Baby names inspired by Black leaders

Girl names inspired by Black leaders

Akua

Akua Lezli Hope is an award-winning poet, writer, and artist. Her name comes from the Akan language of Ghana, and means "born on a Wednesday."

Eartha

The most famous Eartha is Eartha Kitt – singer, actress, activist, and personality extraordinaire. Another Black icon with the name is Eartha M. M. White, a humanitarian and philanthropist.

The name, like it sounds, means "of the earth."

Ida

Ida B. Wells was a brave journalist and social reformer who helped create the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Her name is originally derived from a Germanic word meaning "work," so is often taken to mean "hard-working."

Mae

Mae Jemison is a physician, engineer, and the first Black  woman to become an astronaut. In 1992, she became the first Black woman to travel to space.

Her name is a spelling variant of May, which was originally a nickname for Mary – but as the name of the month, it's rooted in Latin and thought to derive from Maia, a Roman goddess associated with the earth and springtime.

Maya

Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson, but her brother gave her the nickname Maya. The famed poet, author, and activist is perhaps best known for her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. She's the first Black woman featured on the quarter.

Marguerite is the French form of Margaret, and is originally rooted in a Greek word that means "pearl."

Nella

Nella Larsen was a librarian and novelist. She's most famously known as the author of Passing, which was adapted into a Netflix film in 2021. Her name was originally Nellie, a nickname-name that was originally short for names including Helen, Ellen, and Eleanor.

Ora

Ora Belle Washington was an athlete who excelled in basketball and tennis during segregation. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Ora has a couple of potential meanings as a name: It could be rooted in a Latin word meaning "prayer," or a Hebrew word meaning "light." And Belle means "beautiful" in French.

Sojourner

Born into slavery as Isabella Baumfree, abolitionist and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth took her new name after feeling called to testify against slavery. Her most famous speech is known by the title "Ain't I a Woman?"

Isabella is a Spanish and Italian variant of Elizabeth, which is rooted in Hebrew and means "God is my oath," while Sojourner is an English vocabulary word meaning "guest, visitor."

Zora

Zora Neale Hurston was an author and filmmaker who's widely known for her classic novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. Hurston was also a researcher and anthropologist.

Her name is thought to be rooted in Slavic and mean "dawn."

Boy names inspired by Black leaders

Alvin

Alvin Ailey was a dance pioneer, activist, and founder of the famous Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. In New York City, December 4 is Alvin Ailey Day.

Alvin is rooted in Old English and means "elf friend."

Barack

Barack Obama made history in 2008 when he was elected as the first Black president of the United States. He's also a bestselling author and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. His name is rooted in Arabic and means "blessing."

Booker

Booker T. Washington was born into slavery. He paid for his own education, became a teacher, and founded the historic Tuskegee University.

Booker was originally an English occupational surname for someone who was a scholar or scribe for a living.

Carter

Scholar and historian Carter G. Woodson was the first person to introduce the study of African-American history. He's credited as the founder of Black History Month.

Carter was originally an English surname used by people who transported goods in a cart for a living.

Duke

Duke was the nickname of musician Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington. He's known for being one of the greatest jazz musicians in American history.

Duke is originally rooted in a Latin word meaning "leader."

Guion

Dr. Guion S. Bluford Jr. was an aerospace engineer, Air Force fighter pilot, and NASA astronaut. He was the first Black American to go to space, and completed four space flights.

His name, pronounced "guy-on," is thought to be rooted in a Portuguese variant of William. He was also known by his nickname, Guy.

Kwame

Civil rights activist Stokley Carmichael adopted the name Kwame Ture to honor two of his mentors. Pronounced "kwah-may," Kwame is a Ghanaian name that means "born on a Saturday."

Langston

Langston Hughes was an author and poet who was part of the Harlem Renaissance movement in the 1920s. He is known for portraying Black lives honestly in his writing and public talks. The poem "Harlem" in his book Montage of a Dream Deferred contains the famous lines "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?"

Langston was originally an English surname meaning "long stone," and was used by people who lived near a menhir, or a tall monument stone found throughout western Europe.

Gender-neutral names inspired by Black leaders

Alex

Alexander "Alex" Haley was a journalist and author of The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Roots: The Saga of an American Family. Roots, the television series adapted from Haley's book, won nine Emmy awards and is one of the most-watched TV shows in American history.

His name is rooted in Greek and means "defender of men."

Billie

Born Eleanora Fagan, Billie Holiday became a famed musical artist and activist. An innovative singer who influenced both jazz and pop music, Holiday has been commemorated in plays and films including Lady Sings the Blues.

Eleanora is a variant of Eleanor, a name so ancient its meaning isn't certain. And Billie is most often seen as a nickname for William, a Germanic name meaning "strong-willed protector."

Toni

Toni Morrison and Toni Braxton are two notable Black women who bear this name. Novelist Morrison (born Chloe Wofford) won the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Pulitzer Prize for her book Beloved. R&B singer Braxton is one of the best-selling artists in U.S. history and has won seven Grammy Awards for her music.

Toni is short for Antonia, the feminine form of Anthony. It's rooted in Latin, but the meaning isn't certain.

Darnell

Darnell Martin is best known for directing the film Cadillac Records, which starred Beyonce Knowles-Carter. Darnell is a gender-neutral name, but some parents spell it Darnelle to give it a feminine edge.

The name's meaning isn't certain, but it may derive from an Old French word for a type of grass.

Jean

Jean Toomer was the pen name of writer and poet Nathan Toomer. He's best known for his novel Cane.

Jean is a form of John, which is rooted in Hebrew and means "God is gracious." Nathan, which is also rooted in Hebrew, means "God has given."

Percy

Percy Lavon Julian was a researcher and chemist who helped pioneer the development of cortisone and birth control pills. Several schools and awards are named after him.

Percy was originally a surname rooted in Old French, and means "hedge-piercer."

Ray

Music legend Ray Charles is credited for creating soul music and has won 13 Grammy Awards. His life was depicted in the film Ray starring actor Jamie Foxx.

Raye is another way to spell this gender-neutral name, and it also has a famous namesake. Raye Montague was an Black naval engineer who was the U.S. Navy's first female program manager of ships.

This name was originally a nickname for Raymond, a Germanic name meaning "wise protector," though it's also tied to a French word meaning "king."

Whitney

More than one Black icon holds the name Whitney. Whitney Moore Young, Jr., was a social worker and civil rights leader who helped create equal employment opportunities for Black people in the United States.

R&B singer Whitney Houston was an award-winning actress and chart-topping singer who has sold more than 200 million records worldwide.

Whitney started out as an English surname meaning "by the white island."