50 Black Baby Names for Girls
Learn the meaning and origin behind popular names for Black baby girls.
Fact checked by Zerah IsaacsFact checked by Zerah Isaacs
Black culture is comprised of varying elements such as shared beliefs, music, food, clothing, and countless other things that express what it is like to navigate life as a Black person. This growing list also includes names. Black names are distinctive and can be interpreted with several different meanings. With a history of names being taken away during slavery, Black people placed an emphasis on given names as a way to pass down culture and ensure descendants were treated with respect.
From African and Arabic to Latin and Germanic origins, Black names are filled with deep meaning, and many also stem from historic roots. Names like Destiny and Imani come from a strong belief in fate and faith, while a name like Azha has a more astrological interpretation. Before settling on a name, take a look at the list below to gain some insight into a few options for your baby.
Editor's Note
Although many baby names are separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.
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Azha
Origin: Indian, Arabic
Meaning: Sunrise, star
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ahzha
Peak Popularity: Azha is a rare name that has not been listed in the top 1,000 names.
Alana
Origin: Celtic, Irish
Meaning: Awakening, precious
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alanna, Alaina
Famous Namesakes: Professional surfer Alana Blanchard
Peak Popularity: Alana has risen slightly in popularity, moving up from a rank of 232 in 2019 to 184 in 2023 Social Security data.
Alexia
Origin: Greek, Latin
Meaning: Helper, defender of man
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alexya, Alexxia
Peak Popularity: Alexia has consistently remained in the top 1,000 baby names over the last 20 years, and ranked at 814 in 2023 Social Security data.
Aaliyah
Origin: Arabic
Meaning: Heavens, exalted
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alia, Aaliya
Famous Namesakes: Singer Aaliyah Haughton
Peak Popularity: Aaliyah joined the list of top baby girl names in 1994. In the Social Security data from 2023, it ranked at 86.
Ava
Origin: Latin, Germanic, Hebrew
Meaning: Life, voice
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Avah, Aiva
Peak Popularity: Ava is an extremely popular name, ranking at 3 in the top 1,000 baby names from 2016 to 2020. In the Social Security data from 2023, it ranked at No. 8.
Brooke
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Gentle stream
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Brook
Famous Namesakes: Brooke Alexander, actress, former Miss Hawaii World, and former Miss World America
Peak Popularity: The name Brooke has significantly declined in popularity. It reached its popularity peak in 1981 in the 52nd spot. In the Social Security data from 2023, it ranked 299.
Charice
Origin: American, Greek
Meaning: Grace
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cherice, Cherese, Sherise
Peak Popularity: Charice is not in the most popular baby name rankings.
Chelsea
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Port for chalk
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Chelsey
Famous Namesakes: American comedian and writer Chelsea Peretti, actress and singer Chelsea Tavares
Peak Popularity: Chelsea was most popular in the early 1990s. This name ranked at 710 in 2023 Social Security data.
Chloe
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Blooming
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Khloe
Famous Namesakes: Actress and Grammy-nominated singer Chloe Bailey
Peak Popularity: While most popular in 2009 and 2010 at a ranking of 9, Chloe’s popularity ranked at No. 26 in 2023 Social Security data.
Destiny
Origin: Latin, American
Meaning: Fate, fortune
Famous Namesakes: American track and field athlete Destiny Carter
Peak Popularity: Destiny’s popularity has swiftly fallen in the last 10 years, going from a rank of 71 in 2010 to 439 in 2023.
Devyn
Origin: English, Irish
Meaning: Poet
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Devin
Peak Popularity: Devyn was last ranked in the top 1,000 baby names in 2013 at 973.
Dionne
Origin: English
Meaning: Divine
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Dion, Deion, Dione
Famous Namesakes: American singer and actress Dionne Warwick
Peak Popularity: Dionne has not ranked in the top 1,000 baby names within the last 40 years.
Eriss
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Goddess of discord
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Eris
Peak Popularity: This unique name is not found in the top 1,000 baby names.
Essence
Origin: English
Meaning: Aura, nature
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Essense
Peak Popularity: Essence dropped out of the top 1,000 baby names in 2008 at a ranking of 979.
Felicity
Origin: Latin, English
Meaning: Happiness, good fortune
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Felicitey, Felicitee
Peak Popularity: Felicity entered the top 1,000 girl name in 1998. In the Social Security data from 2023, it ranked at 454.
