Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents some comments from a Reddit.com discussion thread entitled "...Your Favorite Traditional African American Names". That discussion thread began in 2020 and is no longer open for comments.
The content of this post is presented for onomastic, historical, and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/11/some-ways-that-african-american-names.html for a closely related pancocojams post entitles "Some Ways That African American Names Are Created: Beginning A Name With A Prefix And/Or Ending A Name With A Suffix."
The comments in that post are from Lipstick Alley.com. Lipstick Alley.com promotes itself as "The Internet's Largest African American Forum"
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DISCLAIMER
The comments in this discussion thread represents the commenters' preferences and/or the information that the commenters know unlike a list of top names that were compiled by a Social Security office or some other reputable governmental, health, social service, or educational offices.
Furthermore, it's important to note that the commenters whose preferences and information is presented in this compilation may not be part of the population group being discussed.
Reddit is an online discussion thread whose participants are from a variety of races/ethnicities, genders, and nations. Based on the topic, it may be assumed that most of the commenters are Black Americans, but unless those commenters self-identify as such, their race/ethnicity is unknown.
This is different from an online discussion thread such as Lipstick Alley.com
https://www.lipstickalley.com/ which promotes itself as "The Internet's Largest African American Forum"
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WHAT SOME COMMENTERS IN THIS REDDIT DISCUSSION MEAN BY"TRADITIONAL NAMES"
Which names that are often given to African American children are traditional depends on how a person defines "traditional" and which names are a person's favorites depends on that person.
Some commenters in this showcased 2020 Reddit.com discussion on "favorite traditional African American names" focused on the word "traditional" and defined that word as "personal names from European languages or from the Bible that Americans, including African Americans, historically gave and still usually give to their children."
Names from Western European languages and a number of Biblical names are still the sources of most of the names that Americans give to their children. However, researchers who document the use of personal names in the United States indicate that the "pool" of personal names that Black Americans used in the past was larger than the pool of names that White Americans used. That pool of names that Black people used included a larger number of Biblical names that White Americans rarely used or had discontinued using, as well as some personal names that African American had "invented" by such creative techniques as combining already existing names or parts of names.
However, in the 1970s, the Black American's pool of personal names grew exponentially by the addition of some traditional Arabic names and some traditional African names, particularly from the KiSwahili language. African Americans also added spelling and/or pronunciation variants of these Arabic or African names, and continued inventing new personal names from from already existing names throughout the world, from already existing words that were/are re-purposed to serve as personal names, and from the own mind and spirit.
To some commenters in this Reddit.com discussion, those 1970s on names qualify as "traditional favorite African American names", but to other commenters in this discussion thread, those names definitely don't qualify as such, because they weren't used in "the past" or "because they originated in the United States", or for some other reason or reasons.
I'm publishing this post and other posts like it because part of the historical and cultural record for Black Americans is to document the traditional Arabic names, traditional African names, and variants of both of those categories of names that Black Americans (and/or non-Black Americans) considered their favorites and when that was. Documenting the changes in which names Black Americans considered their favorites over time (reflected in which of those names Black Americans gave to their children) is also part of the historical and cultural record.
Unfortunately, few states gather racial/ethnic data annually or otherwise about which first name (personal name) is given to newborns :o( so we have to make due with internet discussions such as this one.
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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE REDDIT.COM DISCUSSION THREAD- ..."YOUR FAVORITE TRADITIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN NAMES"
https://www.reddit.com/r/namenerds/comments/lel7fs/in_honor_of_black_history_month_drop_your/
All of these comments are from 2020.
1. Whalesrmyfavanimal
"In honor of black history month, drop your favorite traditional African American names.
Is there even such a thing as a traditional African American name? My favorite part is the creativity and uniqueness. I love Jatavia, Amiyah, Malika, Imani and for boys I love the -keems (Hakeem, Akeem) Malcolm, Kareem etc. There is a stigma around African American names but many have special meanings and great people behind the name!"
**
2. tofurainbowgarden
"I can't speak for all african americans but I can speak to
my anecdotal experience. I don't really think african americans have
traditional names. If you want to say traditional, for generations back, I have
the names Mary, Frances, William (went back 4 generations), and Annie in my
family. These are the names of my great grandparents and further back. The
names people are listing here are relatively recent creations. The names listed
here are stereotypically african american rather than traditionally.
African American history and culture is American History and
culture. They can't be separated as two entities. So, if you go back in
history, you will find african americans were traditionally named what was
popular at that time. The names listed here are representative of a specific
movement that happened in the 80s."
**
3. Livibumblebee
"Yeah, this. My parents, grandparents, all the older
generations of my family and their peers all have traditional English names for
obvious reasons. The younger generations (which my name is an obvious byproduct
of) have a lot more recently created names - born from a relatively modern
movement to get back to our roots and really to craft an identity. Many of the
names here are names that have only recently began to be used in African
American culture. For traditional names, I‘d suggest names more like Virgil,
Roberta, Monique, Marcel, Frederick, Rose, Malcom, Yolanda, and Andre. Many of
the names I’ve seen are fantastic and definitely part of modern AA culture, but
they are not traditional."
