The most popular Black baby names – and the beautiful meanings behind them

Looking for the perfect Black baby name that’s as trendy as it is beautiful? We’ve compiled the freshest ideas, sourced from the latest data available from Georgia, Texas, Virginia, and New York City. 

Many common baby names in the United States are equally popular across different races and ethnicities, while others hold unique relevance for parents of Black babies. Keep reading to find the perfect inspiration for your future bestie. 

Popular Black girl names

Aaliyah 

Aaliyah means “exalted” in Arabic. For decades, Aaliyah has been in the top 100 baby girl names in the U.S. and among BabyCenter parents. 

Alani

Alani is rooted in the Hawaiian language and refers to the Oahu tree, which has a fragrant aroma and represents growth and harmony with nature. 

Aria 

Aria, a Latin word that refers to air, also has deeper roots as a song or melody. In opera performances, the name also refers to a vocal solo. 

BabyCenter Community member CadenceLee is a fan of the melodic connection, sharing, “As a lover of music, I really like the name Aria.”

Autumn 

Autumn, a well-known name for fall, is associated with the Roman goddess of harvest season, Ceres. It symbolizes the bridge between summer and winter and a time of abundance. 

Ava 

In Virginia, Ava was in the top five most popular names given to Black children in 2025. Ava has disputed origins, but one theory is it’s a variation of Eve, a Hebrew name meaning “living.”

Chloe

The name Chloe stems from ancient Greece, associated with the goddess Demeter. It symbolizes springtime and the season’s blooms. In 2025, Chloe ranked as one of the top Black baby girl names in Georgia. 

Destiny

Although the name Destiny isn’t rooted in a specific religion, it’s often associated with faith and spirituality. Destiny comes from the Latin word destinata and means “the power of fate” or simply “fate.”

Eliana

Eliana was in the top five names for Black baby girls in 2025. The name is faith-forward with Hebrew origins, loosely translating to “God has answered.”

Faith

Faith is a popular name with a spiritual significance. On a national level, Faith has been a top girl name since 1900. And in New York City, Faith landed among the most popular names for Black girls.

Gianna

New York City ranks Gianna as the third most popular name for a Black baby girl. It traces back to the Italian name Giovanna and translates to “God is gracious,” gaining appeal beyond Italian communities. 

Harmony

The name Harmony has musical origins from the Greek term harmonia, representing balance and the musical alignment of chords. Its popularity grew as a name in the U.S. in the 19th and 20th centuries and it sits on Georgia’s list of top Black baby girl names. 

Imani 

Imani is a girl name found in Arabic and some African languages, including Swahili. It means “belief” or “faith” and has the variants Iman and Imaan. More girls have the name Imani, but boys have been given the name, too.

Jada

Jada is a short and sweet name, but full of meaning: It means “he knows” in Hebrew, and it’s also related to the gemstone Jade.

Journee

Journee, a popular alternate spelling of Journey, gained popularity in the later 20th century. It embodies curiosity and the travel from one place to somewhere new. 

Kehlani

Kehlani comes from a Hawaiian word meaning “sky” or “heaven.” 

Jasmine

The name Jasmine has been making its mark, repeatedly landing on the national list of popular girls names, since the 1970s. Jasmine is a type of flower noted for its fragrance and aesthetic appeal.

Laila 

Laila comes from an Arabic word that means “night” or “dark.”

Leilani

Leilani is a Hawaiian term that means “royal child” or “heavenly flowers.” Its popularity grew from the song “Sweet Leilani” sung by Bing Crosby in the 1937 film Waikiki Wedding.

Maya

Maya has complex origins: It means “dream” or “illusion” in Sanskrit and “courage” in Maori. It also has Latin roots as an alternate version of Maia, a Roman fertility goddess whose name may be rooted in a Latin word meaning “great.”

Naomi

Naomi comes from Hebrew and means “pleasantness.” Naomi is also a caring, prestigious figure in the Bible. Naomi ranked as the second most popular name for Black baby girls in Georgia in 2025.

Naya

Naya’s origins are uncertain, but it could be a variant of the name Nia, which means “purpose” in Swahili or “brightness” and “beauty” in Welsh. It could also be inspired by Maya.

