Discover Beautiful African American Names

Dweller near the red swamp (Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“The river that swallows all rivers” (African origin, widely adapted)

No meaning available

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

Variation of “Javonte,” a unique African American name

Form of Adam: Mortal, man of the red earth; first human created by God (Old Testament; Hebrew).

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

One who has excellent character; one who has excellent manners (Arabic, North Africa).

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

Unique African American name

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

Supreme deity in Roman mythology; fifth planet from the sun (Latin).

Form of Hammond: Home; high protection (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name. Name found among free black men who lived and worked in early nineteenth-century New England.

From the church village (Old Norse).

Modern African American name

Divine, god-like; temple (dayv-al—Hindi, India; Sanskrit).

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

“Royal power” (Scottish origin, commonly used in African American culture)

Modern blend of “El” and “Rico”

Form of Peter: Rock or stone (Greek; Latin; New Testament).

Handsome (Irish).

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.

Form of Andrew: Strong, manly (English and Scottish, from the Greek); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Lyman: Man of the meadow (Middle English).

English origin, meaning “beautiful town”

Blend of two names such as Vaughn (small one—Old Welsh) and Pedro (Italian and Spanish form of Peter: Rock or stone—Latin, New Testament).

“Traveler” (German origin)

Form of McCoy: Son of fire (Irish; Manx; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Narrow land” (Irish origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Ozni: Hearing (OZ-ny—Old Testament—grandson of Jacob; Hebrew).

“Righteous, fair” (virtue name, widely used)

Blend of “Ja” and “Shaun”

No meaning available

Form of Ezekiel: Strength of God; God will strengthen (Hebrew; Old Testament—prophet for whom a book in the Old Testament is named).

Bright, excellent ruler (English).

“Gushing waters” (Latin origin)

“Victorious” (Arabic origin, popularized in African American culture)

Son of Wilkin, an Old English form of William: Resolute protector (Old German); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Abduhl: Servant of God (Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

No meaning available

Form of Nogomo: He will prosper (n-GO-mo—Central Africa).

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

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

Dweller at the brook in the hollow (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Shortened form of “Isaiah” or “Xavier”

No meaning available

“Tile maker” (English origin)

Blend of “Ja” and “Quan,” commonly used in African American communities

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

Blend of “Ja” and “Quarius”

Meaning and language unknown (Nigeria).

Form of Ewan: Born of the yew tree (Scottish, from the Gaelic).

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Bert: Shining brightly; glorious one (Old English).

“Friendly village” (English origin

“Lover” (Irish origin)

No meaning available

Form of Kateb: Writer, scribe (kah-teb—Arabic, North Africa).

Soldier armed with a spear; maker of spears (Middle English); surname or family name give for a first or middle name.

Famous one’s island (Old English).

Unique modern name

Form of Norman: Man of the North (English; French).

Form of the Middle English Jenyn, a form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Fortified place” (English origin)

English form of Evert: Strong or brave as a boar; always true (Dutch).

No meaning available

No meaning available

French form of Reginald: Mighty and powerful; judicious; wise counselor (Latin; Old English; Old German).

Generous (Swahili, East Africa).

Unique variation of “Kaiser”

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

Descendent of the unlucky one (Irish; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Claudius, an old Roman family name: Lame one, suggesting that a handicap may be the stimulus for great achievement, as with the two Roman emperors with the name Claudius (Latin).

Unique blend inspired by “Lazaro”

Form of Frederick: Peaceful ruler (Old German).

Meaning and origin unknown.

Masculine form of Marie, the French form of Mary, the English form of the Latin Maria (New Testament), from the Hebrew Miryam: Sea of bitterness or sea of sorrow (Old Testament—sister of Moses and Aaron).

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

Mild, gentle, merciful (Latin).

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

Dim-sighted one (Latin).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Jarvis: Conqueror (English).

Form of Hilliard: Battle brave; war guard (Old German).

No meaning available

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

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture.

Blend of two names such as Moses (mercy; saved from the water—Egyptian; Hebrew; Old Testament—referring to the biblical Moses) and Keziah, a form of Ketziah: (a type of cinnamon—(Hebrew; Old Testament—second daughter of Job, born to him after his great affliction).

No meaning available

No meaning available

Shortened form of “Xavier”

Meaning and origin unknown.

White one's estate (Old English).

No meaning available

From the dear or daring settlement (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Created name from African-American culture.

Created name from African-American culture.

Blend of two names such as Kenneth (handsome one—Irish Gaelic; royal oath—Old English) and Bernard (brave as a bear—Old German).

Blend of “Qu” and “Arian”