Gemma
Origin: Italian, Latin
Meaning: Precious stone
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Jemma, Gema
Famous Namesakes: Actress Gemma Chan
Peak Popularity: Breaking the top 1,000 baby names in 2008 at 887, Gemma’s popularity ranked 176 in 2023 Social Security data.
Imani
Origin: Arabic, Swahili
Meaning: Belief, faith
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Emoniey
Famous Namesakes: Imani Coppola, American singer-songwriter and violinist
Peak Popularity: The name Imani has ranked consistently in the top 1,000 baby names.
Related: 300 Popular Baby Names by Syllable Count
Iyana
Origin: Hebrew, African
Meaning: God is gracious
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ayanna
Famous Namesakes: Actress Iyana Halley
Peak Popularity: Iyana was last ranked in the top 1,000 baby names at 1,000 in 2008.
Jada
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Wise, goodness
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Jayda
Famous Namesakes: Actress and musician Jada Pinkett-Smith
Peak Popularity: Peaking in the early 2000s, Jada’s popularity has since fallen.
Jalisa
Origin: Arabic, English
Meaning: God’s promise
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Jalissa
Peak Popularity: Jalisa has not been in the top 1,000 baby names in the last 25 years.
Jaya
Origin: Indian, Hindi
Meaning: Victorious, victory
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Jaai, Jaia
Famous Namesakes: Actress Jaya Prada
Peak Popularity: Jaya is a rare name and does not rank in the top 1,000 baby names.
Kayla
Origin: Hebrew, Arabic
Meaning: Crown of laurels
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Kalah
Famous Namesakes: Actress Kayla Maisonet
Peak Popularity: Kayla has slightly fallen in popularity, sliding from 101 in 2014 to 324 in 2023, but still consistently remains in the top 1,000 baby names. It reached its peak of popularity in 1995-1996 at the No. 11 spot.
Kendra
Origin: English, Welsh
Meaning: Knowledge
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Kendrah, Kendrea
Famous Namesakes: Model and social media personality Kendra Bailey
Peak Popularity: Kendra has been a popular name for over 30 years and ranked at 741 in the 2023 Social Security data.
Kennedy
Origin: Irish, Gaelic
Meaning: Pride, fierce
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Kenedi, Kenedy
Peak Popularity: Currently ranking at 72, Kennedy is an increasingly popular name. It broke into the top 100 in 2011.
Kenya
Origin: African
Meaning: Animal horn
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Keneya, Keneia Kennya
Famous Namesakes: American actress, model, and producer Kenya Moore
Peak Popularity: Kenya last saw popularity in 2017 at a rank of 964.
Kiara
Origin: Italian, Irish
Meaning: Kind, bright
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Chiara
Famous Namesakes: WNBA player Kiara Leslie, CoverGirl model Kiara Kabukuru
Peak Popularity: Kiara’s popularity currently ranks 308 out of the top 1,000 baby names.
Liana
Origin: French
Meaning: To climb
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lyana, Lianna
Famous Namesakes: Actress Liana Liberato
Peak Popularity: The name Liana currently ranks at No. 479. It first hit the charts in 1977.
Luna
Origin: Latin, Roman
Meaning: Moon
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lunna, Lunah
Peak Popularity: Luna is quickly becoming an extremely popular name, and according to 2023 Social Security data, broke into the top 10 most popular names for girls in the US.
Related: 20 Angel Names With Spiritual Meaning
Makenna
Origin: American
Meaning: Happy one
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Makena, Mckenna
Peak Popularity: Makenna has remained common over the last 20 years but has declined in popularity, ranking at 475 in 2023 Social Security data.
Megan
Origin: Welsh, Greek
Meaning: Pearl
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Meghan, Meagan
Famous Namesakes: Rapper Megan ‘Megan Thee Stallion’ Jovon Ruth Pete
Peak Popularity: Most popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, Megan has fallen to a ranking of 694.
Mia
Origin: Hebrew, Egyptian
Meaning: Beloved, queen
Famous Namesakes: Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Former professional soccer player and Olympic gold medalist Mia Hamm
Peak Popularity: Mia has been in the top 10 most popular baby names for the last decade. In the Social Security data from 2023, it ranked 6.
Nadia
Origin: Russian, Slavic
Meaning: Hope, delicate
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Nadya, Nadja
Famous Namesakes: Singer-songwriter and actress Nadia Turner
Peak Popularity: The name Nadia ranked at 489 in the Social Security data from 2023.
