NAMES 101

Unique Black Boy Names that Start with A to Z: Top Picks

Last updated on September 23rd, 2024 at 12:23 pm

Discover unique black boy names in our guide that honor heritage and individuality. Find the perfect name to celebrate your son’s bright future, from African-inspired choices to modern twists.

Jump to our complete guide to boy names!

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Unique Black boy names often draw from African heritage, cultural icons, and modern trends.

Many names carry powerful meanings related to strength, wisdom, or leadership.

Popular choices include Jabari, Dakari, and Xavier.

Black Baby Boy Names by Letter:

A
B
c
D
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z

Curated Names:

ghetto boy names
Names with Ch

What are the top 100 black boy names with meaning?

Name popularity can vary significantly by region and change quickly over time. Here are some naming trends and popular names that have been historically common or growing in popularity among African American families in recent years, based on data available on the Internet:

  1. Aiden
  2. Elijah
  3. Zion
  4. Jayden
  5. Carter
  6. Xavier
  7. Ezra
  8. King
  9. Kayden
  10. Jordan

But what if we dive deeper and pick the top 100 black boy names from the most used names? Here is our list:

A-Z Order

  1. Aaron – “High mountain” or “Exalted” (Hebrew)
  2. Adrian – “From Hadria” (Latin)
  3. Ahmad – “Most praised” (Arabic)
  4. Aiden – “Fiery” (Irish)
  5. Alexander – “Defender of mankind” (Greek)
  6. Ali – “Elevated, noble” (Arabic)
  7. Amir – “Prince, commander” (Arabic)
  8. Andre – “Manly, brave” (French)
  9. Andrew – “Manly, brave” (Greek)
  10. Anthony – “Priceless one” (Latin)
  11. Antonio – “Praiseworthy” (Latin)
  12. Arlo – “Fortified hill” (Anglo-Saxon)
  13. Ashton – “Ash tree town” (English)
  14. Austin – “Great, magnificent” (Latin)
  15. Avery – “Ruler of the elves” (English)
  16. Ayden – Variant of Aiden, “Fiery” (Irish)
  17. Blake – “Dark” or “Pale” (Old English)
  18. Brandon – “Broom-covered hill” (English)
  19. Brayden – “Brave” (Irish)
  20. Brian – “Noble, strong” (Irish)
  21. Caleb – “Faithful, devoted” (Hebrew)
  22. Cameron – “Crooked nose” (Scottish)
  23. Carter – “Transporter of goods” (English)
  24. Charles – “Free man” (German)
  25. Chase – “Hunter” (French)
  26. Christian – “Follower of Christ” (Greek)
  27. Christopher – “Christ-bearer” (Greek)
  28. Clarence – “Bright, clear” (Latin)
  29. Damian – “To tame, subdue” (Greek)
  30. Darius – “Possessing goodness” (Persian)
  31. David – “Beloved” (Hebrew)
  32. Davion – Modern variant of David, “Beloved”
  33. Deandre – Combination of De (prefix) and Andre, “Manly, brave”
  34. Derrick – “People’s ruler” (German)
  35. Desmond – “From south Munster” (Irish)
  36. Dominic – “Of the Lord” (Latin)
  37. Donovan – “Dark warrior” (Irish)
  38. Elijah – “Yahweh is God” (Hebrew)
  39. Emanuel – “God is with us” (Hebrew)
  40. Emerson – “Son of Emery” (English)
  41. Emmanuel – “God is with us” (Hebrew)
  42. Ethan – “Strong, firm” (Hebrew)
  43. Ezekiel – “God strengthens” (Hebrew)
  44. Ezra – “Help, helper” (Hebrew)
  45. Gabriel – “God is my strength” (Hebrew)

46. George – “Farmer” (Greek)
47. Gianni – Italian form of John, “God is gracious”
48. Isaiah – “Salvation of the Lord” (Hebrew)
49. Isiah – Variant of Isaiah, “Salvation of the Lord”
50. Jamal – “Beauty” (Arabic)
51. James – “Supplanter” (Hebrew)
52. Jared – “Descent” (Hebrew)
53. Jase – Diminutive of Jason, “Healer”
54. Jason – “Healer” (Greek)
55. Jaxon – Modern variant of Jackson, “Son of Jack”
56. Jayden – “Thankful” (Hebrew)
57. Jaylon – Modern coined name
58. Jeremiah – “Appointed by God” (Hebrew)
59. Jeremy – “Appointed by God” (Hebrew)
60. Jesse – “Gift” (Hebrew)
61. John – “God is gracious” (Hebrew)
62. Jonathan – “Gift of God” (Hebrew)
63. Jordan – “To flow down” (Hebrew)
64. Joseph – “He will add” (Hebrew)
65. Joshua – “God is salvation” (Hebrew)
66. Justin – “Just, upright, righteous” (Latin)
67. Kamari – “Moon” (African)
68. Kareem – “Noble, generous” (Arabic)
69. Keith – “Wood, forest” (Scottish)
70. Kendrick – “Royal ruler” (Anglo-Saxon)
71. Kevin – “Handsome” (Irish)
72. Khalil – “Friend” (Arabic)
73. Kingston – “King’s town” (English)
74. Kobe – “Tortoise” (Swahili) or short for Jacoby

