80 Popular African American Names for Boys

By Ruchelle Fernandes - Updated: December 12, 2022

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Video : 25 Meaningful African American Baby Names for Boys
Unique and Cute African American Baby Boy Names With Meanings

A name is something that connects one to their own individuality and identity. It perfectly defines you as a person or what you dream of becoming. However, this also makes selecting the perfect name for your baby a bit difficult. America is a diverse country with a rich culture and heritage. African Americans are a large part of American history. They have been pivotal in shaping America as it is right now. The African culture is deeply embedded not only in American history but also is an integral part of American culture.

African Americans name their babies in different ways. They may either select baby names based on the events taking place around their birth, or they may select baby names inspired by pop culture. Many African American parents give their little ones names of African origins to help develop a deep connection with their heritage.

Video : 25 Meaningful African American Baby Names for Boys

Unique and Cute African American Baby Boy Names With Meanings

Here are some cool and popular African American baby boy names that you can consider for your little prince!

Name	Meaning
Ahmod	A beautiful variation of the classic Arabic name Ahmed, this means “highly praised”.
Aiyden	This is an Irish name which means “little fire”.
Assad	This cool name is a variation of the Arabic name Asad. Its literal translation is “a lion”.
Autry	This name has a French origin which means “noble strength”.
Booker	A name of English origin, this one means “scribe”.
Busta	A classic variation of the American name Buster, this name means “friend”.
Calvin	One of the most famous baby boy names, this name means “bald”.
Caleb	This name has a Hebrew origin, and it means “faithful”.
Craig	This has Scottish, Irish, and Welsh roots. The meaning of this name is “from the rocks”.
Clayton	This name comes from an Old English surname meaning “clay settlement”.
Cassius	Cassius is a Latin name. It’s a popular African American name for boys which means “narcissistic or vain”.
Chante	Chanté is the French word for “sung”. This word is derived from the Latin word Cantare which means “to sing”.
Chaquille	This name has Arabic origins and means “little”.
Cornell	This name has English origins and is the name of a town.
Dameien	Damien is a Greek name which means “to overcome”.
Efrem	Efrem is a name with Spanish origins and means “fruitful”.
Ericson	Ericson is a Swedish name which means “son of Eric”.
Darius	This is an old name for boys which originates from the Persian language. Darius is the English transliteration of “Dariush” meaning “rich or kingly” or “he who possesses”.
Joaquin	This name is an abbreviation of a Hebrew name Jehoichin which means “established by God”.
Dontrell	This name is a variation of an Italian name Donte. The origin of this name is also Italian, and it means “lasting”.
Dijon	A name of French and Hebrew origin, it’s also the name of a city in France. Another beautiful meaning of this name is “God is gracious”.
Ervan	A Breton name and is a variation of the French name Yves. It means “yew”.
Emmett	This name is of Hebrew, German, and English origins, and it means “universal”.
Eldrick	The name has an English origin, and this name means “old or wise ruler”.
Eli	Originated in Hebrew, this name is used commonly used in Afro American communities. The meaning of the name Eli is “ascended, uplifted, or high”.
Godrell	This African American name which is used commonly for baby boys has no clear meaning other than being someone “related to God”.
Garlan	Garlan is a French baby name, which means “wreath or prize”.
Ghalen	Ghalen is a beautiful African name which means “calm”.
Glover	This is quite an unusual name for being based on a profession. Glover has its origins in English, and this name was given to glove makers and sellers.
Grady	Grady is a name which Irish roots which means “noble”.
Hosea	This is a name that has a Hebrew origin. The meaning of this name is “salvation”.
Hakeem	Hakeem is an Arabic name which means “wise”.
Hassan	This name has an Arabic origin meaning “handsome”.
Isiah	A variant of the name “Isaiah” this name has a Hebrew origin. Widely used as a spiritual depiction, this name means “God is my saviour”.
