Discover Beautiful African American Names

“Island meadow” (English origin)

Variation of “Xavier,” meaning “new house”

“Strong decision” (French origin)

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

To hear (Hebrew).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Rasheed or Rashid: Rightly guided (Arabic, North Africa).

“God the highest” (Swahili origin)

Unique African American name with “-ell” suffix

Form of Frederick: Peaceful ruler (Old German).

“Western town” (English origin)

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

Blend of two names such as Winston (from the friend’s estate or town—Old English) and Bernard (brave as a bear—Old German).

A town on a hill (English).

Form of Oved: Servant, serving (Hebrew).

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

No meaning available

No meaning available

Form of Trevor: Prudent, discreet, wise (Irish Gaelic).

No meaning available

Form of Brian: Strong one (Celtic).

No meaning available

English origin, meaning “hill settlement”

Form of Gerald: Rules by the spear (German).

“Land of the spear” (French origin)

Gracious protector (English).

No meaning available

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

Mighty world ruler (Scottish Gaelic).

Created name from African-American culture.

Helper and defender of humankind (English).

Form of Regin: Judgment (reeg-un—Old Norse).

Form of Chauncey: Chancellor, church official; chief recordkeeper; a diligent man who earned his good fortune (English).

Form of Alvah: Exalted one (Hebrew).

Form of Coleman: Coal worker (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Another variation of “Shawn” with “De” prefix

Modern variation of “Jackson,” meaning “son of Jack”

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Flora: Flower; Roman goddess of flowers (Latin).

From the bean field (Old English).

Light; to illuminate (Arabic, North Africa; Islam—one of the ninety-nine names of Allah).

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

No meaning available

“Shield wolf” (German origin)

No meaning available

“Pierces the valley” (French origin)

Pilgrim carrying a palm (Latin).

No meaning available

Latin origin, meaning “fifth,” adapted in African American communities

“Gracious defender” (Irish origin)

“God” (Yoruba origin, often used as a prefix for many Yoruba names)

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

The advancer (Old English).

Form of Charles: Strong, manly (Latin; Old German).

No meaning available

Gray-haired one (Old Welsh); from Celtic mythology.

Blend of “Ry” and “-lon”

Danish crossing (English).

From the town by the sea (English).

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.

Chalk ridge (Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Spanish form of Charles: Strong, manly (German; Latin).

English form of Homeros: Pledge; security (Greek).

Meaning and origin unknown.

“God is salvation” (Hebrew origin)

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

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

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

Heir of the valiant warrior (Old English).

Form of Ellis or Elliott, English and French forms, respectively, of Elijah: Jehovah is my God (Hebrew; Old Testament—Prophet who was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire.

Form of Barclay: Dweller at the birch-tree meadow (Old English).

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

Meaning and origin unknown.

Modern variation of “Omar”

“God spear” (English origin)

Powerful, brave (Old German).

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

Unique African American name

Modern variation of “Xavier”

No meaning available

Battle chieftain (Old English).

Our God, our Lord (Yoruba, Nigeria).

“Wise, intelligent” (Arabic origin)

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Marvin: Famous friend; sea friend (English).

No meaning available

Determined peacemaker (German).

“One who divides goods fairly” (Arabic origin)

Form of the French surname Degrasse, a name first found in Provence.

Form of Nggangga: Doctor, diviner, priest (n-GAHN-geh—Kongo, Central Africa; Tshiluba, Congo).

Form of Hiram: Most noble one; of noble birth (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Arabic origin, meaning “crown”

Resolute spirit or mind (Old German).

“Manly, brave” (modern African American origin)

“Thin, lean” (Scottish origin)

Dweller at the thicket or woods (Scottish form of Old French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Omari: Flourishing, thriving; long life (Swahili, East Africa).

No meaning available

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Dennis, the English form of Denis, the French form of Dionysos, Greek mythological God of wine and revelry.

No meaning available

Blend of “Ty” and “Quan”