50+ Black girl names

Black girl names are rich in meaning and frequently come from Arabic and African languages. Some have biblical roots, while others are based on faith and spirituality. Many of these names have gained popularity thanks to African American celebrities and personalities.

• Abena is a popular name with Ghanaian origins that means “born on a Tuesday.”
• Ada is a Nigerian name meaning “first daughter.”
• Eniola means “a person of wealth” in the Yoruba language of Nigeria.
• Jamila is a popular girl’s name in North Africa. It’s an Arabic name that means “beautiful.”
• Latifa is an Arabic name that means “gentle” and “kind.”
• Tabia comes from a Swahili word meaning “talented.”
• Thandiwe means “beloved” in several African languages, including Xhosa and Zulu.
• Makena is an African baby girl name often found among the Kikuyu and Meru people of Kenya. It can mean “the happy one” or “the one who brings happiness.”
• Saleema means “safety” and “security” in Arabic.
• Dayo means “arrival of joy” in Yoruba, a language spoken in Nigeria. It can also be a shortened form of longer names like Oladayo, Adedayo, and Temidayo.
• Kamaria derives from an Arabic word meaning “moon” or “moonlight.”
• Mali is a west African country known for being home to the Sahara Desert. Mali means “the place where the king lives.”
• Xolani means “peace.” It comes from Xhosa and Zulu.
• Zahra is an Arabic name that means “flower of the world” – a phrase that among Arabic speakers means it’s something that makes life beautiful.
• Zarina means of “gold,” “golden,” or even “keeper of gold” in many African languages and is rooted in Persian.

14 unique Black girl names

These names are especially rare – none of them appeared in the top 500 names in 2022, according to the U.S. Social Security Administration.

• Aleena means “soft or delicate” and originates in Arabic.
• Chaya derives from a Hebrew word meaning “life.”
• Etta was made famous by the Black musician Etta James. Etta’s full name was Jamesetta, but Etta more typically is a nickname for Henrietta, which is derived from Germanic words meaning “home ruler.”
• Janiyah is a recently invented name with uncertain origins. It may derive from Jane, which means “God is gracious.” It may also be inspired by popular names like Shania and Aaliyah.
• Jazmine is less popular than its spelling variation, Jasmine, which comes from the name of the flower.
• Kairi has several origins. It may be a combination of Kai, a Hawaiian name meaning “sea,” and Mari, a variation of Mary. Kairi is also a Japanese name made up for a character in the video game series Kingdom Hearts.
• Kaliyah also has uncertain origins, but it may be inspired by the name Aaliyah.
• Keyla is a variation of Kayla, which itself is a feminine version of Kyle, a Gaelic name that means “narrow.”
• Malaya is a Filipino name that means “free” and “independent,” though it may also derive from a Tamil and Sanskrit word meaning “mountain.”
• Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Its name means “land of the Malays.”
• Melina is derived from the Greek word for honey.
• Sierra literally means “mountain range” in Spanish.
• Zariya is Arabic for “scattering wind.” This rare name is given to baby girls to denote something natural, soft, and free.
• Zola comes from the Xhosa and Zulu languages and means “calm.”

CHECK OUT OUR BABY NAMES BOARD ON PINTEREST

21 pretty Black girl names

• Aisha is an Arabic name that means “alive” or “happily living.”
• Alaina is a variant of Alanna, which derives either from an Old High German word meaning “precious” or from an Irish word meaning “child.”
• Alexis is derived from Alexander, a Greek name meaning “defender of men.”
• Aniyah means “caring” or “affectionate” in Arabic.
• Avery was originally an Old English surname derived from the Old English name Alfred, which means “elf counsel,” or the Ancient Germanic name Alberich, which means “elf king.”
• Bailey started out as an English occupational surname for someone who was a bailiff.
• Daisy likely comes from “day’s eye” in Old English, since the flower blooms in the morning and closes at night. Daisies are often associated with innocence, childhood, and purity.
• Ella has several origins as a name. It could be derived from an Old German root word meaning “other”; it could be a nickname for names starting with “El-,” including Eleanor and Elizabeth; and it’s also the name of a princess in Greek mythology.
• Gisella or Gisela is a French name with German roots. It means “pledge.”
• Iris is a Greek name meaning “rainbow.”
• Kamilah is an Arabic name that means “complete” and “flawless.”
• Londyn is a spelling variation of London.
• Luna is Latin for “moon” and a highly popular name for baby girls.
• Melanie is a pretty girl’s name that’s been around for ages. It’s Greek for “dark.”
• Mia is ideal if you’re looking for a name that’s short and sweet. It’s often short for names like Maria or Amelia, but stands well on its own.
• Mila is Slavic for “dear.”
• Naomi derives from a Hebrew name that means “sweet” and “pleasant.”
• Naya‘s origins are uncertain, but it could be a variant of the name Nia, which means “purpose” in Swahili. It could also be inspired by Maya, which has many origins, including Sanskrit, Greek, Maori, and Brazilian.
• Nora is short for Honora (derived from the English word “honor”) or Eleanor (an ancient European name of uncertain meaning). It can also be a variant of the Arabic name Nura, which means “light” and “radiance.”
• Ryleigh is an alternate spelling of Riley, an Old English surname meaning “wood clearing.”
• Zendaya has Zimbabwean and Zambian roots. It derives from a Shona word meaning “thankful.”

