Check out the top 100 most popular African American Names, Both most common last and first names would be listed separately. 

A name is special, as it is a person’s identity. It is odd for a person not to have a name. Whenever a child is born, the next thoughts should be about the name that should be given to such. In fact, some people already decide the name to give their babies before they are born! In all, every parent is expected to purposefully think about and give their child a good name (either at birth or near birth). There are also many cases of adults who decided to stick to some particular names not given to them by their parents, due to different reasons. 

Popular African American Names Boy Girl

As far as our world is concerned, it is a known thing that some names are more popular among some set of people than others. Here, we are talking about popular African American names, and we will be highlighting some of them. These names are very common among African Americans. Hardly would you go into an African American community without seeing different parents bearing some of these names. 

Here are some very common African American names arranged in no special order: 

Most Popular African American Last Names

  1. – Williams

It is popularly agreed that the name Williams is the most common last name in the circle of African Americans. From a census data conducted recently in the United States of America, it was made known that there are over 700,000 African Americans with the surname Williams. 

  1. – Johnson

The next most common African American surname is Johnson, ranked second with a data record that is in the excess of 600,000. So, it is not surprising seeing a lot of African Americans bearing Williams as the last name (it is, indeed, a very popular name in the United States of America). 

  1. – Smith

Another popular last name of African Americans is Smith. According to the census data, there are around 527,993. black Americans with this surname. It is a popular one that became popular in the community of African Americans, and chances are that your African American friend is addressed by this name. 

  1. – Johns

Another very popular African American surname is Johns, and the name is being referred to as the fourth most popular last name among blacks. According to the census data, there are over 500,000 blacks with that name as a surname. So, if you are an African American reading this right now, it is likely that your last name is Johns. 

  1. – Brown

Brown is another popular African American name, and it was made known that there are over 400,000 African Americans with this last name. Although it is not as popular as the ones that have been highlighted up there, it remains a famous one in the African American circle. 

  1. – Davis

This is, generally, a popular name in the United States of America, and African Americans are also part of the number. It is likely you know one person with this surname. According to data, there are over 300,000 African Americans with this surname. The name itself is a beautiful and nice one, simple and short. There are several famous people that are known by the name. 

  1. – Miller

Miller is another popular African American surname that must be included in this list. Even if it is not as popular as the likes of Williams, Johnson, Smith, and Johns, it is still a popular one in the United States of America. In fact, it was made known that there are about 120,000 black people with this name as a surname. 

  1. – Washington

Washington is a special name as far as America is concerned. It is actually a name that is popular and many seems comfortable with it. It is one of the names common among African Americans in the United States of America. Yeah, Washington is a beautiful place, and so, the name stands out. 

  1. – Jackson

Jackson is one of the most popular African American surnames out there. In fact, it is referred to as the most famous family of the black race. There are some very influential African Americans with this surname, and interestingly, many would associate easily with it. 

  1. – Jenkins

Another popular one in the community of African Americans is Jenkins. In the United States of America, although Jenkins is not as famous as some others, it is still easy to come across blacks with this name as a surname. 

  1. – Jefferson

Jefferson is a famous name in America, and it is also famous in the community of African Americans. Indeed, it is a nice and lovely last name which folks are usually eager to associate with. It is common, and there are several well-known African Americans bearing this name, doing well for themselves. 

  1. – ROBINSON:

Robinson is another famous name in the United States of America, and there are lots of blacks with the name. Although it is not as popular as some others, it still remains one of the most common African American names. 

  1. – TAYLOR 

Another popular English name is Taylor. Well, it is also a popular one in the community of African Americans, and there are lots of blacks that has the surname. 

  1. – WILSON 

If you are an African American, chances are that your surname is Wilson, or that you know someone whose last name is Wilson. Here is another very popular last name in the community of African Americans. 

  1. – MOORE:

The name Moore is a beautiful name, and there are a lot of African Americans bearing the surname. So, it is part of the most common African American names. 

Here are some other popular African American last names:

  1. – WHITE –
  2. – LEWIS –
  3. – WALKER –
  4. – GREEN –
  5. – THOMPSON –
  6. – ANDERSON –
  7. – SCOTT –
  8. – CARTER –
  9. – WRIGHT –
  10. – HILL –
  11. – ALLEN –
  12. –  MILLER – 
  13. – MITCHEL-
  14. – YOUNG –
  15. – LEE –
  16. –  MARTIN –
  17. – CLARK –
  18. –  KING –
  19. –  EDWARDS –
  20. –  TURNER –
  21. –  COLEMAN –
  22. – JAMES –
  23. – EVANS –
  24. –  HALL –
  25. –  RICHARDSON –
  26. – ADAMS –
  27. –  BROOKS –
  28. – PARKER –
  29. –  JENKINS –
  30. –  STEWART –
  31. – CAMPBELL- 
  32. – HOWARD – 
  33. – SIMMONS –
  34. –  SANDERS –
  35. – HENDERSON –