75. Kyrie – “Lord” (Greek)
76. Lamar – “The sea” (Latin)
77. Legend – “Story, tale” (English)
78. Liam – Short for William, “Resolute protection”
79. Malachi – “My messenger” (Hebrew)
80. Malcolm – “Devotee of Saint Columba” (Scottish)
81. Marcus – “Dedicated to Mars” (Latin)
82. Marquis – “Nobleman” (French)
83. Mason – “Stoneworker” (English)
84. Maurice – “Dark-skinned” (Latin)
85. Michael – “Who is like God?” (Hebrew)
86. Miles – “Soldier” or “Merciful” (Latin)
87. Myles – Variant of Miles, “Soldier” or “Merciful”
88. Nathan – “He gave” (Hebrew)
89. Nijel – Variant of Nigel, “Dark” or “Black-haired”
90. Noah – “Rest, comfort” (Hebrew)
91. Omar – “Eloquent” (Arabic)
92. Omari – “High born” (Swahili)
93. Quincy – “Estate of the fifth son” (French)
94. Raheem – “Compassionate” (Arabic)
95. Rashad – “Righteous, wise” (Arabic)
96. Robert – “Bright fame” (German)
97. Samuel – “Name of God” or “God has heard” (Hebrew)
98. Terrence – “Smooth” (Latin)
99. Xavier – “New house” or “Bright” (Basque)
100. Zion – “Highest point” (Hebrew)

Cute black boy names that start with A

Grab these lists with unique and uncommon ideas of black boy names that start with A letter.

  1. Aaron
  2. Abassi
  3. Abiola
  4. Adama
  5. Adamu
  6. Adesina
  7. Adigun
  8. Adinah
  9. Adisa
  10. Adonis
  11. Adu
  12. Afari
  13. Afolabi
  14. Afred
  15. Ahati
  16. Aiden
  17. Ajayi
  18. Akachi
  19. Akeem
  20. Akili
  21. Akintunde
  22. Alain
  23. Alvyn
  24. Amari
  25. Amaru
  26. Amin
  27. Amiri
  28. Amos
  29. Anasu
  30. Aniol
  1. Aarav
  2. Abasiama
  3. Abeni
  4. Abimbola
  5. Adaiah
  6. Adanseh
  7. Adaugo
  8. Adebayo
  9. Adedayo (“The crown or royalty became joyful”)
  10. Adekolu
  11. Ademide
  12. Adeoye
  13. Adesoji
  14. Adigun
  15. Adindu
  16. Adisa
  17. Adoboli
  18. Adokwei
  19. Adomi
  20. Adonis
  21. Adoyo
  1. Adze
  2. Afari
  3. Afolayan
  4. Afred
  5. Agadoo
  6. Ahati
  7. Ahomka
  8. Aidenyo
  9. Ajani
  10. Akachi
  11. Akeni
  12. Akosua
  13. Alafe
  14. Alkebu

Reddit Picks

Aaron
Aiden/Ayden
Amir
Andrew
Anthony
Aris
Ashton
black boy names that start with a
Unique black boy names that start with A
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Black boy names that start with B

  1. Bakari
  2. Baako
  3. Baraka
  4. Bayo
  5. Behanzin
  6. Bheka
  7. Bomani
  8. Bosede
  9. Brata
  10. Breyten
  11. Broden
  12. Bujumbura
  13. Bunmi
  14. Buziba
  15. Babatunde
  16. Bakari
  17. Balozi
  18. Bantu
  19. Baraka
  20. Basha
  21. Bashir
  22. Basir
  23. Basith
  24. Baukje
  25. Bayard
  26. Bazil
  27. Beauregard
  28. Belafonte
  29. Belizio
  30. Bembe
  31. Benji
  1. Benka
  2. Bentley
  3. Beric
  4. Berihun
  5. Besa
  6. Biko
  7. Bilal
  8. Bodhi
  9. Bohdi
  10. Bongani
  11. Bonginkosi
  12. Boniface
  13. Bokang
  14. Booker
  15. Brathwaite
  16. Braxton
  17. Brawley
  18. Brenden
  19. Brendon
  20. Brent
  21. Brexton
  22. Bricen
  23. Briggs
  24. Brighton
  25. Briston
  26. Brixton
  27. Broderick
  28. Bromley
  29. Bronagh
  30. Bronson
  31. Brooklyn
  32. Bryce

