I have hand-picked 437 best names for black boys from thousands of names on the internet.
A name connects you to your own identity and individuality. It helps define who you are or what you aspire to become. This also makes choosing the perfect name for your child somewhat of a challenge. There are many alternate names for black boys.
If you are interested in finding the right name for your new son instead of picking random black names, this list was made for you. Today we will be looking at some great baby names for black boys.
You may also want to check out the Best White Boy Names With Meaning.
Table of Contents
How African American Name Their Babies
African Americans name their babies in a variety of ways.
They may choose baby names based on the events surrounding their birth, or they may choose inspirational baby names from pop culture. Many African American parents also give their babies names that originated from African to help connect them with their heritage. The most common black male names are here.
Modern black baby names follow no particular structure. However, most African American parents go with names that are memorable and hold a meaning dear to them.
52 Blackest black guy Names for Black Boys
One-Syllable Black Origin Names
- Niles – Scandanavian name “son of Neil”
Two-Syllable Black Origin Names
- Aiyden – Irish name “little fire”
- Andres – Spanish name “warrior”
- Antonne – Roman name “priceless”
- Booker – English “book binder”
Name inspired by Booker T Washington (Image credit: Britannica)
- Brayton – Irish name “brave” and wise”
- Chaquille – Arabic name “little”
- Darius – Persian name “rich” and “kingly”
- Efrem – Spanish name “fruitful”
- Ghalen – African name “calm” and “peaceful”
- Hakeem – Arabic name “wise” and “intelligent”
- Izaak – Hebrew name “laughter”
- Jamal – Arabic name “beauty”
- Kahlil – Arabic name “friend”
- Kelvin – English name “friend of ships”
- Kordell – English name “cord maker”
- Jaylen – Hebrew name “thankful”
- Jordan – Hebrew name “to flow down”
- Justus – Latin name “upright” and “just”
- Lamonte – Norse name “lawman”
- Malachiah – Hebrew name “messenger of God”
- Malik – Arabic name “king”
- Nolan – Irish name “champion”
- Oscar – English name “God’s spear”
- Trayvon – American name “brave” and “chosen one”
- Xavier -Arabic name “new house” or “bright” – also founder of X Men
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Name inspired by Professor X (Image credit: Screen Rent)
Three-Syllable Black Origin Names
- Angelo
- Caremolo
- Damien – Greek name “to overcome”
- Donovan
- Elijah – Hebrew name “Yahweh is my God”
- Emerson
- Everett
- Finnegan
- Gideon
- Hamilton
- Ibrahim
- Isaiah – Hebrew name “Yahweh is salvation”
- Mathias
- Mohamed
Name inspired by Muhammad Ali (Image credit: US Embassy Paris)
Four-Syllable Black Origin Names
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- Abdulrahman
- Abubakar
- Abhimanyu
- Emanuel
- Ezekiel
- Frederico
- Giovanni
- Jedidiah
- Jeremiah – Hebrew name “Yahweh will rise”
- Octavio
- Tiberius
- Zachariah
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29 Cute Popular African American Boys Names with Meaning
Check out these cute and popular names that we have curated.
You may also like African American Best Names For Black.
