Discover Beautiful African American Names

“Wealthy defender” (Scandinavian origin)

Combination of “La” and “Monte”

Upper estate or town (Old English).

Meaning and origin unknown.

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

Helper and defender of humankind (English).

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

“Fit, strong” (Irish origin)

No meaning available

Physically and morally attractive (jah-MEEL—Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa). Also spelled Jamili and Jamiil.

“Wolf counsel” (English origin)

Variation of “Javonte” with “-ez” suffix

No meaning available

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

From the triangular or gore-shaped hill; from the marshes (Old English).

Form of William: Resolute protector (German).

English origin, meaning “son of Ellis”

Blend of “Ra” and “Shaud”

Son of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament); Anglo-Scottish surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Brown’s son” (English origin)

“Interpreter” or “fiery leader” (Arabic origin)

“The king” (French origin)

Moorish; dark-complexioned one (Late Latin). Rooted in the legendary Christian soldier from the island of Mauritius off the east coast of Africa, who served as captain of the Roman army’s Theban Legion; the patron saint of armies.

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

Blend of “Tor” and “-ion” suffix

From the cliff land; land near the steep bank (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Hugh: Intelligence; spirit (Old English).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Darius: King, kingly; one who is wealthy (dah-RI-us—Hebrew).

No meaning available

“Free man” (German origin)

Unique blend of “Har” and “Win”

Spanish form of Emmanuel: God is with us (Hebrew).

“Wealth” (Igbo origin)

Blend of “Ja” and “Quarius”

“Army of the people” (German origin, associated with civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.)

Blend of “Xay” and “Vion”

Dweller at the church forest (Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Meaning unknown (NEE-ye—Nigeria).

Form of Jameel, Jamil, Jamili, or Jamiil: Physically and morally attractive (jah-MEEL—Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

Form of Glenn: Dweller in a glen or valley (Irish Gaelic).

Son of life; man of religion (Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Blend of “Ja” and “Vaughn”

Long-haired or hairy; through use, emperor (Latin).

“Bear” (English origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

Form of Hillery, the English form of the French Hilaire, a form of Hilarius: Cheerful one (Latin).

Form of Marcus: Little hammer; little warlike one (Latin). Rooted in Mars, the Roman god of war.

Dim-sighted one (Latin).

Meaning and origin unknown. Name found among free black men during the eighteenth century.

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Felix: Happy; fortunate, lucky one (Latin).

Spanish form of Robert: Bright or shining with fame (Old English).

Form of Theodore: Gift of God (Greek).

Form of Hula: Eagle (Osage, Native North American).

Northerner (Old French).

Modern variation of “Bruno” with “-ell” suffix

From the people’s meadow; from Dudda's meadow (Irish; Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Meaning unknown (German); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

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

Combination of “Quan” and “-trell”

“Ruler’s counselor” (Scottish origin)

No meaning available

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

Created name from African-American culture.

Prophet; messenger (Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

Variation of “Antoine,” meaning “priceless”

“Citizen of Rome” (Latin origin)

Variation of “Marco” with “Da” prefix

Form of Dawud, the Arabic form of David: Beloved one (dah-WUUD—Arabic, North Africa; Hebrew; Old Testament—king of Israel).

No meaning available

“Valley of the River Kent” (English origin, adapted)

Arabic origin, meaning “leopard”

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

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

Vigilant; watchful one (Greek; Latin).

“Little star” (English origin)

No meaning available

Son of Lans (Dutch); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Meaning and origin unknown; surname or family name given for a first or middle name. Name given to honor the late newspaper publisher John Herman Henry Sengstacke.

Acquired (Hebrew; Old Testament—the first son of Adam and Eve, who killed his brother Abel).

“Prince” (Irish origin)

Praise (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Form of Stephanos: Crowned one (Greek).

No meaning available

“Witness” (Egyptian origin)

No meaning available

Dark, reddish complexion (Middle English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

God will add or increase (Hebrew).

Prosperous friend; rich in friendship (Old English).

Form of Ernest, the English form of Ernst: Earnest one; determined (German; Old English).

Unique blend of “Va” and “Rion”

Unique African American name

No meaning available

“Great, magnificent” (Latin origin)

“Mind, intellect” (German origin)

Form of Arthur: Noble one; bear-man; brave as a bear (Welsh; English).

Noble one’s son; son of the highborn; holy or sacred fame (Old English; Old Franco-German).

Peaceful one (English).

Greece (Hebrew; Old Testament). Javan was a son of Japheth, a son of Noah, whose descendants, after the flood, populated what is now Eurasia.