Reddit Picks

Booker
Brandon
black boy names that start with b
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Black boy names that start with C

  1. Caleb
  2. Cameron
  3. Carter
  4. Charles
  5. Chase
  6. Christian
  7. Christopher
  8. Caden
  9. Cedric
  10. Chauncey
  11. Clarence
  12. Clifford
  13. Courtney
  14. Curtis
  15. Cyrus

Reddit Picks

Cairo
Caleb
Christian
Christopher
Colby

Black boy names that start with Ch

  • Charles
  • Chase
  • Chad
  • Chance
  • Chandler
  • Chauncey
  • Chaz
  • Chester
  • Christian
  • Christopher
  • Channing
  • Chip
  • Chuck
  • Chadwick
  • Cheyenne

Unique black boy names that start with D

  1. Damian
  2. Darius
  3. Darryl
  4. Dashawn
  5. Damon
  6. Dante
  7. Deandre
  8. Demetrius
  9. Denzel
  10. Deshaun
  11. Desmond
  12. Devin
  13. Devon
  14. Dexter
  15. Dominic
  16. Donovan
  17. Dorian
  18. Draven
  19. Dwayne
  20. Dwight
  21. Dakari
  22. Darnell
  23. Darrien
  24. Davion
  25. Davonte
  26. Delvin
  27. Demarco
  28. Demarcus
  29. Demario
  30. Denzell

Reddit Picks

Daniel
Darius
David
Devell
Dietrich
black boy names that start with d
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Black boy names that start with E

  1. Elijah
  2. Ethan
  3. Emmanuel
  4. Ezra
  5. Eric
  6. Ellis
  7. Ezekiel
  8. Evan
  9. Elias
  10. Eddie
  11. Emerson
  12. Emmett
  13. Ernest
  14. Ellis
  15. Eugene

Reddit Picks

Elijah
Ethan

Black boy names that start with F

  • Fabian
  • Fadil
  • Fahari
  • Faiz
  • Falcon
  • Faraji
  • Fareed
  • Fenton
  • Femi
  • Festus
  • Fidel
  • Finley
  • Fitzgerald
  • Franklin
  • Freeman

Black boy names that start with G

  • Gadi
  • Ghalen
  • Gamba
  • Garner
  • Garvey
  • Genesis
  • Geoffrey
  • Gero
  • Gibran
  • Gideon
  • Gifton
  • Gilbert
  • Glover
  • Godfrey
  • Grady

Black boy names that start with H

  • Habib
  • Haji
  • Hakim
  • Hakeem
  • Hamadi
  • Hamid
  • Hannibal
  • Harlem
  • Hasan
  • Hashim
  • Hassani
  • Hawani
  • Henson
  • Hosea
  • Hubert

Reddit Picks

Hakeem

Black boy names that start with I

  • Ibraheem
  • Ibrahim
  • Idris
  • Imari
  • Imhotep
  • Iniko
  • Iniko
  • Imani
  • Isiah
  • Ishmael
  • Israel
  • Ishan
  • Issa
  • Izem
  • Iziah

Reddit Picks

Isaac
Isaiah

Black boy names that start with J

  • Jabari
  • Jaden
  • Jamal
  • Jamar
  • Jamel
  • Jamil
  • Jamir
  • Jaquan
  • Jared
  • Javion
  • Jaxon
  • Jaylen
  • Jermaine
  • Josiah
  • Justice

Reddit Picks

Jacob
Jaden
Jamal
Jamar
James
Jalen/Jaylin
Jeremiah
John
Jonathan
Jordan
Joseph
Joshua
Josiah
Justin

Black boy names that start with K

  • Kael
  • Kairo
  • Kalen
  • Kamari
  • Kareem
  • Kaseem
  • Kavi
  • Keenan
  • Kenji
  • Khalil
  • Khamari
  • King
  • Kofi
  • Kyan
  • Kwame