Cute Popular Black Baby Names for Boys with 1-2 Syllables
- Fynn – Irish name “descendant of Flann”
- James – Hebrew name “supplanter”
Name inspired by James Harden (Image credit: Houston Chronicle)
- Zaire – Bantu name “the river that swallows all rivers”
- Brandon – English name “broom-covered hill”
- Caleb – Hebrew name “faithful” and “whole-hearted”
- David – Hebrew name “beloved”
- Dontrell – Italian name “lasting”
- Ethan – Hebrew name “firm” and “enduring”
- Jamir – Arabic name “good looks”
- Joseph – Latin name “he will add”
- Justin – Latin name “fair” and “righteous”
- Lashawn – American “God is gracious”
- Matthew – Hebrew “gift of Yahweh”
- Montrell – Spanish “mountain”
- Tyler – Old English “tile maker”
- Sultan – Arabic “king”
- Zy’aire – African “river”
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Cute Popular Black Baby Names for Boys with 3-4 Syllables
- Amari – Hebrew “eternal”
- Anthony – Roman “priceless one”
- Cameron – Irish “crooked river”
- Christian – English “follower of Christ”
- Christopher – Biblical “Christ-bearer”
- Dakari – African “rejoice”
- Daniel – Hebrew “God is my judge”
- Demarcus – English “son of Marcus”
- Gabriel – Hebrew “God is my strength”
- Jelani – African American “mighty”
- DeAnthony – American “praiseworthy”
- JaMarion – American “sparks” and sea”
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40 Unique Baby Names for Black Boys
Unique Short Names for Black Boys
Short but unique choices for black boys
- Craig – Scottish means “rock”
- Adwin – Ghanan means “artist” or “intellectual”
- Ahmad – Arabic means “much-praised”
- Asaad – Arabic means “lion”
- Autry – Old English means “noble strength”
- Aston
- Blaise
- Busta
- Booker
- Calem – Latin origins and related to Columba
- Calvin
- Dajon – means “God is gracious”
- Daran – Irish means “great”
- Ender – Turkish boy name
- Farrell – Irish “man of courage”
- Furnell – Old English “fern-covered hill”
- Gabra – Persian means “gift of offering”
- Gogo – means “tonga”
- Guyton – means “person from Gayton”
- Haji – means “person born during Hajj”
- Hampton – Old English “home settlement”
- Herold – Dutch means “strong fighter”
- Jaylen – Hebrew means “thankful”
- Joshua – Hebrew means “God is deliverance”
- Karlus – English means “settlement of free men”
- Kwamie – African “health” and “spirituality”
- Luther – English “lute player”
- Major – Latin “greater”
- Miles – gracious – of German origins Milo
Name inspired by Miles Davis (Image credit: uDiscover Music)
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Unique Rare Black Baby Boy Names with 3-4 Syllables
- Aldous – old English origins
- Abasi – Egyptian “stern”
- Adama – Hebrew “earth”
- Cassian – originated from Roman family name Cassianus, meaning Empty and vain
- Sextus – Roman origins, meaning sixth in Latin
- Elimu – Swahili “knowledge”
- Erasto – Italian “beloved”
- Erasmus – the name of Charles Darwin’s grandfather, variations of Erasmios
- Finnick – with origins from the Hunger game
- Iniko – African “born during troubled times”
- Jimiyu – African “born during summer”
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41 Warrior Handsome Black Baby Boy Names
One-Syllable Warrior Black Baby Boy Names
Fierce warrior name choices for black kids.
- Beau
- Clay
- Gage
- Jay
- Ken – Japanese “healthy”
- Leif
- Max
- Sam – Hebrew “told by God”
- Pax
- Taj
- Tate
- Troy
- Vance
Two-Syllable Warrior Black Baby Boy Names
Fierce warrior name choices for black kids.
- Aitan – Hebrew “long-lived”
- Amir – Persian “immortal”
- Amos – Hebrew “to carry”
- Anwa – Arabic “strong-willed”
- Armstrong – English “strong fighter”
- Atu – Arabic “powerful”
- Berta – Old English “bright”
- Carel – German “free man”
- Carlos – Spanish “free man”
- Chacha – Arabic “eagle”
- Ekon – Arabic “strong”
- Ekun – African “lion”
- Eno – German “strong with a sword”
- Hamza – Arabic “brave man”
- Kale – African “strong” and “manly”
- Khalon – American “strong warrior”
- Mwamba – Nyakyusan “strong”
- Njau – African “young bull”
- Nyack – African “persistent”
- Pedro – Latin “rock”
- Zende – African “strong” and “firm”
Name inspired by Zende Forrester Dominguez, a character on the The Bold and the Beautiful.
Three-Syllable Warrior Black Baby Boy Names
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Fierce warrior name choices for black kids.
- Averey – German “magical being”
- Kiume – African “masculine” and “strong”
- Kijana – African “youth”
- Mukunda – Hindi “freedom giver”
- Obike – Lgbo “a strong household”
- Jabali – Swahili “strong as a rock”
- Tegama – African “region in Niger”
52 Badass black kid names with Meanings
One-Syllable Badass Names with Meanings
- Blaze – Latin “fire”
- Jax – English “favored by God”
- Lars – Roman “crowned with laurel”
- Knox – English “top of a hill”
Two-Syllable Badass Names with Meanings
- Aera – Hindi origin “lion”
- Archer – Eng “an archer”
- Bjorn – Dutch “bear”
- Caesar – Latin “thick head of hair”
- Corbin – Eng “raven”
- Draco – Latin “dragon”
- Darby – Irish “free from envy”
- Hardwin – Old English “courageous friend”
- Jagger – Hindi “hunter”
- Kestrel – French “falcon cry”
- Legend – Eng “myth”
- Logan – Scottish “little hollow”
- Neron – Spanish “sea”
- Tyson – English “firebrand”
Name inspired by Mike Tyson, the former boxing champ. (Image credit: Los Angeles Times)
- Phoenix – Greek “dark red”, also a legendary bird.
