified hill” (Spanish origin)

Dweller in a glen or valley (Irish Gaelic).

“Army guard” (German origin)

Military officer; keeper of horses (Middle English).

Unique spelling of “Justin”

Divinely peaceful (Old French).

No meaning available

Word name—Question; doubt (Latin).

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

“Fiery” (Welsh origin)

“Long hill” (English origin)

Dweller at the pointed hill (English, from the French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

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.

“God’s gift” (shortened form of Theodore)

Tell me (oo-SEH-nee—Yao, Malawi).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Follet: One who is mad (French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

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

Created name from African-American culture.

Blend of “Ra” and “Shawn”

Charming, clever, beguiling (English).

Meaning and origin unknown.

Dutch form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament); pronunciation: yahn.

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture.

Black-eyed one (Irish Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Curly-headed dweller near a clearing in the woods (Anglo-Saxon); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

From the bright meadow (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Hebrew origin, meaning “strength of God”

“Strong, brave bear” (variation of Bernard)

“Son of Carr” (Scottish origin)

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

Form of Winton: Dweller at the friend’s estate (Old English).

“Church” (Scottish origin)

God supports; God heals (jo-SY-ah—Hebrew; Old Testament).

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Shakil: Handsome, well developed (Arabic, North Africa).

French origin, meaning “God is gracious”

Son of Anders, the Scandinavian form of Andrew: Strong, manly (Greek); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Appointed” (Hebrew origin)

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

No meaning available

Meaning and origin unknown.

Combined name: Yves (yew, the type of wood for bow making—French; Germanic origin) and Emmanuel (God with us—Hebrew; Old Testament).

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

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

“Sharp” (Irish origin)

No meaning available

Word name—Charms and spirits that make unnatural things happen (Greek; Latin).

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

Blond one (Old Flemish).

No meaning available

Helper and defender of humankind (French).

Meaning and origin unknown. Eighteenth-century name found among free black men who lived and worked in New England.

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

“Gravelly homestead” (Scottish origin)