Nala
Origin: African
Meaning: Successful, queen, gift
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Nahla
Famous Namesakes: Nala Wayans, fashion model and daughter of actor Keenen Ivory Wayans
Peak Popularity: Nala made its first appearance on the Social Security top 1,000 baby names list in 2014 and in 2023, rose to a rank of 846.
Nashea
Origin: English
Meaning: Defiant, strong
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Nashe, Nasheya
Peak Popularity: Nashea is a unique name that is not listed in the top 1,000 baby names for girls.
Nia
Origin: Gaelic, Swahilian
Meaning: Lustrous, bright, brilliant
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Neya, Niea
Famous Namesakes: Actress Nia Long, Olympia athlete Nia Ali
Peak Popularity: The popularity of the name Nia has remained around the same for the past 10 years. In the 2023 Social Security data it ranked 642.
Nicole
Origin: Greek, French
Meaning: Victory of the people
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Nichole
Famous Namesakes: Comedian Nicole Byer, Nicole Scherzinger
Peak Popularity: Peaking at a rank of 7 in the early 1980s, this name ranked at 327 in the 2023 Social Security data.
Nori
Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Belief
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Nore
Peak Popularity: Nori is a distinctive name that in 2023 broke into the 1,000 top names for baby girls in the US.
Shakira
Origin: Arabic
Meaning: Grateful, thankful
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Shakera, Shakura
Famous Namesakes: Colombian singer Shakira
Peak Popularity: Shakira has not made the top 1,000 baby names since 2006 when it had a rank of 780.
Shani
Origin: Swahili, Sanskrit
Meaning: Wondrous, marvel
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Shanee, Shaney, Shanie
Peak Popularity: Shani is a rare name that hasn't been in the top 1,000 names since 1977.
Related: 100 Color Baby Names
Shannon
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Wise
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Shanon, Shannen
Famous Namesakes: Actress and model Shannon Elizabeth
Peak Popularity: Shannon last appeared in the top 1,000 baby girl names in 2013 at 917.
Shantae
Origin: Old French, Hindi
Meaning: Peaceful, stone
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Shante
Peak Popularity: This name has not ranked in the top 1,000 baby names for girls.
Shay
Origin: Gaelic, Hebrew, Irish
Meaning: Admirable, gift
Famous Namesakes: Actress Shay Mitchell
Peak Popularity: Shay was on the top 1,000 list in 1970-1971, and then came back on in 2020.
Simone
Origin: French, Italian
Meaning: Hearkening, to be heard
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Seymone
Famous Namesakes: Gymnast and gold medalist Simone Biles
Peak Popularity: After a slight increase in popularity in 2019 at 713, the name Simone slid back down to a ranking of 927 in the 2023 Social Security data.
Talia
Origin: Italian, Hebrew
Meaning: Morning dew
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Thalia, Taliyah
Famous Namesakes: Actress Talia Balsam
Peak Popularity: In the 2023 Social Security data, Talia ranked at 264.
Taylor
Origin: Anglo-French
Meaning: Tailer
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Tayler, Taylour
Famous Namesakes: Singer Taylor Swift, Actress Taylor Cole
Peak Popularity: Taylor has remained a consistently popular name over time, with a peak in the 1990s. However, its popularity has declined, and in the 2023 Social Security data, it ranked at 261.
Teyana
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Graceful, unique
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Teyona
Famous Namesakes: Singer-songwriter Teyana Taylor
Peak Popularity: Teyana is not on the top 1,000 baby names list.
Tia
Origin: Greek, Spanish
Meaning: Goddess, joy
Famous Namesakes: American actress Tia Mowry, Voice actress Tia Ballard
Peak Popularity: Tia was last ranked in the top 1,000 baby names in 2012 at 964.
Tiana
Origin: Russian, Slavic
Meaning: Princess
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Teona
Famous Namesakes: American dancer Tiana Brown
Peak Popularity: Tiana has been a consistently popular name, and in the 2023 Social Security data, ranked at 609.
Tyler
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Tiler
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Tailer
Famous Namesakes: Rapper Tyler, The Creator, Actor Tyler James Williams
Peak Popularity: Tyler last ranked in the top 1,000 names for baby girls in 2007 at 874.
Zuri
Origin: Swahili
Meaning: Beautiful
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Zhuri
Famous Namesakes: Actress, reporter, and producer Zuri Hall
Peak Popularity: Zuri is a name to watch. Its popularity has soared over the past 10 years, flying from 982 in 2010, to 203 in the 2023 Social Security data.
More Baby Name Ideas
For more baby name inspiration, take a look at the following lists:
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