- Ranger- French “forest guardian”
- Rocco – German “rest”
- Rumi – Famous Persian poet
- Ryder – Eng “knight”
- Talon – Eng “large claw from bird of prey”
- Wilder – Old English “untamed”
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Three-Syllable Badass Names with Meanings
- Anderson
- Arsenio – Spanish origin “strong”
- Diego
- Dominic
- Donovan – Irish word “dark-haired chieftain”
- Julius
- Killian
- Lionel
- Maverick – American “wildly independent”
- Orion – Greek word “mighty hunter”
- Raphael
Name inspired by Mike Tyson, the former boxing champ. (Image credit: Sky Sports)
- Sebastian
- Sergio
- Sirius
- Tobias
Four-Syllable Badass Names with Meanings
- Aloysius
- Amadeus
- Aurelius
- Bartholomew
- Cornelius
- Demetrius
- Leonardo
- Leonidas
- Hezekiah
- Nehemiah
- Tiberius
- Valentino – Latin word “strong”
30 Classic Black Boy Names
One-Syllable Classic Black Names
- Blake – English meaning “dark”
- Bruce – French meaning “from brushwood thicket”
- Clark – Latin meaning “scribe” or “clerk”
Two-Syllable Classic Black Names
- Abel – Hebrew originated “breath” or “vapor”
- Ambrose – Greek “immortal”
- Andre – French “manly”
- Caspar – Persian “treasurer”
- Cato – Latin “all-knowing”
- Curtis – English “polite”
- Derek – German “the people’s ruler”
- Douglas – Irish “stream”
- Eli – Hebrew “elevated”
- Emmett – German “universal”
- Francis – Latin “free man:
- Hector – Greek “restrain”
- Isaac – Hebrew “one who laughs”
- Jalen – Greek “healer”
- Marquis – French “nobleman”
- Moses – Hebrew “to pull out of water”
- Nero – Latin “powerful”
- Owen – Welsh “well-born”
- Pascal – Pascal “born on Easter”
- Percy – English “soldier”
- Roscoe – Norse “doe wood”
- Tyrone – Irish “land of the Yew tree”
- Wesley English “field to the west”
Three-Syllable Classic Black Names
- Alonzo – Spanish “noble”
- Apollo – Greek “destroyer”
- Lysander – Greek “liberator”
- Jupiter – Latin “the supreme god”
30 Adorable and Popular Black Boy Names
Adorable and Popular Black Boy Names with 1 Syllable
- Ade – Nigerian “royal”
- Cain – Hebrew “spear”
- Dace – French “of nobility”
- Taj – Persian “crown”
- Zain – Arabic “beauty”
Adorable and Popular Black Boy Names with 2 Syllables
- Arris – Greek name means “best”
- Ayren – Hebrew name means “mountain of strength”
- Chike – Egyptian name means “God’s strength”
- Davu – African name means “the beginning”
- Ekon – Nigerian name means “strong”
- Issa – Arabic name means “Jesus”
- Kasim – Arabic “divided”
- Keenan – Irish “ancient”
- Kellan – German “slender”
- Kendi – African “loved one”
- K’yeon – African American “good fortune”
- Kwame – African “born on a Saturday”
- Mosi – African “born first”
- Oman – Hindi “giver of life”
- Raden – Japanese “god of thunder”
- Rion – Gaelic “king”
- Saleem – Arabic “safe”
- Shobi – English “glorious”
- Tatum – English “Tate’s homestead”
Adorable and Popular Black Boy Names with 3 Syllables
- Azibo – African “earth”
- Dakarai – African “rejoice”
- Hamidi – Swahili “to be commended”
- Jabari – Swahili “brave one”
- Odion – Lgbo “first of twins”
- Omari – Swahili “God the highest”
41 Botanical Black Boy Names
One-Syllable with Botanical Meaning
- Clem – Latin “merciful”
- Sage – Latin “wise”
- Rhodes – German “where roses grow”
Two-Syllable with Botanical Meaning
- Adair – Old English “happy spear”
- Alder – Old English “old”
- Aspen – American “quaking tree”
- Basil – Greek “kingly”
- Burleigh – Old English “meadow with knotty-trunk trees”
- Calix – Greek “handsome”
- Cedar – American “tree”
- Elon – Hebrew “oak tree”
- Florent – Old French “in flower”
- Florian – Roman “yellow flower”
- Gilford – Old English “ford with yellow flowers”
- Gulzar – Arabic “rose garden”
- Hawthorne – Old English “where hawthorn trees grow”
