Celebrity Names · Historic and Vintage Names
Black Hero Names
Across 14 pages
of 14
Rudd
English surname
"red or ruddy"
The surname Rudd, made most famous by Antman actor Paul, derives from the words ruddy or red and may have originally been given to someone with a reddish complexion. While this name can theoretically…
Sammy
Hebrew
"god has heard"
Short for Samuel or long for Sam, Sammy is a sweet midcentury nickname name that we can see coming back.
Sargent
Spelling variation of Sergeant, Latin
"to serve"
One of the few military ranks used as a name, as in Kennedy in-law and Peace Corps creator Sargent (born Robert Sargent) Shriver. There's also a more creative, artistic association with painter John…
Satchel
American nickname
First Woody Allen, then Spike Lee named their children to honor the great early black pitcher, Leroy "Satchel" Paige. A bit luggage-related for non-celebrity use, however.
Septima
Latin
"seventh"
Name for a seventh child, back when people had them.
Shaquille
Arabic
"well developed, handsome"
No longer a one-person name, as a number of parents have been inspired by basketball great Shaquille O'Neal to adopt it for their own future athletes.
Shirley
English
"bright meadow"
Shirley Temple almost single-handedly lifted the gloom of the Great Depression, and in tribute (and perhaps wishing for a similarly curly-headed, dimpled darling of their own), thousands of parents…
Shonda
Shonda is a feminine name with American origins, likely derived as a variation of Shawn or Sean, which come from the Irish name Seán, meaning 'God is gracious.' Popular primarily in the United States…
Sidney
English from French
"Saint Denis"
A contraction name, Sidney comes from Saint Denis and is related to Dioynsius, the Greek god of fertility and wine, although another theory is that it derived from an Anglo-Saxon place name, meaning…
Simeon
Hebrew
"he [God] has heard"
Could Simeon be the next Gideon? Parents seeking a less simple form of Simon might consider this biblical appellation that was chosen by Wynton Marsalis for his son. Simon is actually the Greek…
Sojourner
French, English
"to stay a while"
African-American and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth was born as Isabelle into enslavement. She adopted her new name when she began traveling and preaching abolition in 1843. Sojourner is a…
Solange
French
"solemn"
This is a soft, soignée French girls' name that has become familiar here via singer Solange Knowles, younger sister of Beyonce. It is also the name of a martyred ninth century saint, a poor…
Spike
English word name
"a very large nail"
Spike is part mid-century nickname-name, ala Buster or Buck, and part word name, with an all-over cool creative dude feel thanks to directors Spike Lee and Spike Jonze. Mike Myers named his son…
Stevie
Stevie is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive of Stephen or Steven, meaning "crown" or "garland" from Greek origins. While traditionally a nickname, Stevie gained popularity as a…
Thurgood
Puritan virtue name
"Thoroughgood"
Borne by the first African American Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, this name probably originated from the Puritan "Thoroughgood." While Thurgood is still quite clunky, it is certainly less…
Toni
English diminutive of Antonia, Latin
"from Antium"
In the 1940s, Toni began to surpass its progenitor, Antonia, but it peaked in 1960 and has since dropped back below the US Top 1000. American author Toni Morrison is an eminent namesake. She was…
Truth
English word name
"truth"
With the first name True receiving a Kardashian dose of popularity for girls, Truth is gaining in visibility too. Though its still more popular for boys two to one, the truth is that the name works…
Turner
English
"works with a lathe"
Turner is a name that's both preppy and painterly, recalling the exquisite watercolor seascapes of British painter J.M.W. Turner. An occupational name in the Taylor-Carter mold, Turner is a more…
Tyra
Scandinavian, feminine variation of Tyr, an ancient Indo-European god
High profile supermodel/entrepreneur Tyra Banks has put this name in the spotlight, endowing it with her confident, superattractive image.
Ulysses
Latin variation of Odysseus, Greek
"wrathful"
Ulysses is one of the few U boys' names anyone knows -- with heavy links to the Homeric hero of The Odyssey , the eighteenth US president Ulysses Grant, and the James Joyce novel -- all of which…