Reddit Picks

Keenan
Kyle

Black boy names that start with L

  1. Lamont
  2. Langston
  3. Laquan
  4. Laron
  5. Latif
  6. Lavelle
  7. Lebron
  8. Legend
  9. Lemar
  10. Lennox
  11. Leroy
  12. LeVar
  13. Lionel
  14. Livingston
  15. Luken

Black boy names that start with M

  1. Malachi
  2. Malik
  3. Marcus
  4. Mario
  5. Marlon
  6. Marquis
  7. Marshall
  8. Martin
  9. Marvin
  10. Mason
  11. Maurice
  12. Maverick
  13. Maximilian
  14. Maxwell
  15. Melvin
  16. Messiah
  17. Michael
  18. Micah
  19. Miles
  20. Milo
  21. Milton
  22. Marshawn
  23. Maurshai
  24. Maurrice
  25. Melchizedek
  26. Micaiah
  27. Micheal
  28. Mishael
  29. Montel
  30. Montae
  31. Monterio
  32. Montrail
  33. Montrelle
  34. Montrez
  1. Myles
  2. Montrell
  3. Montez
  4. Montgomery
  5. Morgan
  6. Morris
  7. Moses
  8. Musa
  9. Mustafa
  10. Myron
  11. Maddox
  12. Mahki
  13. Makhi
  14. Malyk
  15. Malikhi
  16. Manasseh
  17. Marquise
  18. Marquize
  19. Martellius
  20. Marshaun
  21. Montrice
  22. Monty
  23. Mordecai
  24. Morrell
  25. Morrice
  26. Mosiah
  27. Muhamad
  28. Muluken
  29. Munir
  30. Murphy
  31. Musa

Reddit Picks

Malachi
Malcolm
Malik
Marcus
Marquel
Marquis/Marquise
Mason
Matthew
Michael
Micah
black boy names that start with m
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Black boy names that start with N

  1. Najee
  2. Naji
  3. Nasir
  4. Nathaniel
  5. Nehemiah
  6. Niazi
  7. Niles
  8. Nile
  9. Noah
  10. Nnamdi
  11. Norie
  12. Nuru
  13. Nkemdilim
  14. Nkrumah
  15. Ndubuisi

Reddit Picks

Nathaniel
Nicholas
Noah

Black boy names that start with O

  • Obadiah
  • Obi
  • Odem
  • Ojo
  • Olu
  • Olufemi
  • Olusegun
  • Omari
  • Onyekachi
  • Osei
  • Othniel
  • Otis
  • Oluwaseun
  • Osiris
  • Ozoemena

Black boy names that start with P

  • Pacino
  • Paden
  • Paris
  • Parker
  • Patrick
  • Paul
  • Perry
  • Pharaoh
  • Preston
  • Prince
  • Prophet
  • Pius
  • Pryce
  • Phelan
  • Paden

Black boy names that start with Q

  • Quincy
  • Quinton
  • Quadir
  • Quinn
  • Qasim
  • Quincey
  • Qadar
  • Qamar
  • Quillan
  • Quan
  • Quinton
  • Quavon
  • Quenton
  • Quirin
  • Quade

Black boy names that start with R

  • Rashad
  • Rashawn
  • Raheem
  • Rajon
  • Rakim
  • Raphael
  • Rayquan
  • Reggie
  • Reginald
  • Remy
  • Ricardo
  • Roderick
  • Ronald
  • Roshan
  • Rylan

Reddit Picks

Robert
Romeo
Ryan

Black boy names that start with S

  1. Sabari
  2. Sadiq
  3. Samir
  4. Sanai
  5. Sekou
  6. Seneca
  7. Shaquan
  8. Shamar
  9. Sharif
  10. Sincere
  11. Solomon
  12. Sulaiman
  13. Syed
  14. Sylvester
  15. Shaka

Reddit Picks

Santiago
Sharod

Black boy names that start with T

  • Taj
  • Tariq
  • Taye
  • Terrence
  • Thabo
  • Theo
  • Thomas
  • Timon
  • Titus
  • Tobin
  • Tolani
  • Travis
  • Tremayne
  • Tyrell
  • Tyson

Reddit Picks

Tre/Trey
Tyler
Tyrone

Black boy names that start with U

  1. Uche
  2. Ugo
  3. Ugochukwu
  4. Umar
  5. Umi
  6. Uriel
  7. Udo
  8. Ulric
  9. Umari
  10. Uchenna
  11. Usman
  12. Uzoma
  13. Ubah
  14. Uchechi
  15. Uzair

