Discover Beautiful African American Names

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

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Humphrey: Peaceful Hun; peace-support (Old German).

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

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

Noble one; bear-man; brave as a bear (Welsh; English).

No meaning available

Determined peacemaker (German).

“Army guard” (German origin)

No meaning available

Combined names that reflect John the Baptist (French; Hebrew; New Testament).

No meaning available

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 African American name

“Dark” (Irish origin)

Greek form of Julius: Youthful; downy-bearded one (Latin).

“Companion” (modern American origin)

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

Form of Terence: Smooth, polished one; tender (Latin).

No meaning available

Form of Brent: Dweller by the burnt land (English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

No meaning available

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

Arabic origin, meaning “helper”

No meaning available

“Vain” but associated with “strength” due to Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali (Latin origin)

Created name from African-American culture.

Form of Dion or Dennis, from Dionysos: God of wine and revelry (Greek).

“Valley” (English origin)

Form of names beginning with “Ed”: Edward (Prosperous guardian—Old English); Edmund (Prosperous guardian—Old English); Edwin (Prosperous friend; rich in friendship—Old English; Edensaw (Glacier—ed-en-saw—Tlingit, Native North American).

Blond ruler, elf ruler, spirit ruler (Old French).

Combination of “Da” and “Shawn,” meaning “God is gracious”

No meaning available

Blend of “Day” and “Von”

From the old estate or town (Old English).

No meaning available

No meaning available

Form of Chauncey: Chancellor, church official; chief recordkeeper; a diligent man who earned his good fortune (English).

Variation of “Cameron” with “K”

No meaning available

Form of Timothy: He who honors God (Greek; New Testament).

Form of Morgan: Dweller near the bright, white sea (Welsh).

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

Form of Al-Hakim: The wise (al-hah-KEEM—Qur’an or Koran; Arabic, North Africa).

No meaning available

Healer (Greek). In Greek mythology, Jason was a prince who led the Argonauts on a quest to find the Golden Fleece.

Praiseworthy, more commendable (Arabic, North Africa; Swahili, East Africa).

Dweller in the valley (Old English).

Blend of “De” and “Monte,” meaning “mountain”

Conquering one (Latin).

Latin origin, meaning “heaven”

No meaning available

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

“God increases” (Arabic origin)

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.

Courteous one; court-bred (Old French).

“Devotion to God” (Hebrew origin, widely used)

Form of Beverley: Dweller at the beaver meadow or stream (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Created name from African-American culture.

Famous warrior (al-oh-WIH-shus—Late Latin).

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).

“Wise” (Arabic origin)

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

Botanical name used for both boys and girls (Old English).

Little ancient one (Irish Gaelic).

No meaning available

Handsome (Irish).

“Ruler of the household” (German origin)

“Great, magnificent” (Latin origin)

No meaning available

Form of Darren: Little great one (Irish Gaelic).

Created name from African-American culture.

Modern name with unique spelling

“He who wins the struggle” (Yoruba origin)

The Lord is God (Hebrew).

“Laughter” (Hebrew origin)

“Church” (Scottish origin)

Rebel (Hebrew; Old Testament).

From the town near the clearing in the woods (Scottish).

“Gentle” (African American origin)

Combination of “Quan” and “-trell”

No meaning available

Nobleman, chief (Old English).

Form of William: Resolute protector (Old German).

No meaning available

“Guide” (South African origin)

English origin, meaning “adventurous”

Created name from African-American culture.

An African American variation with “De” prefix; means “mountain”

Form of Leslie: Garden of hollies; gray fort (English; Gaelic; Scottish).

Protected by Thor, the ancient Norse god of thunder (English).

Form of Valery or Valerian: Strong, healthy, powerful (Late Latin).

Form of Oliver: Kind, affectionate one (Old Norse; Scandinavian).

“Moonlight” (African origin)

No meaning available

Form of Sharif (sha-REEF): Honorable, eminent (Arabic, North Africa).

“God listens” (Hebrew origin)

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

Place name—Two cities in the United States: Boise, Idaho; Boise City, Oklahoma.

“Brave, powerful” (English origin)