- Linden – English “made from linwood”
- Lotem – Hebrew “bush of golden flowers”
- Palmer – Old English “pilgrim”
- Quesnel – French “little oak”
- Raanan – Hebrew “green” and “flourishing”
- Stockley – Old English “tree-stump meadow”
- Tamir – Hebrew “arcane”
- Zahar – Arabic “bloom”
- Zahir – Arabic “flourishing”
3-4 Syllables with Botanical Meaning
- Amaranth
- Aweinon – Native American “moving flowers”
- Bryony
- Clementine
- Crisento – Spanish “gold flower”
- Elowen
- Gentian
- Hinata – Japanese “sunny place”
- Oleander
- Oliver
- Sequoia
- Talasi – Native American “cornflower”
- Timothy
- Pahukumaa – Native American “edge of sunflower”
- Yarrow
- Zinnia
40 Geeky Nerdy Sci-Fi Black Boy Names
One-Syllable with Sci-Fi Origin
- Blaise – Harry Potter
- Kael – Vindictus video game
- Fox – X-Files TV series
- Spike – Buffy the Vampire Slayer film series
- Spock – Star Trek
Name inspired by Caption Spock from Star Trek. (Image credit: LA Times)
Two-Syllable with Sci-Fi Origin
- Aegon – with origins from the Game of Thrones – Aegon Targaryen, niece of Jon Snow
- Aldous -Huxley, influential science fiction author
- Arthur – Clark, notable science fiction writer
- Cassian – Star Wars
- Deckard – Blade Runner
- Dexter – Dexter
- Emmett – Back to the Future
- Ender – Ender’s Game
- Erwin – Attack on Titan
- Jareth – Labyrinth
- Gandalf – Lord of the Rings
- Genji – Overwatch
- Hogarth – Ted
- Idris – Operating system from the 1980s
- Kaidan – Mass Effect
- Ludo – Labyrinth
- Marty Back to the Future
- Milo – The Phantom Tollbooth
- Ronan – Centaur character from the Harry Potter series
- Rory – Doctor Who
- Sauron – Antagonist from the Lord of the Rings
- Tyrian – Game of Thrones
- Sheldon – Big Bang Theory
- Pascal – I would pick this as the most scientific baby name for the names appearance in math: Pascal’s Theorem, Pascal’s Law, Pascal’s Wager, and Pascal’s Triangle fame
- Xavier -Arabic name “new house” or “bright” – also founder of X Men
Name inspired by Name inspired by Professor X (Image credit: Screen Rent)
Three-Syllable with Sci-Fi Origin
- Alistair – Dragon Age videogames
- Barnaby
- Ellery
- Faramir – Lord of the Rings books
- Julian
- Lazarus
- Leander
- Harrison
- Malachi
- Remington
- Solomon
- Theodore
- Zachary
42 Unisex Black Boy Names (also work for Girls)
One-Syllable Unisex Names
- Drew – Welsh “wise”
- Gray – English “the color grey”
- Jules – French “youthful”
- Lee – English “meadow”
- Quinn – Irish “counsel”
- Sloan – Irish “warrior”
- Vick – Latin “champion”
- Wren – Old English “small bird”
Two-Syllable Unisex Names
- Ali – Arabic “elevated”
- Avery – French “wise”
- Bailey – Old English “agent of the law”
- Brady – Irish “descendant of Bradach”
- Casey – Irish “vigilant”
- Charlie – German “free man”
- Devon – Old English “defender”
- Eden – Hebew “Biblical garden”
- Frankie – French “free man”
- Harper – English “harp player”
- Haskell – English “god helmet”
- Hayden – Old English “hedged valley”
- Kyrie – Greek “lord”
- Lennox – Scottish “with many elm trees”
- Lumi – Finnish “snow”
- Mason – English “stone worker”
- Merritt – Old English “boundary gate”
- Samar – Sanskrit “battlefield commander”
- Sydney – English “wide meadow”
Three-Syllable+ Unisex Names
- Addison
- Albany
- Avery
- Cameron
- Emery – Latin “loving”
- Indiana
- Kennedy – Irish “chieftain”
- Mackenzie
- McKenna
- Montana
- Nikita
- Romilly
- Tennyson
- Trinity – Latin “divine triad”
- Dominique
40 Famous African American Male Names
Famous One-Syllable Names
- Chris Rock, American comedian
- Duke Ellington, American pianist
- George Washington Carver, African American inventor
- John Coltrane, jazz saxophonist
- Miles Davis, jazz trumpeter
