Discover Beautiful African American Names

Place name—A town near the thicket (English); city or town in 10 states in the United States: Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, four in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and two in Virginia.

“Little redhead” (Irish origin)

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

Unique spelling of “Justin”

Variation of “Giovanni,” meaning “God is gracious”

Created name from African-American culture.

No meaning available

“Independent” (American origin)

Pleasing to Krishna, the name of a popular Hindu deity (Sanskrit).

“Dove” (Greek origin)

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Adonis: Handsome lord (Greek).

Created name from African-American culture.

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

Unique blend of “Zay” and “-vion” suffix

No meaning available

Dweller at the thorny estate (English; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

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

Mighty and powerful; judicious; wise counselor (Latin; Old English; Old German).

Dweller in the clearing by the temple (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Maurice: 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.

From the fir forest (Old English).

Variation of “Warren”

From the bent-grass farm (Old English).

“Fifth born” (French origin, popularized by Quincy Jones)

No meaning available

“Conquering” (shortened form of Vincent)

Modern African American name

“Child of the freeborn” (Igbo origin)

“Noble, loyal” (modern American origin)

“City of the moon” (Hebrew origin)

Form of Douglas: From the black or dark water (Scottish Gaelic).

Word name— the color green (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name. Common first name among free blacks in the South during the 19th century.

French form of Elijah: Jehovah is my God (Hebrew; Old Testament—Prophet who was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire.

Combination of “Le” and “Shaun”

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Leroy: King; person given the title of king for his royal bearing or for the part played in a religious pageant (French).

“Young wolf” (Irish origin)

“The king” (French origin)

Blend of “Rod” and “-ion” suffix

Blend of “Ken” and “Ard”

No meaning available

Virtue name, modern African American origin

“Settlement of free men” (English origin)

Form of Charpentier: Worker of wood (French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Crown” (Greek origin)

Meaning unknown (South Africa).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Anthony: Inestimable, priceless one; worthy of praise (Latin).

From Anatolios: Sunrise, daybreak, dawn; man from the East (AN-uh-tohl—Greek).

Unique modern name

Italian origin, short for “Lorenzo”

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of names beginning with “Ben”: Benedict (blessed one—Latin); Benjamin (son of the right hand—Hebrew; Old Testament); Bennett (little blessed one—Latin-French).

“Hero” (English origin, popularized by musician Pharrell Williams)

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

Meaning unknown (Ghana).

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

Strong as an eagle (Old German).

A good spear thrower (Old English).

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

Form of Andrew: Strong, manly (Greek).

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Edwin: Prosperous friend; rich in friendship (Old English).

Dweller by a thicket (English; Irish; Middle English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

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

“Valley” (Scottish origin)

From the friend’s estate or town (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Garment maker” (English origin)

God will uplift (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Conquering one (Latin).

No meaning available

Form of Brutus: Heavy; dull  (Latin); one of the assassins of Julius Caesar.

Hardworking, industrious (German); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Alvah: Exalted one (Hebrew).

Form of Chinwe: It belongs to God (Igbo or Ibo, Nigeria).

“Exalted father” (Hebrew origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Jehovah’s gift (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Variation of “Caden,” meaning “fighter”

Created name from African-American culture.

Blend of “Nasir” and “Asher”

Beloved man (Anglo-Saxon); surname or family given for a first or middle name.

Strong, manly (Latin; Old German).

Little fair-haired valorous one; fair soldier (Irish Gaelic).

No meaning available

Unique African American name

Arabic origin, meaning “helper”

Meaning and origin unknown. Name found among free black men who lived and worked in late eighteenth-century New England.

“In honor of God” (Igbo origin)

No meaning available

“God is salvation” (Hebrew origin)

Unique modern name

No meaning available

No meaning available

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

Meaning unknown (NEE-ye—Nigeria).

Arabic origin, meaning “lamp, light”

Form of Stephanos: Crowned one (Greek).

Meaning and origin unknown.

No meaning available

“Candlemaker” (French origin)

“He has heard” (Hebrew origin)

Meaning and origin unknown.