African American First Names: Cultural Heritage & Modern Identity

Emmett

Meaning: Industrious, strong (Old German).

Benner

Meaning: 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).

Akintola

Meaning: Possible form of Akin, Akins: Warrior, hero, brave man or boy (ah-KEEN, ah-KEENS—Yoruba, Nigeria).

Jeryl

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

Cliff

Meaning: Form of Clifford: From the cliff ford; one who dwells at the ford near the cliff (Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Muhal

Meaning: Meaning and origin unknown.

Eric

Meaning: Form of Erik: Ever powerful; ever ruler (Old Norse).

Fergus

Meaning: Very choice one; strong man (Irish Gaelic).

Dudley

Meaning: From the people’s meadow; from Dudda's meadow (Irish; Old English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Emile

Meaning: French form of Aemilius: Industrious one; rival (Latin).

Yusef

Meaning: Form of Yoseph or Joseph: He shall add (YOO-suf—Arabic, North Africa; Hebrew; Swahili, East Africa).

Elvan

Roland

Meaning: From the famous land (French; Old High German).

Thom

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

Samuel

Meaning: His name is of God (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Lathon

Meaning: Unique modern name

Rossini

Meaning: Form of Rosso: Red-haired or red-bearded one (Italian); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Orlando

Meaning: Spanish and Italian form of Roland: From the famous land (Old German).

Mario

Meaning: Martial one (Italian; Latin).

Nigel

Meaning: Dark one (Latin).

Alvesta

Meaning: Blend of two names such as Alvin (friend of all; noble friend—Old German) and Ester (star—Hebrew; Persian [Farsi], Iran).

DeAunta

Meaning: Meaning and origin unknown.

Jabez

Meaning: Born in pain (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Cary

Meaning: Dweller at the castles (Old Welsh); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Jestie

Meaning: Form of Jessie, a form of Jesse: Gift; wealth; the Lord exists (Hebrew; Old Testament).

Mark

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

Garrell

Chew

Meaning: Created name from African-American culture.

Lashawn

Meaning: Combination of “La” and “Shawn”

Rashed

Elim

Meaning: Hebrew origin, meaning “strong”

Koffi

Meaning: Born on Friday (Ga [Gao], Ghana; Ewe, Ghana).

Winfort

Meaning: Created name from African-American culture.

Cabell

Meaning: Blend of two names such as Cain (smith, craftsman—Hebrew; Old Testament, first-born son of Adam and Eve) and Abel (breath—Hebrew; Old Testament, second-born son of Adam and Eve).

Arthello

Meaning: Form of Arthur: Noble one; bear-man; brave as a bear (Welsh; English).

Jo-Jo

Meaning: Form of Jojo: Born on Monday (Fante, Ghana).

Louis

Meaning: Great fighter; famous warrior; warrior prince (English, from the Old French and Old High German).

Corday

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

Daran

Tolliver

Meaning: Strong man; ferocious warrior (Americanized form of the Italian family name Taliaferro; English form of Telfer from the Old French taille(r); Scottish); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Woldeyohannes

Meaning: Meaning unknown (Amharic, Ethiopia); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Karver

Murray

Meaning: Dweller from the settlement by the sea (Irish Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Eshawn

Meaning: “Gift of God” (modern African American name)

Rayshard

Meaning: Meaning and origin unknown.

Ishaq

Claude

Meaning: 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).

Ossie

Meaning: Form of Oswald: Divinely powerful (German, borrowed from the English).

Jaivon

Khalil

Meaning: Arabic origin, meaning “friend,” used widely

Marion

Meaning: Masculine form of Marie, the French form of Mary, the English form of the Latin Maria (New Testament), from the Hebrew Miryam: Sea of bitterness or sea of sorrow (Old Testament—sister of Moses and Aaron).

Douglas

Meaning: “Dark river” (Scottish origin)

LeBron

Meaning: “King” (French-inspired modern origin, popularized by LeBron James)

Earvin

Meaning: Handsome (Irish).

Locksley

Meaning: Curly-headed dweller near a clearing in the woods (Anglo-Saxon); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Esmond

Meaning: Gracious protector; protected by God’s grace (Old English).

Conrad

Meaning: “Brave counsel” (German origin)

Antwaun

Meaning: Unique spelling variation of “Antoine”

Anderius

Cyrrale

Meaning: Form of Cyril: Lordly one (Greek).

Timothy

Meaning: He who honors God (Greek; New Testament).

Vin

Meaning: Form of names beginning with “Vin,” such as Vincent (conquering one—Latin) and Vinton (from the wine town—English).

DeQuandre

Meaning: Unique blend of “De” and “Quandre”

Saul

Meaning: “Prayed for” (Hebrew origin)

Mensah

Meaning: Third-born son (MEN-sah—Ewe, Ghana).

Hark

Meaning: Meaning and origin unknown. Named found among enslaved men in the South during the nineteenth century.

Cuff

Meaning: Form of Cuffee, a form of Koffi: Born on Friday (Ga [Gao], Ghana).

Lemon

Meaning: Created name from African-American culture (leh-MONE).

Richmond

Demarrion

Meaning: Unique blend of “De” and “Marrion”

Arris

Zeke

Meaning: Form of Zekezeke: The boring beetle (zay-kay-zay-kay—Kongo, Central Africa).

Ahmad

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

Moses

Meaning: Mercy; saved from the water (Egyptian; Hebrew; Old Testament—referring to the biblical Moses).

Harlin

Meaning: Unique spelling, modern African American name

Kemal

Gerard

Meaning: Brave spearman (German).

Vacil

Meaning: Created name from African-American culture, a form of Vachel: Little cow (Old French).

Lindsay

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

Stacey

Meaning: Form of Stacy: Stable; prosperous (Latin).

Herman

Meaning: Army man, soldier (Old German).

Arvell

Meaning: Unique African American name

Ranson

Meaning: Shield, rim, edge (Middle English); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Britus

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

Richardo

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

Everson

Lucius

Meaning: Bringer of light and knowledge (Latin).

Kristoff

Meaning: Form of Christopher: Believer in Christ; anointed one; Christlike (Greek).

Baba

Meaning: Father, elder (BAH-bah—Fulani, West Africa; Hausa, Nigeria; Swahili, East Africa; Yoruba, Nigeria).

Qua'sean

Sear

Meaning: Meaning and origin unknown. Name found among free black men during the eighteenth century.

Gray

Meaning: “Gray-haired” (English origin)

Wamukota

Meaning: “Born at dawn” (Ugandan origin)

Aldon

Meaning: Modern take on “Alden,” meaning “old, wise friend”

Ceola

Meaning: Created name from African-American culture.

Walter

Meaning: Powerful warrior; army ruler (Old German).

Shadrias

Schieffelin

Meaning: Word name—form of the word dem Schiff: Ships (German); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.

Lucian

Meaning: “Light” (Latin origin)

O'Shea

Meaning: Fine, fortunate (English, from the Irish Gaelic); surname or family name given for a first or middle name.