Discover Beautiful African American Names

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).

No meaning available

“Gracious defender” (Irish origin)

Army man, soldier (Old German).

Administrator (Latin).

Virtue name, meaning “bravery”

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

Unique African American name

Surname or family name given for a first or middle name: Hostage, noble youth; bright, famous (Early Medieval English).

“Son of Japheth” (modern African American origin)

No meaning available

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

Son of Fire, the name of a Celtic pagan god (Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Chaves: From the place near the waters of Flavius (Portuguese); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Jasper stone (Old French).

No meaning available

“God has heard” (shortened form of Samuel)

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

Form of Jacques, the French form of Jacob: Supplanter; one who takes the place of; protector (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Danish crossing (English).

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).

No meaning available

Form of Cordier: Make or seller of cord (French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Chief guardian; noble watchman (Old English).

“God’s gift” (shortened form of Theodore)

“God increases” (Arabic origin)

Judge (Hebrew; Old Testament—fifth son of Jacob by Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant).

Dweller from the island of Lelli, Lealla—Lindsey, Lincolnshire, England (Anglo-Saxon); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Priceless” (Americanized form of Antoine)

Variation of “Andre”

“White hawk” (Welsh origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Kind, affectionate one (Old Norse; Scandinavian).

No meaning available

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

Yahweh is Father (Old Testament; Hebrew).

Famous ruler; rich in fame (Old German).

English form of Leroy: King; person given the title of king for his royal bearing or for the part played in a religious pageant (French).

Vain (Latin).

No meaning available

Blend of “Tre” and “Shawn”

Warrior (Italian).

No meaning available

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

Form of Leon, a form of Leo: Lion (Latin).

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

Noble staff; God’s staff (Swedish).

No meaning available

Dutch origin, meaning “home-ruler,” popularized in African American culture

No meaning available

No meaning available

Arabic origin, meaning “thankful”

To destroy (English, from the Greek Perseus); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Meaning unknown (African-American); name found among enslaved men in New England at the time of the Revolutionary War.

Created name from African-American culture.

Created name from African-American culture.

Place name—A river and two countries in Central Africa. Name found among freed black men from the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries.

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

From the secure fortress (Old English).

No meaning available

From St. Denis, France (Old French).

“Clever warrior” (English origin)

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

Form of Quinn: Wise; intelligent (Irish Gaelic).

Salvation (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Modern blend, inspired by “Jalen” and “Jelani”

Unique spelling of “Malik,” meaning “king”

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

English origin, meaning “adventurous”

One who shrinks cloth (English).

Red-haired or ruddy-complexioned one (Latin); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Unique blend of “Zy” and “Von”

“Field of roses” (Dutch origin)

Blend of two names such as Craig (dweller at the crag or rock—Scottish Gaelic—surname or family name given for a first or middle name) and Gregory (vigilant; watchful one—Greek; Latin).

Form of Gaspar: Treasure holder (Persian); in the New Testament, one of three kings from the East bearing gifts to the Christ child in Bethlehem.

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

Variation of “Frederick”

No meaning available

From the place of the laurel tree; laurel-crowned one (English; Latin).

Descendant; the inheritor (JARE-ed—Hebrew).

Form of Leon, a form of Leo: Lion (Latin).

No meaning available

Field of spears (English).

Brother (Latin).

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Juan, Spanish form of John: God is gracious (Hebrew; New Testament).

Bold counselor (English, from the Old High German).

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

Stoneworker (Middle English; Old French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

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

“Manly, brave” (modern African American origin)

“Prince” (Irish origin)

Strong (Fulani, West Africa).

Chief, ruler (Old English).

Famous friend (Old English).

“Laughter” (Hebrew origin)

Form of Gary: Spear; spearman (Old English).

Variation of “Ishmael,” meaning “God will hear”

No meaning available

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