Nevaeh 

It must be the unique meaning of Nevaeh that attracts so many parents – it’s the word “heaven” spelled backward. Nevaeh is a fairly new name – it dates to 2001, when musician Sonny Sandoval bestowed the name on his daughter.

Nova

Nova comes from the word “new” in Latin. It also refers to a star that appears as a sudden, bright light that gradually fades into the night sky. 

Nyla

Nyla has uncertain origins, but it may be a feminine version of Neil. It comes from an Irish name with disputed meanings, including “champion” or “cloud.”

Serenity

Serenity means the state of being peaceful, calm, and tranquil. It’s rooted in the Latin word serenus, which means “calm, clear, and unclouded,” and was a word that referred to the weather. It ranked as one of the top five Black baby names in Virginia in 2025. 

Skylar

Skylar is a variant of the name Schuyler, which comes from a Dutch word meaning “scholar.” It’s a name that denotes intelligence and wisdom – but is also reminiscent of clear blue skies.

Zuri

A Swahili name that means “beautiful,” Zuri has been steadily rising in popularity since 2010.

Ready to start your name list – or still figuring out your vibe? The BabyCenter app can help you track your top picks, discover more names you’ll love, and get expert-backed guidance for every step of your pregnancy.

Popular Black boy names

Ace 

Ace is an English word that means “highest rank.” While it was historically used as a nickname, it’s gaining popularity as a top Black baby boy name in Georgia. 

Amare

Amare may come from the Arabic name Ammar, which means “one who lives a long life.” It could also be tied to the Spanish word amar, meaning “to love.” 

Amir 

Amir is an Arabic name meaning “prince,” “leader,” or “chief.” 

Andre 

Andre is a French name with Greek roots meaning “manly.” 

Asher

Asher is a positive name that means to be a “blessed” or “happy” individual, originating from the Hebrew language.

Caleb

Caleb is an important Biblical figure in the Old Testament. (Moses sends Caleb to spy on the ancient civilization of Canaan to determine whether to claim the land for the Israelites.) The name is thought to come from a Hebrew word meaning “dog” – meant as a compliment in this context because of dogs’ loyalty.

Carter

Carter was originally an Irish last name meaning “someone who transports goods by cart” – but it’s caught on as a first name for baby boys. 

For Black parents, the name holds special meaning because of Carter G. Woodson. Woodson, the Black son of slaves, was an educator and philosopher who founded the precursor to Black History Month and has been called the father of Black history.

Christian

Christian comes from the Latin name Christianus, which represents a Christian individual. Its popularity spread across Europe for centuries, and it’s now a top choice for Black babies in Georgia and New York City. 

Cory

Cory is an alternate spelling of Corey, which comes from the Old Norse name Kori and has uncertain meaning. 

Elijah 

Elijah is a biblical name referring to a Hebrew prophet. (In the Old Testament, God performs miracles through Elijah, including bringing a boy back to life.) The name means “Yahweh is God” in Hebrew. 

Ezra

Ezra comes from a Hebrew word meaning “help” and is the name of a prophet in the Old Testament. Long embraced in Jewish communities, the name’s strong meaning and timeless sound have helped it gain wider popularity over the years. Today, Ezra is especially popular in parts of the South, ranking No. 4 among Black boy names in Virginia and No. 10 in Georgia in 2025.

Derrick

Derrick comes from the English phrase “people ruler” and stretches back to medieval England’s ruling class. 

Isaiah

Isaiah has Hebrew roots and comes from the word yeshayah, which roughly translates to “God is salvation” with deep biblical ties. It’s a popular choice on Georgia’s top Black baby boy names in 2025. 

Jayden 

Jayden is a modern name that likely comes as a combination of Jay and Hayden. It’s also spelled Jaeden, Jaiden, Jaidon, Jadon, and Jaden (as in Jaden Smith, the actor, musician, and son of Hollywood power couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith). This name is popular among Black parents – as are the similar names Jace and Jayce. 

Jeremiah

Jeremiah stems from the Bible and remains popular, with a Hebrew meaning of “God will uplift.” It’s gained significance for its melodic sound and reference to strength and hope.

