95 African American Baby Names With Deep Roots

Connecting to roots while adapting to a new culture.

Written by Ratika Pai, M.Com Specialty: Love, Marriage and RelationshipsExperience: 6 years

Ratika holds a master's degree in commerce and a post-graduate diploma in communication and journalism from Mumbai University. She has 6 years of experience writing in various fields, such as finance, education, and lifestyle.

Read full bio of Ratika Pai

Edited by Rebecca Malachi, BSc Specialty: Pregnancy, Health and WellnessExperience: 12 years

Rebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering research-based and engaging content in areas of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and post-pregnancy. She did her graduation in Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained a certification in ‘Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).

Read full bio of Rebecca Malachi

Fact-checked by Sakshi Mishra, MSc Specialty: Health & WellnessExperience: 3 years

Sakshi holds a bachelor’s degree in Science and a master’s in Bioinformatics from Panjab University, India. She has worked on a research project, “In silico ligand designing exhibiting anti-diabetic activity derived from responsible phytochemicals of selected herbs.

Read full bio of Sakshi Mishra

Last Updated on Aug 2, 2024

Illustration: MomJunction Design Team

African-American baby names have a unique place in American culture. They are a blend of two diverse histories and legacies as the names have witnessed the struggles and triumphs of African people on American soil. Historically, African names have diverse roots exhibiting African, Arabic, and European influences. But when Africans were brought to the US, their employers changed their African names to the latter’s preference and convenience.

Following the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, Africans in the US started to regain their identity as they proudly adopted their African culture (1). Initially, Africans chose biblical names such as Moses, Elijah, and Abraham. However, after the Civil Rights Movement, African Americans preferred adopting newly invented or creative variants of existing names. They started creating new, unique names by adding prefixes such as La- or De- or suffixes such as -ique or -isha to known names. For instance, the popular name Latasha is the African-American variant of Natasha meaning ‘Christmas day.’ Similarly, Deshawn and Deshaun are the African-American version of the English name Shawn meaning ‘Yahweh is gracious.’

The masculine name Tyrique is a variant of the African-American version name Tyrone, which is derived from the Irish Gaelic name of a kingdom, Tir Eoghain meaning ‘land of Eoghan.’ The feminine name Tanisha is believed to be a blend of the names Tamika and Natasha. Even though made-up and modern, the names are a symbol of pride for African Americans. We have curated a list of authentic African-American names; from cool to creative, these names might suit your preference.

Name	Gender	Meaning
Makai	Boy	Who is like God; Ocean
Janiyah	Girl	God is gracious; Favored
Deandre	Boy	Manly; Masculine
Davion	Boy	Beloved; Uncle
Jabari	Boy	Almighty; Powerful; Brave one
Davian	Boy	Beloved; Uncle
Jaelynn	Girl	May God protect; Supplanter
Javon	Boy	Greece; Eternal
Javion	Boy	Greece; Noah's grandson; Young
Akeem	Boy	Wise

Amarion	Boy	Flourishing; To live long; Wished-for child; Sea of bitterness
Deangelo	Boy	Angel; Messenger
Jaylon	Boy	One who remains calm
Janiya	Girl	God's grace; Beloved
Makhi	Boy	Battle; Sea; Who is like God
Donte	Boy	Enduring; Hard
Alaysia	Girl	Nobility; Noble kind
Marquise	Boy	March; Borderland
Jahzara	Girl	Princess; Blessed princess
Jaquan	Boy	Holder of the heel; Supplanter

Dashawn	Boy	Yahweh is gracious
Markell	Boy	Mars; The god of war; Warlike; Male; Horse border; Wolf border
Jayvon	Boy	One who belongs to Greece; Healing; Ionian
Maliya	Girl	A sea of rebelliousness; Wished for child; Beloved
Deshaun	Boy	God is gracious
Jayven	Boy	Ancient Greek inhabitants of Attica
Alea	Girl	High; Lofty; Sublime
Davonte	Boy	Defender; Beloved; River
Martez	Boy	The god of war; Mars; Dedicated to Mars; Warlike; Male
Jariah	Girl	Taught by Yahweh

Jarell	Boy	Spear ruler; Spear hill
Daveon	Boy	Beloved; Uncle
Jaren	Boy	To sing loud
Antwon	Boy	Worthy of praise
Javan	Boy	Greek tribe Ionian; Noah's grandson; Young
Aleeah	Girl	Sublime; High; Exalted
Jaheem	Boy	Dignified; Abyss
Malique	Boy	A king; A master
Donta	Boy	Enduring
Marques	Boy	March; Borderland; Mars; The god of war; Warlike; Male;