Iker	This African American name has a Spanish origin. Quite a unique name for a boy, and it means “visit”.
Ian	A name of Scottish origin, this name means “God is gracious”.
Izaak	Izaak is a joyous Hebrew name which means “laughter”.
Jayden	A popular American name, this name has Spanish and Hebrew origins, and it means “God has heard”.
Jaheem	Jaheem is a name of Jamaican origin and is popular in African American culture. This name means “raised or dignified”.
Jamal	Jamal is a Hebrew name which means “handsome”.
Joachim	A name of Hebrew origin that means “established by God”.
Joseph	This is a Latin name which means “He will add”.
Justus	This is a Latin name which signifies “justice”.
Keenan	This Irish name has its roots in Hebrew. The Irish name means “little ancient one”, while the Hebrew name, which is also biblical possibly means “possession” as Keenan in the Old Testament is the grandson of Adam.
Kahlil	Kahlil is an Arabic name which means “friends”.
Kimbel	This African American name has its origins in Welsh. This Welsh baby boy name means “warrior chief”.
Khalan	Khalan is an Arabic name which means ‘a strong warrior”.
Keon	It has its origins in both Irish and Hebrew. The meaning of this name is the same as the meaning of the name Ian which is “God is gracious”.
Kelvin	Kelvin is a Scottish name which means “from the river”.
Kordell	Kordell is an English name which means “cord maker”.
Laikin	This African American name is a beautiful variant of the word “lake”. Hence, Laikin means “from the lake”.
Lamonte	This is a Gaelic name which means “man of law”.
Lemarcus	This name has Latin and American origins and means “warlike”.
Lucius	This is a biblical name which has its origins in Latin. In Latin, the name means “light”, and in the biblical reference the name means “luminous”.
Martell	This name has a German origin, and the name means “warrior of Mars”.
Malachiah	This is a Hebrew name which means “God’s messenger”.
Marcel	Marcel in Latin means “belonging to Mars”.
Murphy	This is a Gaelic name which means “sea warrior”.
Neville	Neville is a French name which means “new town”.
Nimbus	This name has a Latin origin, and it means “rainstorm or dark clouds”.
Nolan	This is an Irish name which means “champion”.
Niles	Niles is a Gaelic name which means “son of Neil”.
Orion	A character in Greek mythology, Orion was the son of Poseidon and a hunter. Orion is also “the rising star”.
Orpheus	Having Greek origins, Orpheus is related to Orphne, which means the “darkness of the night”. According to Greek mythology, Orpheus was a poet and musician who went to the underworld to retrieve his wife, Eurydice.
Oscar	Oscar is an English name which means “God’s spear”.
Otis	This name has German, Old English, and Greek roots. The English and German meaning of the name Otis is “prosperity, wealth”. In Greek, Otis means “keen of hearing”.
Owen	This is a Welsh name which means “well-born”.
Payne	This is a name with English origins that means “country-dweller”.
Peter	Peter is a Greek name which means “rock”.
Quinn	This is an Irish name which means “counsel”.
Roscoe	Roscoe is a name of Old Norse origin. This name means “deer forest”.
Rufus	This cute name has a Latin origin, and it means “red-headed.”
Sabah	It has Arabic and Turkish origins; this name means “morning”.
Tyrus	Having its origin in American, Tyrus is an amalgamation of two names “Tyrone” and “Cyrus”. It is a biblical name which means “strength, rock, or sharp”.
Wyclef	This famous name is of English origin, which means “dweller at the white cliff”.
Warren	The literal meaning of this name is “to protect”.
Xavier	This name has both French and Spanish origins. It is a popular and famous name, and it means “a new house”.
Xenon	This unique name which can also be found in the periodic table has a Greek origin, and it means “guest or foreigner”.
Yogi	Meaning a “spiritual guru,” this name was popularized by the Yogi Bear.
Zephan	This name has a Hebrew origin meaning “prized possession of God”.

These unique names are sure to suit your baby boy. Choosing the right name for your baby boy will always be one of the most beautiful parenting experiences. Take help from this list to pick the best black boy names for your baby boy.

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Ruchelle Fernandes

Ruchelle has a vast experience working with clients in hospitality, health and wellness, entertainment, real estate, and retail. She aims to utilise her learnings to deliver quality content which will in turn help drive sales and customer engagement.