Black Names
African American naming has a long and creative history. After emancipation, many families picked names that marked freedom and dignity. During the Civil Rights era, the Black Power movement brought a new wave of names from African languages and Arabic. Later generations built original names from sounds they loved, using prefixes like La-, De- and Sha-. Many of those names are now classics.
This page gathers more than 80 names that are widely used in Black communities, with their meaning and background. For the full lists, see Black girl names, Black boy names and unique Black names. To trace names back to the continent, visit African names.
Black Names: browse all lists
Popular Black girl names
These are some of the most loved names for Black girls in the US today. They mix modern creations with names from Arabic, Swahili and Greek.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Aaliyah | Exalted, sublime | Arabic |
| Imani | Faith | Swahili |
| Nia | Purpose | Swahili |
| Kiara | Bright, clear (Italian Chiara); dark-haired (Irish Ciara) | Italian/Irish |
| Journee | Journey | Modern American |
| Zuri | Beautiful | Swahili |
| Ayanna | Beautiful flower (commonly given) | Modern, African-inspired |
| Jada | Jade stone; also “wise” in Hebrew (Yada) | Spanish/Hebrew |
| Nevaeh | “Heaven” spelled backward | Modern American |
| Tiana | Short for Christiana; also Tatiana | Modern American |
| Kenya | From the country; Mount Kenya | African place name |
| Destiny | Fate | English |
| Essence | The core of something | English word name |
| Amara | Grace | Igbo |
| Khadijah | Early baby; wife of the Prophet Muhammad | Arabic |
| Aisha | Alive, living | Arabic |
Popular Black boy names
Strong, rhythmic names that have been favorites in Black families for decades, alongside newer choices.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Jalen | Calm, tranquil (modern invented meaning) | Modern American |
| Malik | King | Arabic |
| Darius | Holds firm the good | Persian |
| Jamal | Beauty | Arabic |
| Amari | Strength (often given); eternal (Hebrew Amar) | Modern, multiple roots |
| Tyrone | Owen’s land (County Tyrone) | Irish place name |
| DeShawn | De- + Shawn, “God is gracious” | African American |
| Andre | Manly, brave | French, from Greek |
| Marcus | Dedicated to Mars | Latin |
| Terrell | Puller, stubborn (from Tyrell) | English/French |
| Khalil | Friend | Arabic |
| Isaiah | God is salvation | Hebrew |
| Jaylen | Variant of Jalen | Modern American |
| Kareem | Generous, noble | Arabic |
| Elijah | My God is Yahweh | Hebrew |
| Xavier | New house | Basque |
Names with African roots
Families who want to honor ancestral ties often pick names from African languages. Many became popular in the US after the 1960s. Our Swahili names and Nigerian names pages have more.
| Name | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Kofi | Born on Friday | Akan (Ghana) |
| Kwame | Born on Saturday | Akan (Ghana) |
| Ama | Born on Saturday | Akan (Ghana) |
| Ayodele | Joy has come home | Yoruba |
| Chidi | God exists | Igbo |
| Oluwaseun | God has done it / we thank God | Yoruba |
| Baraka | Blessing | Swahili |
| Jabari | Brave, fearless | Swahili |
| Asha | Life | Swahili |
| Kamaria | Like the moon | Swahili |
| Themba | Hope, trust | Zulu/Xhosa |
| Adaeze | King’s daughter, princess | Igbo |
| Sekou | Learned, leader | Mande (Guinea) |
| Makena | Happy one | Kikuyu (Kenya) |
Arabic names in Black American families
Arabic names spread widely through the Nation of Islam and later through Sunni Islam in America. Figures such as Muhammad Ali and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made them famous. Many families now use them regardless of faith. See also Muslim names.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Rashad | Right guidance | Popular since the 1970s |
| Jamila | Beautiful | Feminine of Jamil |
| Hassan | Handsome, good | Common across the Muslim world |
| Tariq | Morning star; he who knocks | From Surah At-Tariq |
| Nadia | Hope (Slavic) or caller (Arabic) | Multiple roots |
| Rasheeda | Rightly guided | Feminine of Rashid |
| Hakim | Wise | One of the 99 names of Allah (al-Hakim) |
| Latifah | Gentle, kind | Queen Latifah made it famous |
| Omar | Flourishing, long-lived | Arabic |
| Zaria | Blooming flower (possibly); also a city in Nigeria | Arabic/Hausa |
| Hasani | Handsome | Swahili, from Arabic |
| Sanaa | Brilliance, radiance (Arabic); art (Swahili) | Arabic/Swahili |
Classic African American creations
Starting in the 1960s and ’70s, Black parents built new names from familiar sounds. Prefixes like La-, Da-, De-, Sha- and Ja- were paired with other elements, and endings like -ique and -isha were common. Many of these are now established names across generations.
