20 Free Popular black names by gender
For today’s entry in Black Ghetto Baby Names, I would like to start a compendium of classically African American names, girl and boy. Each name’s link connects to an in-depth discussion on the name.
| WOMEN | MEN | ImaniA name that traveled the Arabian peninsula to reach us. |
DeShaw
A name born of Scotland and black ingenuity. |
|---|---|
| EbonyDiscussion of a beautiful, thorny name. | DeAndreA black name rooted in Ancient Greece. |
|
Shanice
An original of African America. |
MarquisA name’s travel from France to the diaspora. |
| AaliyahTragic black name from under the Arab sun. | DarnellA truly black name, from the gray British Isles. |
|
Precious
A name for the beloved. |
TerrellInherited from the slave masters, and made ours. |
| NiaDiaspirated from the Indian subcontinent. | MalikArab royalty, black loyalty, and a strong military leader. |
|
Deja
Oubliette of a name for the unforgotten. |
TrevonMashup from the british isles. |
|
Diamond
A most precious gem. |
TyroneFrom a long line of lords. |
|
Asia
From the ancient continent. |
Willie
A classic name of Black America. |
| AliyahAnother spelling of Aaliyah. | DominiqueA translation of our lord. |
|
Jada Named of the precious green stone. |
DemetriusAn ancient greek deity. |
|
Tierra
Creature of the Earth. |
ReginaldA black name, a king of the British. |
|
Tiara
Named for a beautiful, bejeweled crown. |
JamalArabic for “handsome.” |
|
Kiara
A mysterious name from the east. |
Maurice
From the warm south of France to the black diaspora. |
| JazmineNamed after Jasmine: a fragrant persian plant. |
Jalen
A strong male name of unknown origins. |
| JasminAnother spelling of Jasmine. | DariusPowerful ancient Persian emperor. |
| JazminAnother spelling of Jasmine. | XavierAn old basque name, an intellectual. |
| JasmineThe original spelling of Jasmine. | TerranceName of the ancient poets |
|
Alexus
Descended from the Ancient Greek ruler. |
AndreA french name descended from the ancient Greeks. |
|
Raven
For the mysterious and intelligent bird. |
DarrylAn old house from France and the British Isles. |
And thus concludes the list. How many of these would you consider “Black ghetto baby names”? For me, I don’t associate any of them with such a heinous title. In fact, immediately upon reading the list I was struck by the creativity and ingenuity of the minds that created these names. While usually our people are struck down in public for a lack of intellectualism, our ability to crunch the English language into meanings and syllables not previously imagined is I think unparalleled.
At the same time, and I will get into this in a future post, we must observe the fact that, from a vocational perspective, it’s dangerous for our children to go out into the job market with names like “Jamal”, “Tyrone”, and “Malik”. Studies have shown that of two men with identical resumes, one with a distinctive African American name and one without, the “Tyrone” of the pair will be eliminated. So when you’re naming your kids during this wonderful season of your life, I applaud your desire to seek a name that celebrates our culture. However, also please keep in mind that the child has to live with this name forever, for good or for ill.
This is the word from Black Ghetto Baby Names for this evening. Stay safe and curious as each wave of life passes you, coasts towards the horizon.
EDIT:
Some of my readers have questioned whether these names are actually “African American names.” The names in the list were the most frequently used mens and womens names among African Americans in the, I believe, 2000 US Census. From the standpoint of usage, this surely makes them “African American” names. However, my readers raised the reasonable point that these names have much longer histories than African America. This exact observation is the point of the site =). I hope you enjoy it.
Trevon
Hey all, DeShawn@BlackGhettoBabyNames checking in to discuss the name “Trevon”, particular it’s use as an African American name.
(In case you didn’t know) In black America, the name Trevon is used for a boys. There are several schools of thought as to what this name means and where it originated. One idea is that it is a variation of the name Trevin. Another thought is that this name comes from the English, Welsh or Gaelic name of Trevor.
Regardless of where this name comes from, if you think it fits your child and are ready to bestow the name of Trevon on your baby boy, consider some of this information. This name was first used in 1989 in the United States. Since then, the name has had a steady, but slow increase in use. Latest figures show that about 935 little boys were named Trevon in 2006. There are a number of takes and spellings of this name: Trevin, Trevonn, Treyvon, Treven, Trevan, and Trevaughn. A most popular nickname is Trey. The Welsh name Trevor means, “a large settlement.” In the Gaelic Irish, it stands for “cautious”. The English name of Trevon is thought to come from the longer name Trevelyan.
What you name your baby, needless to say, stays with them for life. It is important to decide if the first name sounds good with the last name. Ask yourself these questions: What will the first impression be, when someone sees my child’s name in print? Are there any unattractive or unflattering ways to shorten this name? Is it easy to spell? Do you pronounce it the way it is spelled or is the spelling so ‘out there’ that people will mispronounce my child’s name? Consider as well, if there have been people in the news in recent times, that give the name either a positive or negative connotation. One of the most lasting legacies you give your child is their name. Give it wisely.
DeShawn
(if you liked this article, please check out our list of popular african american names)
Demetrius
Welcome, reader, back to Black Ghetto Baby Names, your eternal font for names found or originated in that small yet significant part of the African Diaspora located in North America. Today we will be discussing the African American name “Demetrius”, a name truly Black in North America, but resonant with the long history of Western civilization.
Demetrius
Like the previous “Jada”, Demetrius is a name that can be used for both a male and female, although most men are named Demetrius with a feminized version for women. In fact, the name is a Roman spelling of the Greek name Demeter and it is derived from the Greek goddess of the same name. Demeter was the goddess of the harvest (grain) and fertility. This derivative of Demeter means simply goddess of the harvest or lover of earth in Greek.