- Prince American musician
- Spike Lee, American director
- Will Smith, American actor
Famous Two-Syllable Names
(Image credit: BBC)
- Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States
- Chadwick Boseman, American actor
- Denzel Washington, American Actor
- Eddie Murphy, American Actor
- Guion Stewart Bluford, first African American in space
- Jesse Jackson, African American political activist
- Kanye West, American hip hop artist
- Kevin Hart, American comedian
- Laurence Fishburn, American actor
- LeBron James, basketball player
- Malcom X, civil rights activist
- Martin Luther King, influential Civil Rights activist
- Pharrell Williams, American singer
- Richard Pryor, American comedian
- Samuel L. Jackson, American actor
- Shaquille O’Neal, basketball player
- Tiger Woods, championship-winning golfer
Famous Three-Syllable and Four-Syllable Names
- Amiri Baraka, American poet
- Anthony Anderson
- Arsenio Hall
- Benjamin O’Davis, United States Air Force general
- Elijah McCoy, African American inventor
- Gregory Hines
- Jeronimo Spinx
- Lionel Richie
- Mahershala Ali
- Moneta Sleet Jr
- Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest American boxers
- Orlando Jones
- Terrence Thornton
- Alexander Crummell, African nationalist, and pastor
- Willian Paul Mitchell
Best Books For Naming Babys
Here are the best naming books with good reviews and ratings
- 100,000+ Baby Names: The most helpful, complete, & up-to-date name book – This book contains 100,000+ names including the newly popular names and the latest naming trends.
- The Name Book: Over 10,000 Names – Their Meanings, Origins, and Spiritual Significance – A comprehensive book of 12,000 names, including their meanings, origins, and spiritual significance, with a supporting Scripture for each.
- The Baby Name Wizard, 2019 Revised 4th Edition: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby – A fully revised and updated version of the classic baby name guide, featuring updated trends, facts, ideas, and thousands of enchanting names.
The Complete Book of Baby Names: The #1 Baby Names Book with the Most Unique Baby Girl and Boy Names – The Complete Book of Baby Names as their essential guide for choosing the perfect name for their child.
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Closing Thoughts
Adding a new member to your family can be exciting. Brings mother’s joy.
Be sure to choose the right name for your son before their birth, as it may influence the kind of person they grow up to become.
Q&A
Q: What are some funny black guy names that have gained popularity?
A: While humor is subjective, it’s crucial to respect cultural heritage when considering names. Instead, focus on names that honor identity and heritage.
Q: What are some examples of gender-neutral black names?
A: Gender-neutral options like Jordan, Cameron, and Riley celebrate diversity within African American culture.
Q: Are there twin names for girls rooted in African American culture?
A: Yes, names like Zuri and Nia, Aisha and Ayana, or Kamari and Kali celebrate cultural heritage and sibling bonds.
Q: What is considered the “blackest name” ever, and why?
A: Avoid singling out one name as “blackest,” as it perpetuates stereotypes. Embrace the diversity and richness of African American names.
Q: Can you provide examples of black people names with Hebrew meanings?
A: Names like Malachi (“my messenger”) and Zion (“highest point”) reflect the cultural diversity within African American names.
Q: How do black baby boys’ names reflect the cultural heritage of the African American community?
A: Black baby boys’ names often honor African roots, historical figures, and events like the civil rights movement, showcasing pride and resilience.