Josiah

The name Josiah comes from the Hebrew expression “God will save” and represents piousness and faith. It was the second-most popular name for Black baby boys in Georgia in 2025 and the third most popular in Virginia in 2025. 

Kairo 

Often inspired by the capital city of Egypt, Kairo comes from an Arabic word meaning “victorious.”

King

This regal boy name started making baby name charts in 2015. King has been a top-charting name for Black baby boys in states like Georgia for several years.

Levi

Levi is one of the many ancient biblical names that have withstood time. Rooted in Hebrew, this name means “associated.”

Major

The name Major signals power and strength, which is why parents may be drawn to this name. The word major is rooted in a Latin word meaning “great.”

Malik

Muslim names like Malik have been popular in the Black community since the 1960s, when several prominent Black celebrities took Muslim names to reflect their African heritage or religious beliefs (Muhammad Ali and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to name a few). 

Malik means “owner” or “king” in Arabic. 

Messiah 

Messiah comes from Hebrew traditions and means “anointed” and “savior,” evolving from the Hebrew word mashiyah. 

Micah 

Micah is a spiritually inspired name that means “who is like God?” in Hebrew.

Noah

Noah is a tranquil Hebrew name that refers to comfort and rest – it’s been the No. 1 boy name on BabyCenter for several years now.

Prince

Even though the name Prince has been around as a given name since the early 1900s, it’s still a unique name to give to your little boy. While its modern meaning is “son of the king,” Prince originates in the Latin word princeps, which means “first person,” as in “ruler” or “chief,” and is the same root of the word “principal.”

Xavier

Xavier is a Spanish name that comes from an old Basque place name that means “the new house.”

Popular gender-neutral Black names

Amari 

Amari’s history is unclear, but it may be tied to the Arabic name Amar (like Amare above). It holds global popularity and was a top choice for Black parents in 2025 in Georgia. 

Chosen

Chosen comes from the Old English word “ceosan” and has an intentional feeling. It ranks as one of the most popular names for a Black baby in Georgia. 

Dallas

Like Austin and Brooklyn, the name Dallas is a cute spring on a popular U.S. destination. Its roots extend deeper and Dallas has Scottish origins, meaning “field,” “meadow,” and dwelling. 

Genesis 

The name Genesis is often inspired by biblical tradition – Genesis is the first book in the Bible and is an account of the creation of the world. It’s rooted in a Greek word that means, fittingly, “origin” or “creation.” 

Jordan

Jordan means “to flow down” in Hebrew. It’s also a river in the Middle East that has major religious significance. (According to the Bible, the River Jordan is where Jesus was baptized and where the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land.)

Kai

One meaning of the gender-neutral name Kai is “sea” in Hawaiian. Kai is also a nickname for European names like Gerhard and Klaus.

Kyrie

Kyrie is a unisex name, but is more common for boys. It comes from the Greek word kyrios and means “lord.”

Legend

The meaning of the name Legend is clear – and it’s a name any parent would want their child to live up to. Currently it’s used more for boys than girls, but it’s a unique name befitting any gender. 

Legend seems like an unusual name – but it’s actually been climbing the charts in recent years and has been hovering around BabyCenter’s top 100 boy names for years now.

London

Baby names inspired by locations are popular across the board – and on the lists of popular names for Black baby girls, Brooklyn, Madison, Savannah, and London all make the cut. While the name London is inspired by the city of the same name in England, London can also mean “place at the great river.” More girls than boys have the name London, but it’s gender neutral.

Saint 

Saint comes from the Latin word sanctus, which translates to a saintly or holy person. It appears in several holy texts and signifies a person who is devoted to spirituality. 

Sevyn 

Sevyn, a modern spelling of the name Seven, rose to popularity in Georgia in 2025. The name is a symbol of luck and good fortune. 

Shiloh 

Shiloh comes from the Hebrew language and translates to “his gift” and also refers to tranquility. It also refers to an ancient city in the Old Testament. 

Zion

Zion comes from the Hebrew word tsiyon. In the Bible, Zion refers to a hill in Jerusalem, the city itself, and the land of Israel. The meaning of Zion evolved to mean a utopian homeland, a place of freedom, unity, and peace.