**
4. acertaingestault
"I'd add Reginald and Jerome as lovely traditional names too!"
**
5. Few-Application-2954
"I’m not sure if they are traditional, but some names from American history -
Ruby, Emmett, Martin, Malcolm, Maya, Langston, Medgar, Zora, Harriet, Cecil,
Ella, James, Thurgood, Ida
**
6. name deleted
"And Rosa!"
**
7. name deleted
"Aaliyah, Aiyana, Malachi and Marquis are beautiful"
**
8. Poke-A-Shmopper
"Is Malachi considered African American? I always associated
it with Hebrew"
**
9. name deleted
"I believe it has Hebrew origins but it’s also a popular
boy’s name in the black community! Kind of like how Aaliyah is an Arabic name
but also a popular name for black girls even those who aren’t Muslim/Arab"
**
10. cozyessi
"I find Naima (Nye-ee-ma) to be so beautiful. I’ve also known
people who spell it differently but its pronounced the same way."
**
11. wer4cats
"I love Hakeem, Deon, Andre, Keisha, Aisha, and Tamara."
**
12. cozyessi
"I love Andre!"
**
13. -itwaswritten-
"Tamara is Hebrew :)"
**
14. greatertrocanter
"Keisha is so great."
**
15. chief_keish
"that’s my name !!"
**
16. Marzipanny
"For girls: Keisha, Ebony, and Zaire. For boys - I think the
name Tyrone is typically used by Black men in the US, and I love it."
**
17. CallidoraBlack
"I think the problem with Zaire, while lovely, is
the really ugly history of the regime that renamed a country that. It really
sucks when bad people taint a really cool name."
**
18. DNA_ligase
"Devonté, but I wish people would spell it with the accent.
Tyrone and Tyrique are also really nice boys names. Omari is lovely for a boy,
but I think it's Swahili or Arabic, so I don't think it counts.
Keisha for a girl. And I'll get sh-t* for this, but I
do love Shaniqua as a name. Yes, there's that stupid song about it, but
Shaniqua and Shanice are so pretty sounding."
A lot of the names I think of are Swahili,
Arabic, or Biblical in origin, though, so I didn't include them in this list,
as this is for names that originated in the US."
--snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
19. Necessary-Nobody-765
"I’m not American so is anyone able to explain how Tyrone came to be a name popular in the African American community?
To me, Tyrone is an Irish county.
I’m interested to learn the association."
**
20. name deleted
"It was popularized by Tyrone Power. He was pretty much the
Leonardo DiCaprio of his time. This could be the reason, idk though."
**
21. name deleted
"Lakeisha! All the pretty names that are more basic names
with “la” or “ja” added in front. Anything ending with “Marcus”- like
Ja’Marcus.
Other favorites are Octavius and Zenobia, but those were originally from other cultures and aren’t common."
**
22. rinkolee
"I am not American so for me most of the names in this thread
are not African American but Arabic, Persian, Irish or other . Its very
interesting.
Names like Hakeem, Jamal, Imani, Khadija, Aliyah are Muslim
for me."
**
23. stirfriedquinoa
"Aaliyah, Amari, Ayanna, Darius, Dayla, Dominic, Janasia,
Kenya, Nyelle, Queen, Sanaya, Taron, Zion"
**
24. name deleted
"Darius is one of my favs!"
**
25. AtlanticToastConf
"Jamal and Marquita are two of my favorites."
26.
"Khadijah, Mariah, Jabria, Abria, Jacquez, Serenity, Faith,
Aaliyah, Monica, Ashanti (!!!!)"
27.
"Love Khadijah!"
**
28. name deleted
"I love the name Keisha! I also really like Tyrese,
Demetrius, and Darius. My favorite historical African-American names are
Mahalia and Zora."
**
29. berlinbunny
"Happy Black history month everyone!
I like:
Aaliyah (LOVE), Aisha, Ashanti, Imani (♥️), Talisa, Tamira, Sabah, Nia, Jasmina, Kenya, Jelani, Maia.
André, Xavier, Jeremiah, Josiah, Deangelo, Deion."
(I know some of these have different origins, but they can
still be considered as African American names. Similarly to how Gabriella and
Maria can be Italian, Latin American or Spanish name, for example. Also, to
those saying that “these are mostly Arabic or Muslim names”, please note that
Black Americans can also be Muslim... thank you)."
**
30. name deleted
"I looooove Imani but it’s my sister’s name. My next favorite
is Aaliyah. I like a lot of Black names but I tend to like ones that I first
heard when I was a kid for some reason. It’s weird but it’s a trend I’ve
noticed for most names."
