Discover Beautiful African American Names

Form of Forrest: Dweller or worker in a forest (Old French).

No meaning available

Word name—A young rabbit (English).

Form of Arvin: Friend of the people (German).

Russian form of John: God is gracious (New Testament; Hebrew).

“Valiant” (Swahili origin, widely used in African American communities)

From the iron one’s estate (Old English).

Dweller in the country (German); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Modern name, meaning “thankful”

Little warrior (Old French).

Name that honors Saint Elmo, an early bishop and martyr of the Christian faith. He is the patron saint of sailors.

Form of Ryan: Little king; kingly (Irish Gaelic).

Heroic character in The Thousand and One Nights, also called The Arabian Nights, a collection of tales from the Islamic Golden Age, compiled by various authors over many hundreds of years.

No meaning available

Form of Patrick: Noble one (Latin).

Asked for (from the Aramaic; Latin; New Testament—missionary friend of Paul and Timothy).

Hebrew origin, meaning “God has heard”

From the island (French).

No meaning available

Meaning unknown (West Africa).

No meaning available

“Fertile upland” (Welsh origin)

Heavenly object that emits powerful blue light and radio waves (KWAY-zar). It is larger than a star and smaller than a galaxy.

Blend of “Ja” and “Shaun”

Form of Cornelius: Like a horn (Latin).

“Son of Japheth” (modern American origin)

Populous; prince (ah-MEER—Arabic, North Africa).

Unique African American name

“Champion” (Irish origin)

No meaning available

Spanish origin, meaning “nobleman”

Dweller near the bright, white sea (Welsh).

Wise one; wisdom (Greek).

Form of Jonathan: Jehovah’s gift (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Unique variation of “Dakarai”

Unique blend of “Quan” and “-ell”

“Bright army” (German origin)

“Bowman” (English origin)

Masculine form of Chiquita: Little one (Spanish).

Bailiff (Middle English).

“Hollow” (Irish origin, adapted)

Form of Coolidge or Coleridge: Dweller from the ridge where charcoal was made (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Form of Quinlan: Son of the comely one (Irish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

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

Modern African American name

Variation of “Marco” with “Da” prefix

Form of Kinkle: Spindle maker (German); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Ace: Unity; first in luck or accomplishment (Latin).

Faith leader (Swahili, East Africa).

No meaning available

No meaning available

“Fortified place” (English origin)

“Follower of Christ” (Greek origin)

From the farm or homestead of Carl (English).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Donald: Mighty world ruler (Scottish Gaelic).

“Brown’s son” (English origin)

Unique blend, with roots in “Zaire”

No meaning available

Dweller from the southern settlement (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Warrior” (Irish origin)

Akan origin, meaning “born on Saturday”

Son of the white-skinned warrior (Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Elevated, greatest, noble, exalted (Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

Place name—a manor house in Echingham, Sussex, England; surname or family name given for a first or middle name (English).

Modern African American name

Form of Chuslum: Bull (chuh-sluhm—Nez Percé, Native North American).

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.

“Laughs” (African origin)

“Well-born” (Greek origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Albert: Noble and brilliant or illustrious (Old English).

Form of Cyril: Lordly one (Greek).

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

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

Created name from African-American culture.

Combination of “La” and “Monte”

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Kalil: Crown, wreath, garland (KAY-lil—Hebrew).

Hugh’s town; dweller from a town with a heart or spirit (Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

Form of Baron: Son of strength; vigor; potency (Middle English; Old French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Unique spelling of “Dwayne,” meaning “dark or swarthy”

Form of Andre: Strong, manly (French).

“Third” (modern American origin)

Form of Alexander: Helper and defender of humankind (Greek).

Unique combination of “Ja” and “Shawn”

Blend of “Tae” and “Lon”

“Ridge farm” (English origin)

French form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament).

Italian origin, meaning “free”

Created name from African-American culture.

Arabic origin, meaning “leopard”

Form of Christopher: Believer in Christ; anointed one; Christlike (Greek).

Dweller in the valley (Old English).

“Pierces the valley” (French origin)

Form of Wesley: From the west meadow (Old English).

Created name from African-American culture.