Discover Beautiful African American Names

Form of Cornelius: Like a horn (Latin).

Modern African American name

Dweller at the thicket or woods (Scottish form of Old French); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Descender (Hebrew); also a female name.

“Broad clearing” (English origin)

Form of Willard: Resolute and brave (Old English).

Form of Burkhard: Hardy protection; strong as a castle (German).

Form of William: Resolute protector (Old German).

Descendant of the red-haired one or the rosy-cheeked one (Irish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“God is gracious” (Scottish origin)

No meaning available

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

“Small” (Welsh origin, often used in African American culture)

“Ridge” (English origin)

English origin, meaning “land by the road”

No meaning available

Form of Milton: Dweller at the mill town (Old English; Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Meaning and origin unknown.

“Settlement with a leek garden” (English origin)

Form of Maccabees: Supporters of Judas Maccabeus, the leader of a successful revolt of Jewish patriots against Syria in 166 B.C.E. (MAK-ah-BEE—Hebrew).

Variation of “Andre”

First, chief (Old French).

Handsome lord (Greek). From Greek and Roman mythology.

No meaning available

No meaning available

No meaning available

English form of Ernst: Earnest one; determined (German; Old English).

Unique variation of “Dakarai”

“Place of alder trees” (French origin)

Combination of “Le” and “Quon”

“Prince” (Arabic origin, popular in African American culture)

Form of Judah: Praise (Hebrew; Old Testament).

No meaning available

Form of Jerrold, a form of Gerald: Rules by the spear (German).

If pronounced "gy-an," form of Gyantwaka: By what one plants, the planter (gy-an-twak-ah—Iroquois, Native North American).

Form of Donald: Mighty world ruler (Scottish Gaelic).

Unique blend of “Va” and “Rel”

No meaning available

Kingly (Swahili, East Africa).

“Wealthy spear” (English origin)

Meaning and origin unknown.

From a forest of nut trees (French). Name often given in honor of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Form of Keto: Depth (Swahili, East Africa).

Meaning and origin unknown.

Brave with a spear (English).

Nickname that Billy Diamond gave to Antoine Domino, Jr., in 1946 when Domino played piano in Diamond’s band at the Hideaway Club. At the time, Domino carried 220 pounds on his five-foot, five-inch frame.

“Overseer” (English origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Burdened, troubled; borne by God (Old Testament; Hebrew).

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

Created name from African-American culture.

“Steward” (Scottish origin)

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

Variation of “Shawn” with “Ke” prefix

No meaning available

Created name from African-American culture, a form of Ron, a form of Ronald: Mighty power (Old Norse).

No meaning available

“God is gracious” (modern African American origin)

No meaning available

No meaning available

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

“Strong ruler” (variation of Richard)

Form of Mustafa: The chosen one (Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

Fortified town belonging to Sullianus; a municipality and a castle in Italy (Latin; Place name).

Form of Ephraim: Very fruitful (Hebrew; Old Testament—second son of Joseph and Asenath).

Spanish form of Clement: Mild, gentle, merciful (Latin).

Form of Mitchell, a form of Michael: Who is like God? (Hebrew).

Meaning and origin unknown. Name used among free black men since the 18th century.

No meaning available

Form of Haile: Meaning and origin unknown (HY-lee).

“Son of Japheth” (modern African American origin)

A worker in metal (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

“Land of the spear” (French origin)

Strong one (Celtic).

Arabic origin, meaning “powerful”

No meaning available

“In honor of God” (Igbo origin)

“Speckled” (English origin)

“Flourishing” (Arabic origin)

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

Place name, becoming popular in African American communities

No meaning available

Unique modern name

No meaning available

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

“Shield wolf” (English origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Son of the servant of Saint Fintan, the old white one (Anglo-Irish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Form of Oved: Servant, serving (Hebrew).

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).

No meaning available

No meaning available

Modern African American name

Weaver (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Created name from African-American culture.

Lively one (Old English).

Famous friend; sea friend (English; Welsh).

Slavic origin, meaning “spring”

Bold one; dog; one with a bold stance and faithful affection (Old Testament—a leader of the the Israelites; Hebrew).

Created name from African-American culture.