Top 50 Most Popular African American Names – Boy & Girl First Names

  1. Isabella: One popular African American girl name seem used to giving their female children every now and then is Isabella, which is a variation of Isabel (a variation of Elizabeth). The name Elizabeth has a Hebrew origin, and it means “devoted to God”
  2. Sophia: The name, obviously feminine, has Greek origins. Sophia simply means “wisdom”, and it can also be spelled as Sofia. It was made famous by European royalty during the medieval times but is now a popular one in the African American circle.
  3. Beyonce: The name was made popular by the famous American singer Beyonce (who is said to have adopted the name from her mum’s surname). The meaning of the name is “beyond others”, and it has grown popular in the community of African Americans. 
  4. Ethan: This name is a male given name that has a Hebrew origin (it appears 8 times in the Bible. The meaning of Ethan is “firm, enduring, strong and long-lived”, and it is a name many African Americans gives to their children. 
  5. Mia: The name is gaining more popularity among African Americans, but it is actually a short version of the name “Maria” that was made famous by an actress known as Mia Farrow. The name is of Latin origin, and it means “mine” or “wished-for child.” 
  6. Jayla: The name is actually a feminine version of “Jay”, and different meanings have been attached to it, depending on the language being drawn from. In Hebrew, it means ‘God will protect’, while it means ‘to heal’ in Greek. 
  7. Kayla: The name Kayla is another popular one in the community of African Americans, with Hebrew origin that means “laurel, crown” (the Hebrew version is likely Kelila).
  8. Demarco: Demarco is Italian – a name that came about from the personal name of an ancestor. It was created from the name “Marco” (an Italian name too), which means “son or descendant of Marco.” One way or the other, it became a popular African American boy’s name. 
  9. Olivia: Olivia is another popular African American name, which has a Latin origin, and it means “olive tree”. Although the name has been in usage in even 13th century England, it came from the Latin word “oliva” (that is translated into “olive.”)
  10. Jayden: Jayden is another popular one, and it is actually a name given to males. It is actually an interesting name, not just because it means “thankful”, but because it is a combination of the “jay” sound seen in a name like “Jason” and the “den” of names like “Hayden”.
  11. Kimani: This is from Africa, and it means “son of a great warrior”. Kimani is additionally the name out of a Kenyan tribe, and it has become popular amongst African Americans. Apart from its popular meaning, there are claims that it could also mean “son of an honest man, strong one, and so on.
  12. Demond: The name Demond is another popular African-American name; a masculine name that many African Americans love giving to their children (males). The meaning of the name is “Of man” (so, it is ‘strictly’ for the male child). Interestingly, there have been claims (or perhaps, observations) that those given this name are likely leaders rather than followers, and that they usually have strong personalities. It was also observed that Demonds are likely to be focused on specific goals and tend to be courageous, unique and creative.
  13. Shaniqua: The name Shaniqua is a beautiful and sweet name that has its origin from the Ancient Greek Iōánnēs. It should be noted that this was formed from Yôchânân / Yehochanan (a Hebrew name that means “graced by Yahweh, God is gracious”.). It is now a popular name in the community of African Americans, and many African Americans are bearing this name. 
  14. Deion: Deion is another popular African American boy name that means god Of Wine And Revelry. It is actually of American origin and it is not surprising that it is now popular in the African American community. It is a masculine name that parents give to their male children. 
  15. Zari: It appears to be a short form of Zaria, which is an Arabic word for flower. Zaria is also a popular city in Africa (in the northern part of Nigeria) and is rich in history. The city used to have a female ruler known as Queen Amina – a powerful warrior who conquered a lot of cities during her reign. 
  16. Dion: Dion is a famous African American name that is given to males. It actually has French, Greek origin, and it is translated into “child of heaven and earth”.
  17. Ayana: The name Ayana is a feminine name that has means a girl who has large eyes in Arabic. It is known by many as an Islamic name since it was used in the Quran. However, it is also said to be an African name from Ethiopia that means beautiful flowers.

Here are other very popular African American names:

  1. – Jacob 
  2. – Emma 
  3. – Michael 
  4. –  Ava 
  5. – William 
  6. – Emily 
  7. – Alexander 
  8. – Abigail 
  9. – Noah –
  10. – Madison –
  11. – Daniel 
  12. – Chloe  
  13. – Aiden 
  14. – Anthony 
  15. – Chikae 
  16. – Laqueta 
  17. – Malik 
  18. – Aisha 
  19. – Darius 
  20. – Deon 
  21. – Elon 
  22. – Imani 
  23. – Taye 
  24. – Martins 
  25. – Murphy 
  26. – Luther 
  27. – Isaac 
  28. – King 
  29. – Princess 
  30. – Kings 
  31. – Oscar 
  32. – Ruth 
  33. – Esther 

Here are some of the most popular African American Boy/Girl names out there. If you know of any African American, it is likely their name is up there. If you are an African American, it is very likely that your name is part of those. As you can see, they are sweet names, and a large chunk of them have nice meaning and translations. 

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Tags; Most Popular African American Names, Most Common African American Last Names

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