**
31. berlinbunny
"Imani is lovely. There must be some science behind that, I
think I heard that we’re more likely to like songs we have heard many times
before, so it might be the same thing with names too?"
**
32. RainbowRozes123
"Aisha, Janae, Aaliyah, Nicole, Nazir"
**
33. Baird-Everdeen
"Hakeem is interesting and beautiful! ( in Turkish you call a
referee "Hakem") For names, I always loved Makayla!"
**
34. christiancocaine
"Aisha. (eye-EESH-uhh) although I believe it’s traditionally
Arabic, I always think of Aisha Tyler when I hear the name"
**
35. GetWellSune
"I dont know if this is traditional or not, but I love the
name Tamika. I dont know what it is about it, but it is super pretty. My mom
always liked the name Ebony."
**
36. matilda-belle
"My mom always said she wanted to name me Tamika! Not sure
why or where she got it from...my family is very Irish/German Catholic on both
sides. My dad shot it down - it would not have suited me"
**
37. GetWellSune
"My mom grew up in a predominantly black city, and she had
knew people named Ebony, so I think that is where she got it from. I listened
to something when I younger with a charecter named Tamika, which is where ai
heard it first."
**
38. unicorntrees
"My husband always tells me of a little girl named Shakara
from when he volunteered with homeless youth. Such a pretty name.
Some favorite student names of mine over the years: Kenya,
Dementrice (Demetrius), Makai, and Javelle."
**
39. MxViolin
"LaShawn is my favorite name of all time."
**
40. 26kanninchen
"Kamaria (which I believe is traditionally Swahili, correct
me if I’m wrong) is definitely a favorite of mine. If it weren’t for the
cultural appropriation issue it’d definitely be on my list for future offspring
names. I also like the names Tavonna (girl name) and Tavion/Tavian (boy names)."
**
41. frothy_butterbeer
"Ramyka. Unsure if traditional-she said it was. Rah-mE-ka or
Ram-E-ka."
**
42. _officinialis
"Dante, Aliyah, Tyron"
**
43. elbinga
"Jamal, Kareem, Aisha, Omar, Tarek, Ali, Aziz, Rashed."
**
44. throwaway15953207
"I have a student named La’Dajah (luh-day-juh) and I think
it’s so pretty."
**
45. CoffeeKat1
"I went to school with a Camarie and a Dotun (pronounced
du-TOON).
**
46. ida_klein
"Malcolm is one of my favorite names in general. For a girl,
probably Ebony. I love the sound and the meaning."
**
41. name deleted
"Aisha started as an Arabic name, but I've seen it pop up and
it's such a beautiful name."
**
42. zzzelot
"LaSean
Jamari"
43. name deleted
"
**
44. Icy_Crow
"Quandra
Tanisha
Jamiracle
Demarcus
Jerwayne"
**
45. MajesticLilFruitcake
"I once met a woman named Dominica and I think that’s such a
pretty name."
**
46. DobabyR
"Nia and Tia"
**
47. gibbakith
"I have a little Imani in my class (she isn’t black) I love
this name! I’ve often wondered how it plays into her heritage. It’s so pretty.
Akeem and Kareem (ESP Kareem) are really nice boy names.
On an episode of Worlds worst mom, a black mom named Sharifa
had some really interesting names for her kids. Shemiah (boy) is the oldest.
And I remember Nehemiah (also a boy ) can’t remember them all but the baby is
nabbed Zepeiah ? But they call him Zippy or Zeppy. Adorable! And her husband is
named Maurice but he spells it Morise. I like that.
https://youtu.be/D_DKvDalGew it’s a good show!"
**
48. name deleted
"Deja is such a favorite of mine. My bestie as a little girl
was Deja and I was so jealous she had a “Black” name and I didn’t (I’m black
but my name is mostly used on white people, though I’ve met a lot of black
women with my name through Twitter!).
My other favorites are Imani and Aaliyah for girls. Boys are
Darius, Lakeith, and Hakeem."
**
49. name deleated
"A lot of African American names are Arabic names, usually
with a twist. Hakeem حكيم means wise, Kareem كريم means generous, Jamal جمال
means beauty, Jameel جميل means beautiful, Akeel/Akeela عقيال/عقيلة means
intellectual, and Shareef شريف means honourable. Then there's Maleek, which is
supposed to be a variant spelling of Malik. It's actually pronounced
"Maah-lick" in Arabic, but they pronounced it as Maleek and it became
something all their own. It means "King". Malika means
"queen." Imani I believe comes from Iman إيمان, the Arabic word (and
girls name) for faith."
**
50. chillyflamingo
"I don't know if they're traditional, but I really like
Nakia, Imani, Deon/Dion, and Zion."
**
51. mountainer14
"Girl name: Zuri. Love it so much"
**
52. SailorSatuurn
"Shanice/ Shaniece (niecy) and Malcom"
****
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