Black boy names that start with V

  1. Vachel
  2. Vaden
  3. Valentino
  4. Vance
  5. Varen
  6. Vaughn
  7. Vaylen
  8. Vernon
  9. Videl
  10. Victor
  11. Vidal
  12. Virgil
  13. Vision
  14. Vondell
  15. Vonnie

Black boy names that start with W

  1. Wade
  2. Wale
  3. Wallace
  4. Warren
  5. Watson
  6. Wayne
  7. Webster
  8. Wendell
  9. Wesley
  10. West
  11. Westley
  12. Whitman
  13. Wilfred
  14. William
  15. Wisdom

Reddit Picks

William

Black boy names that start with X

  1. Xander
  2. Xavier
  3. Xenon
  4. Xolani
  5. Xavi
  6. Xerxes
  7. Xylon
  8. Xiomar
  9. Xion
  10. Xzavier
  11. Xain
  12. Xavius
  13. Ximari
  14. Xylas
  15. Xaden

Reddit Picks

Xavier

Black boy names that start with Y

  1. Yahya
  2. Yahir
  3. Yao
  4. Yasir
  5. Yaseen
  6. Yasin
  7. Yaqub
  8. Yarden
  9. Yashawn
  10. Yezen
  11. Yonas
  12. Yorel
  13. Yosef
  14. Yule
  15. Yusuff

Black boy names that start with Z

  1. Zahir
  2. Zaire
  3. Zakai
  4. Zaki
  5. Zamir
  6. Zander
  7. Zavian
  8. Zayd
  9. Zephaniah
  10. Zion
  11. Zuri
  12. Zuberi
  13. Zyon
  14. Zaylen
  15. Zubair

Reddit Picks

Zaronin

Ghetto black boy names

If you are about to research the hood black baby boy names (or ghetto black boy names), it’s important to approach the topic with sensitivity and respect. The term “ghetto” can be pejorative and stereotypical. If you’re looking for names that might be more common in certain communities or have a cultural significance, it’s better to focus on names with positive or meaningful connotations.

Let’s explore some names that are popular in various communities and can be seen as modern or unique:

  1. Malik
  2. Tyrese
  3. Darius
  4. Jalen
  5. Jamal
  6. DeAndre
  7. Trevon
  8. Quincy
  9. Marquise
  10. Devonte
  11. Xavier
  12. Tariq
  13. Lamont
  14. Antoine
  15. Desmond
  16. Kendrick
  17. Raheem
  18. Cortez
  19. Jamar
  20. Montrell

FAQ

What is the best black boy name to pick? Unique Black boy names blend cultural heritage with modern creativity, offering parents meaningful choices to celebrate their son’s identity.

Popular unique names: Jabari (Swahili: “brave” or “fearless”) • Dakari (African: “rejoice”) • Xavier (Arabic: “bright” or “splendid”)

Sources of inspiration: • African languages and traditions • Civil rights leaders (e.g., Martin, Malcolm) • Contemporary culture and trends.

What is the black name for strong? Strong meanings (e.g., Asad: “lion”) • Creative spellings of traditional names • Names starting with D, J, or K are particularly popular.

Considerations when choosing: • Cultural significance • Ease of pronunciation • Potential nicknames

Resources for parents: • Online name databases • Cultural heritage websites • Baby naming books focusing on African American names

Malcolm name monogram
Name Monogram Decor on Amazon

What is the most common black boy name?

Answer: Elijah, Noah, Aiden, Liam, Josiah.

Reddit Suggests

On Reddit, there are many threads where people discuss and suggest the best black baby boy names.

Popular suggestions from commenters include:

Popular black boy names from the late 1990s and early 2000s include:
Biblical names: Elijah, Joshua, Isaiah, Josiah, Michael, Daniel
Names ending in -den/-dan: Jayden, Aiden, Jordan
Names starting with J: Justin, Jamal, Jalen
Other common choices: Anthony, Marcus, Tyler, Malcolm, Darius

When choosing a name, some transmasculine individuals consider:

  • Names that don’t immediately reveal assigned gender at birth
  • Names popular in their birth year/generation
  • Family associations or meanings

Some factors influencing name choices:
Cultural significance (e.g. Malcolm X)
R&B/hip-hop artists’ names (e.g. Romeo)
Overlap with popular names across all ethnicities (e.g. Michael, Christopher)

For accurate data on name popularity by race and year, consulting yearbooks or official records can be helpful.

Black Boy Names
byu/CheloYan innamenerds

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