| Name | Built from | Note |
|---|---|---|
| LaToya | La- + Toya | Peaked in the 1970s–80s |
| Shaniqua | Sha- + -niqua | A classic of the era |
| Keisha | Possibly from Keziah, “cassia” | Hugely popular in the 1970s |
| DeAndre | De- + Andre, “manly” | Common from the 1970s |
| Tamika | Possibly from Japanese Tamiko | 1970s favorite |
| Lakisha | La- + Keisha | 1970s |
| Latrell | La- + Trell | Popular in sports |
| Shanice | Sha- + Janice | 1980s |
| Jamar | Ja- + Omar or Jamal | 1970s–90s |
| Monique | French, possibly “advisor” | Adopted widely |
| Dominique | Of the Lord | French, used for girls and boys |
| Ebony | Dark, precious wood | Word name, from the 1970s |
| Precious | Of great worth | English word name |
| Dante | Enduring | Italian (Dante Alighieri) |
Names that honor Black history
Some parents pass on a name to honor people who shaped history, as a mark of pride and a story to tell.
| Name | Honors | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Harriet | Harriet Tubman | Home ruler |
| Frederick | Frederick Douglass | Peaceful ruler |
| Maya | Maya Angelou | Illusion (Sanskrit); water (Hebrew) |
| Langston | Langston Hughes | Long stone town |
| Coretta | Coretta Scott King | Maiden (from Cora) |
| Thurgood | Thurgood Marshall | From Old Norse Thorgautr (Thor + Gaut) |
| Rosa | Rosa Parks | Rose |
| Baldwin | James Baldwin | Bold friend |
| Zora | Zora Neale Hurston | Dawn |
| Shirley | Shirley Chisholm | Bright meadow |
| Toni | Toni Morrison | Priceless (from Antonia) |
How to choose a meaningful Black name
- Start with family. Many Black families carry names forward, like a grandmother’s middle name or a great-uncle’s first name. Ask older relatives about the names in your history.
- Know the meaning and language. If you choose an African or Arabic name, learn its real meaning and pronunciation. Our African girl names and African boy names pages help.
- Try an Akan day name. Ghanaian day names such as Kofi (Friday) and Ama (Saturday) connect a child to the day they were born.
- Balance creativity and ease. Original names are part of the tradition. Keep the spelling intuitive so it’s easy to read.
- Pair it with a surname. See how your choice sounds with the family name. Our Black last names page explains where many of those surnames come from.
Frequently asked questions
Where do African American names come from?
They come from many sources: English and biblical names from the colonial era, African and Arabic names adopted from the 1960s onward, and original names built from popular sounds and prefixes like La-, De- and Sha-.
What are popular Black baby names right now?
Names like Aaliyah, Nevaeh, Journee, Zuri, Amari, Jalen, Malik and Isaiah are very popular in Black families across the US.
Why did African American names change in the 1960s and ’70s?
The Civil Rights and Black Power movements encouraged pride in African heritage. Many parents chose African, Arabic or newly created names to express identity and independence.
What does the prefix “La” mean in names like LaToya?
It comes from French and Spanish (the article “la”). In African American names it works as a stylish prefix rather than having a separate meaning, like De- in DeAndre.
What are African day names?
In Akan culture in Ghana, children are traditionally named for the day of the week they were born, such as Kwame (Saturday, boy), Ama (Saturday, girl), Kofi (Friday, boy) and Akua (Wednesday, girl).