Many parents look for baby names that are meaningful, unique and rich in history — names that can shape a child’s sense of identity and influence how the world perceives them.
Names like Martin and Rosa can serve as beautiful foundations for a child’s identity and a great way to honor Black history. For families hoping to inspire a trailblazing spirit in their young ones, there are countless unsung heroes whose legacies have also profoundly shaped the world.
Consider these choices if you’re looking for a name that honors Black history.
Unisex names based on influential Black leaders
- Marley: A unisex name honoring the famous Jamaican singer Bob Marley, who sang “Get Up, Stand Up” and “Revolution.”
- Baldwin: After James Baldwin, the influential writer and civil rights advocate whose poems and stories challenged racial, gender and social injustice.
- Onyx: This gender-neutral name comes from the black onyx gemstone, which is often associated with empowerment and pride.
- Garvey: After Marcus Garvey, the leader who championed Pan-Africanism and Black pride.
Boy names inspired by Black history
- Malcolm: Expecting a fiery little one? Consider naming your son after Malcolm X, the civil rights leader who gave impassioned speeches and led protests.
- Julian: For the late politician Julian Bond, who served as chairman of the NAACP for over a decade and dedicated much of his career to advocating for social justice and equality.
- Mandela: Anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela and South Africa’s first Black president inspired a global movement for justice and equality.
- Kwame: Lean a little more into African roots with a name like Kwame, after Kwame Nkrumah, who led Ghana to independence.
- Frederick: Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist and great orator. Maybe your baby could be too!
- Nat: Inspired to name your little one after someone really bold? Consider Nat Turner, the courageous enslaved Black carpenter and preacher who led the historic Nat Turner’s Rebellion, also known as the Southampton Insurrection.
- Lewis: After the late Senator John Lewis, civil rights leader and congressman, for a lifetime of bravery and kicking up "good trouble."
Girl names for your future icon
- Harriet: This classic name honors Harriet Tubman, the leader of the Underground Railroad.
- Sojourner: After Sojourner Truth, abolitionist and women’s rights advocate.
- Ida: Honoring Ida B. Wells, journalist and anti-lynching activist.
- Rosa: After Rosa Parks, the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement,” this classic name is a great pick for the parent who wants to encourage their child to stand up for what's right.
- Fannie: For Fannie Lou Hamer, civil rights icon and voting rights activist, this name can be a meaningful one for your future changemaker.
- Angela: Honoring Angela Davis, revolutionary and activist, this name is a bold way to celebrate and instill justice, Black freedom and pride in your little one.
- Maya: After Maya Angelou, the "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" author, American poet and civil rights activist who became the first Black woman to appear on the U.S. quarter.
- Zora: Honoring Zora Neale Hurston, the Black and queer anthropologist and author of "Their Eyes Were Watching God," this name serves as a powerful tribute to a woman who captured Black life and resilience.
- Nina: Anticipating a musically-minded baby? The late singer Nina Simone, best known for "Young, Gifted and Black" and "I Put a Spell on You," is a beautiful nod to a soulful legacy.