Historically, Demetrius I was king of the eastern part of the Hellenistic world, the Greco-Bactrian kingdom. He was known for conquering numerous territories across Asia and developed the name “Invincible.” There was also a Saint Demetrius, a martyr from the 4th century. Another saint, Saint Demetrius of Alexandria who also reigned as Pope and was the first bishop with a known history from Alexandria, helped to finalize the exact date of the holiday we now know as Easter. As bishop of Alexandria, he was the ruler of the Christian faith on the continent of Africa centered in Cairo, Egypt.
The name Demetrius is mentioned numerous times throughout the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, and by this time on my site you may have noticed this is one of many themes of naming in our culture There is a reason for that.
Christian names in Black America
In the time of slavery in America, the majority of slaves were not permitted to practice their own religious beliefs and cultural customs. In order to continue with worship, our ancestors “hid” some of our practices within the commonly accepted Christian customs. Many slave-owners tried to convert their slaves and many in fact did “convert,” as they feared doing so otherwise. These “black” churches were the only places slaves and ex-slaves were able to come together for a meeting place both before and after their emancipation. Historically this is why our culture ties so closely to Christianity. With these strong ties to Christianity, our culture ended up adopting various Christian names (you will also find this to be true in Africa). Thus, the name Demetrius, and its variations has been used for newborn babies, particularly baby boys in America for centuries. Demetrius should be seen as a name with not only emphasis on the love for the earth, but also the dedication, strength and resilience represented by Saint Demetrius the martyr, Demetrius I the conqueror and Saint Demetrius, Patron Saint of Alexandria.
Thank you for your time this evening, and may it all have been for the best =)
DeShawn
(If you liked this article, please check out our list of popular african american names)
Dominique
Greetings from DeShawn at Black Ghetto Baby Names. Today we will be talking about Dominique, an African American name for women with roots across the ocean in France, the land of love.
Dominique
The female first name “Dominique” has been used widely in the United States and has recently come into focus with numerous famous individuals possessing the name. Not only people claim the name as their own, there is the Wayward Island in the West Indies named Dominique.
But bringing ourselves back to the world of humans, we see that the name’s use began in France, and became popular in the US around 1970. The literal translation of the word Dominique is “Lord.” Dominique is the feminine version of the name Dominic. In 1963, “Dominique” became a song, which hit number 1 on the US pop charts, and became the only Belgian song to hit number in the United States in history. Dominique’s true claim to fame lies not in the hands of A-list celebs, but surprisingly with the spots minded crowd. The most famous individual possessing this name is Dominique Dawes, the gold medal winning black Olympic gymnast who captured our hearts at the 1996 summer games in Atlanta, Georgia. Another prominent Dominique from white America is Dominique Moceanu, also winning a gold in gymnastics at the 1996 summer Olympics. On the international scene, we find Dominique Hourani a Lebanese singer and model who started her own clothing brand in 2004 called “La domine.”
When I began my research, I thought the name Dominique would be relatively constrained to my culture, however I was surprised to find that its roots are far from America, and that even some males internationally wear the name as their own. However, for me, when I close my eyes and think of the name Dominique, I think of a ravishingly beautiful woman in a flowing gown, and the name brings about a certain sense of enigmatic feminine presence. The etymology of the name informs us that it is a name, which was designated originally to name girls born on Sunday, or “the lord’s day.”, so may you go in peace tonight with the lord and enjoy the weekend as it brushes by.
DeShawn
(if you liked this article, don’t forget to look at our list of other popular african american names)
Terrance
Here at Black Ghetto Baby Names on this evening we will be covering the African American name “Terrance”.
Terrence
Pronounced TER-ants, Terrance is a variation of the name Terence. It is generally a male name which can also be used as a surname.
History
Believed to originate from the Roman family name Terentius of which the meaning is unclear. It may mean soft or tender. Bearers of this name were Publius Terentius Afer, a playwright and Marcus Terentius Varro, a scholar. Several early saints also bore the name. In Ireland the name was used as an Anglicization of Toirhhealbhach, pronounced TORE-lock, meaning instigator or prompter. It was not used in English until the late 19th Century, where there were several families in the Midlothian region of Scotland in 1891.
Popularity
it was the 474th most popular boy’s name in the United States in 2007, falling from its peak of 200th in the 1980s
Famous African American Terrances
Terrance Hayes, poet. In his powerful first book of poems Muscular Music (Chicago: Tia Chucha, 1997), Hayes’s constantly shifting angle of entry navigated the multi-dimensional home turf of popular African-American aesthetics, the ubiquitous inner-city, to amazing results.
Terence Blanchard, an internationally renowned African americanjazz trumpeter, has composed music for all of director Spike Lee’s films — from Malcolm X to Inside Man. Terrance Howard has made a name for himself in the movie industry. He has made a couple of hit movies like Ironman and Hustle And Flow. He is a talented actor who can carry a film. He is expected to do more directing in the future. One of his first acting parts was on The Cosby show.
Democrats elected Rep. Terrance Carroll of Denver as their speaker in Colorado’s House of Representatives on November 6th 2008 Senate Democrats also re-elected Peter Groff of Denver as their Senate president. That means for the first time that two black men hold the most powerful positions in Colorado’s legislature, where the Ku Klux Klan once controlled the House, Senate and governor’s seat. “This is unprecedented,” said former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, the city’s first black mayor. “We have two African Americans leading the legislature in a state with such a small black population. “Dr. King would be proud because people are voting for the individual and his color has nothing to do with,” Webb added.
DeShawn
(If you liked this post, don’t forget to check out our list of popular african american names)
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