Names That Mean Black

  1. Krishna
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "dark, black"
    • Description:

      Krishna is the name of a supreme Hindu god, and is often found in Hindu families. While it leans masculine, it is also given to girls, and a survey of names back in 2014 revealed the split was around 60:40.
  2. Cole
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "swarthy, coal black"
    • Description:

      Cole -- a short name that embodies a lot of richness and depth -- has long been associated with the great songwriter Cole Porter. It's quite popular in Scotland.
  3. Douglas
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "black water"
    • Description:

      Douglas, and more particularly its nickname, Doug, had a real romantic swagger in the 1950s and 1960s dating back to swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks, but today is more likely to conjure up your mom's prom date. Originally a Celtic river name, it became attached to a powerful Scottish clan, renowned for their strength and courage. In its earliest incarnation, Douglas was used equally for girls and boys.
  4. Keir
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "dark, black"
    • Description:

      Keir is a single-syllable name that packs a lot of punch, might suggest -- thanks to its similarity to the word care -- a caring person. Sir Keir Rodney Starmer is a British politician and head of the Labour Party since 2020. Keir Dullea is an American actor who starred in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
  5. Kali
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit, English
    • Meaning:

      "black one; free man; beauty"
    • Description:

      Kali is a number of different things: a playful, contemporary twist on the name Callie; the Hindu goddess of destruction; an alternative spelling for Kaylee; a short form of the Arablic Kalila, the Greek Kalista, or the African American Kaliyah; a masculine name in India; and a trendy form of Kali(fornia).
  6. Ebony
    • Origin:

      English
    • Description:

      An attractive and now underused nature name belonging to a tree whose wood is prized for its dark color and dense texture, which shines when polished. Ebony joined the most popular girl names list in the US in the early 1970s, peaked in 1982 at #132, and dropped back below the Top 1000 in 2006.
  7. Enoli
    • Origin:

      Cherokee
    • Meaning:

      "black fox"
    • Description:

      Perky Cherokee boy name with a great meaning. Foxes symbolize cleverness and playfulness in Cherokee culture.
  8. Inola
    • Origin:

      Cherokee
    • Meaning:

      "black fox"
    • Description:

      One of three Cherokee names with the same meaning, along with Inali and Enoli, both male names.
  9. Carey
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "dark, black"
    • Description:

      Carey is a surname name that works equally well on babies of all genders: Jazz great Carey Bell and motorcross champion Carey Hart are just two examples of how handsome this name can be for a boy. Also spelled as Cary (as in Old-Hollywood actor, Cary Grant), it was popular for boys in the 50s and remained in the US charts from the 1880s to the 1990s.
  10. Guadalupe
    • Origin:

      Spanish from Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "hidden river, valley of the wolves"
    • Description:

      Popular Spanish name that relates to the patron saint of Mexico. It could conceivably, like Soledad and Consuelo, cross the border into multicultural territory, but the name's decline since the nineties would seem to make that less likely.
  11. Inali
    • Origin:

      Cherokee
    • Meaning:

      "black fox"
    • Description:

      One of a handful of Cherokee names meaning "black fox," along with Enoli and Inola.
  12. Doyle
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "black stranger"
    • Description:

      An Irish surname possibility for those who like Daley, Royal, Dougal, and Dolan, though it may sound too much like doily to catch on for modern boys. Nevertheless, it was fairly well used in the 20th century, popular in the 30s, 40s, and 50s when it reached the Top 200 at one point.
  13. Melania
    • Origin:

      Spanish and Greek variation of Melanie
    • Meaning:

      "black"
    • Description:

      The current wife of Donald Trump, Slovenian model Melania Knauss, brought this pretty version to the fore. Saint Melania was an heiress who freed thousands of enslaved people.
  14. Kanika
    • Origin:

      African, Mwera
    • Meaning:

      "black cloth"
    • Description:

      Energetic choice that bounces off the tongue.
  15. Zanzibar
    • Origin:

      Swahili place name from Persian
    • Meaning:

      "black coast"
    • Description:

      Zanzibar is an island region off the coast of Tanzania. It's never been recorded as a baby name, but for those with a connection to Zanzibar, it's an intriguing and unique option chock full of zesty Zs.
  16. Douglas
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "black water"
    • Description:

      Now a mostly-male name, in its earliest incarnation Douglas was used equally for girls and boys and could certainly make a comeback as one of the new boy names for girls".
  17. Charna
    • Origin:

      Yiddish
    • Meaning:

      "dark, black"
    • Description:

      Popular name in Israel, worth considering for a dark-haired daughter with a bit of a bohemian cast.
  18. Blackwell
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "black well or stream"
    • Description:

      Dark.
  19. Nigella
    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Nigel; botanical name from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "black"
    • Description:

      A name that sounded unthinkably priggish until it became attached to Domestic Goddess British TV chef Nigella Lawson (named for her father), who gave it a big dollop of glamour.
  20. Krishna
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "dark, black"
    • Description:

      Krishna, in Hindu tradition, was the human incarnation of the god Vishnu, a heroic figure representing love, protection, tenderness and joy. Meaning "dark, black, dark blue" in from Sanskrit, Krishna is a major Hindu deity whose birthday is celebrated every year.

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