Davante	Boy	Defender; Beloved; River; To fight for justice
Iyonna	Girl	Graceful; Beautiful
Martell	Boy	Mallet; Hammer
Rajon	Boy	God has given; God is gracious; Beam of light
Jerron	Boy	Cry of rejoicing; Sacred name
Daysha	Girl	Already
Keonna	Girl	God's gracious gift
Janasia	Girl	Combination of Jane and Asia
Jawan	Boy	God is gracious; Young
Keyonna	Boy	Deity; Light

Aleisha	Girl	Exalted; Noble
Lavar	Boy	An African American name
Ilina	Girl	My God is Yahweh
Martika	Girl	Lady; Mistress
Jerrin	Boy	Cry of rejoicing; Yahweh will exalt
Jaquita	Girl	Supplanter; Little girl; Frenchmen
Montel	Boy	Little mountain; Royal Mountain
Jaco	Boy	Yahweh is gracious; Supplanter
Marque	Boy	March; Borderland
Shanita	Girl	She is a gift of God

Latrell	Girl	Noble; Eager
Montreal	Boy	Imperial mountain; Royal Mountain; Little Mountain
Malkia	Girl	Queen
Ajanae	Girl	One who is persistent or persevering
Shalonna	Girl	One fierce and strong like a lioness
Latanya	Girl	An establisher
Talisa	Girl	A form of Tallis
Shaniqua	Girl	God is gracious; Merciful
Aaniya	Girl	God has answered me; Favor; Grace; Lofty
Quantavious	Boy	Strong; Unique; Charismatic

Roshaun	Boy	A glowing and shining light
Janisha	Girl	One who dispels ignorance; God is gracious
Chiquita	Girl	Little girl
Talisha	Girl	A form os talisa
Lateisha	Girl	A feeling of happiness and joy
Marquetta	Girl	Pearl; Noble title; Borderland; Related to Mars
Marquita	Girl	March; Borderland
Shanique	Girl	A giving God
Latricia	Girl	Noble; Patrician
Kalisha	Girl	Noble; Joy; Beautiful

Shalonda	Girl	Peace; Violet
Jeanetta	Girl	Yahweh is gracious; God is gracious
Telisha	Girl	Beautiful; Adorable
Quianna	Girl	Silky
Laquisha	Girl	Charismatic; Expressive; Communicative
Lashawnda	Girl	God is gracious
Shanika	Girl	The graciousness of God
Ladasha	Girl	Possessing goodness; Christmas day
Shandi	Girl	God's grace
Afternoon	Girl	One who is creative, a risk taker, practical, an art lover, and likes challenges

Kaseko	Boy	To mock or ridicule someone
Lashawn	Unisex	A person who has felt the graciousness of the God
Swintayla	Girl	A sweet one
Sharkeisha	Unisex	Unique; Expressive; Powerful
Jayveon	Boy	Unique; Modern; Strong

African-American baby names honor African history of struggle and courage. For parents, these names are a way to instill a sense of pride in African heritage and history in their children. The names uphold the unique identity of African Americans in the US. When choosing a traditional baby name, ensure it connects your child to their roots and holds meaningful significance. The name should be like an ornament that your child will be proud to flaunt.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How have African American baby naming trends changed over time?

Many African Americans adopted Biblical and European names like John, Mary, and David. But, with the rise of African American movements, like the Civil Rights Movement, the naming trends started shifting towards names inspired by leaders like Rosa and Martin. They also started giving names that celebrated African heritage, such as Quianna and Cleavon.

2. Can African American baby names be influenced by popular culture?

Yes. Many African American names are influenced by popular culture, including those from music, movies, television, and sports. Some examples include Zendaya, Keisha, LeBron, and Serena.

Infographic: African-American Names With Beautiful Meanings

A lot of thought goes into creating a modern name. One of the most important considerations is the meaning of the name. African-American names may be creative variants of American and other foreign names. However, these names have beautiful and powerful meanings that add to their charm. Check out the infographics below for African-American names with beautiful meanings.

modern african american names with positive meanings (infographic)

References

MomJunction's articles are written after analyzing the research works of expert authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by authorities in their respective fields. You can learn more about the authenticity of the information we present in our editorial policy.

A brief history of black names
from Perlie to Latasha. https://news.osu.edu/a-brief-history-of-black-names-from-perlie-to-latasha/

Look Up For Many More Names

Do you have a name in mind and want to know more about it? Or want to find names belonging to a particular origin, religion, or having a specific meaning? Use our search tool below to explore more baby names with different combinations.