18 cute Black girl names

• Aria has several meanings, depending on the origin: “air” and a type of song in Italian; “noble” or “honorable” in Sanskrit; and “lion” in Hebrew.
• Breanna, Brianna, and other alternate spellings all come from Brian, which is rooted in an Old Celtic word that may mean “high” or “noble.”
• Cadence sounds just as cute as its meaning, “melodious.”
• Cassidy derives from a Gaelic name that means “clever” or “curly-haired.”
• Harley started out as a locational surname meaning “hare’s meadow” or “stony woodland clearing,” depending on the location.
• Harmony means “a combination of simultaneous music notes in a chord,” but in a broader sense it can mean “agreement” or “accord,” as well as “internal calm” or “tranquility.”
• Hazel has a couple meanings: a distinctive greenish-brown color, or a type of plant.
• It’s the uncommon spelling that makes Jordyn a cute name for a baby girl.
• Kyra may derive from a Greek word meaning “lady,” or it may be a feminine form of the Persian name Cyrus, which may mean “the sun” or “one who bestows care.”
• Lia may be an alternate spelling of the Hebrew name Leah, meaning “delicate” or “weary.”
• Parker started out as an English occupational surname for someone who took care of parks.
• Reagan is the anglicized version of an Irish surname that means “little ruler.”
• Reese is the feminine version of Rhys, a Welsh name that means “ardent.”
• You could go with Sky as a name for your daughter, but adding the “e” to the end of the name makes Skye even more cute.
• Names inspired by the seasons, like Summer, give off a relaxed, yet vintage feel.
• Talia has a few origins. It may derive from an Australian Aboriginal word meaning “near water.” It may derive from a Hebrew word meaning “dew from God.” It may also be an alternate spelling of Thalia, a Greek name that means “blossoming.”
• Tessa is short for Theresa, which may derive from Greek words meaning “harvest” or “summer.”
• Willow trees are known for their slender, flexible branches that bend rather than break, and they’re associated with elegance and grace.

10 popular Black girl names

• Aaliyah means “exalted” in Arabic.
• Amira means “princess” and was a popular baby name for Black baby girls in New York City.
• Destiny derives a Latin word meaning “the power of fate” or simply “fate.”
• Imani is a girl’s name found in Arabic and African languages, including Swahili. It means “belief” or “faith” and has the variants Iman and Imaan.
• Jada is a short and sweet name, but full of meaning: It means “wise” in Hebrew, and in Arabic, Jayda means something that’s good.
• More than one language holds claim to the name Laila. In Scandinavian it can mean both “night” and “holy;” in Arabic it means “night” or “dark;” and in Finnish, it translates to “wise.”
• It must be the unique meaning of Nevaeh that attracts so many parents – it’s the word “heaven” spelled backward.
• Nova means “new” in Latin. It also refers to an exploding star that appears as a bright flash that gradually fades into the night sky.
• Serenity means the state of being “peaceful, calm, and tranquil.”
• A Swahili name that means “beautiful,” Zuri has been steadily rising in popularity since 2010.

P.S: Have a Pinterest account? Don’t let this valuable list slip away! Save or pin the photo below to your Pinterest board for quick and easy access whenever you need it. Happy pinning! 📌

Frequently Asked Questions: