Black Hero Names

Parks is a rare member of the fashionable single-syllable, S-ending surname crowd, which includes trending choices like Brooks, Banks, Hayes and Wells.

 As well as being an English word name, Parks as a surname descended from Park or Parkin, a medieval diminutive of Peter. 

 Famed civil rights activist Rosa Parks makes for a very worthy namesake for a child of either gender.

Parks

The name of a heavenly planet and the Roman goddess of beauty and love was an intimidating no-no until tennis champ Venus Williams put an athletic, modern spin on it. 
 
Associated with the Greek Aphrodite, in the Roman pantheon, Venus (whose name probably means "desire") was considered the mother of the Roman people and has always been a favorite subject of artists — most well-known being the prehistoric sculpture Venus of Willendorf, the ancient Venus de Milo and Botticelli's The Birth of Venus.

Venus

Used primarily in Scotland, and represented here by singer Audra McDonald, the <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names"> girls' name</a> Audra has been overshadowed by the return of the classic Audrey. Audra may be to Audrey what Jenna is to Jennifer and Jessa is to Jessica: A variation that will rise as the original falls from favor.
 
Alternatively, however, Audra is a separate Lithuanian name, derived from the Lithuanian word for "storm". In this case, it would be pronounced OW-dru (OW to rhyme with cow, -u like the sound in up) and is used as a feminine form of Audrius.

Audra

Mordecai, although it has a noble heritage, has never caught on in this country, because of its rather weighty image. Nevertheless, with parents searching for rarer Biblical names that work as alternatives to Malachi and Matthew, Mordecai has seen increased interest in recent years and was given to 74 boys in the US in 2024. 

 Mordecai is a symbolic name for boys born on the holiday of Purim, because this cousin of Queen Esther helped her save the Jews from destruction at the hands of Haman.
 Mordecai Richler was a Canadian author and screenwriter whose best known work is The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.

Mordecai

Many will associate Rihanna with the Barbados-born singer, known mononymously by her middle name. During her early years of fame, when "Umbrella" was on the radio and "Take a Bow" was playing through the iPod Shuffle, the name shot up the charts in the US, UK, France, and Puerto Rico. Though the name did fall out of the charts as rapidly as it entered and while some parents might feel it is way too tied to the mid-2000s, Rihanna was given to 165 babies in 2023.
 
Rihanna isn't simply a music-inspired choice, however; it's an Arabic name, deriving from Rayhana, meaning "basil". Like Aaliyah and Leila, it is used cross-culturally, with several spelling variations cropping up, including Rihana, Rianna, Reanna, and Rhianna - though they may also be boosted up by their similarity to Welsh Rhiannon.
 
With its nature-inspired meaning and its sweet but strong sound, Rihanna could easily work on a baby born today.

Rihanna

Since so many of the biblical prophet names -- Daniel, Jonah, Nathan, Samuel -- are overused, you might want to consider this distinctive alternative. Hosea was the author of the book of prophesies bearing his name, whose underlying message was a promise of restoration. The Talmud claims that he was the greatest prophet of his generation.
 Hosea Williams was an important civil rights leader. Martin Luther King called him "my wild man, my Castro," in recognition of Williams' skill as an organizer.

Hosea

Jackie Kennedy gave this name a lot of style, but it doesn't seem destined for a comeback the way brother name Jack has. Jackie and Jacqueline both peaked in 1961.

Jackie

This name has hardly been used since Wendell Willkie ran for president in 1940, and it may not quite be ready for revival yet. Still, clunky grandpa names like Lionel, Douglas, Benedict, Carl, and Melvin have received more attention in recent years, so Wendell can't be ruled out just yet.
 
Wendell derives from the Dutch and German name, Wendel, which originates from the 5th century Germanic tribe, The Vandals, whose name could mean wanderer . Wendel became Wendell when it was brought over to America by the Dutch, and was notably borne by the 19th century poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. 
 
Well used in the US until the 60s, it last appeared in the Top 1000 in 1995. Recent years however have seen in creep back up in popularity very slightly, with 100 babies given the name in 2023. 
 
With the travel related meaning and clunky sounds, the name might well hold appeal, and a recent pop culture reference might increase that. Wendell Bambleby is a character in Heather Fawcett's popular book series, Emily Wilde who might bring new attention to the name.

Wendell

Queen has seen a revival in recent times, reaching its record high in 2018 with 280 births — it has remained steady since then. Previously, Queen saw a peak in the 1920s, but its origins go back even further than that. Queen was a noted name among enslaved people in America, along with other royal choices such as Duke, Squire, and Prince.


Queen

A cute diminutive of Jack, already technically a nickname for John, famously borne by Hong Kong actor, director and martial artist Jackie Chan.

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 actually born Chloe Ardelia but took the baptismal name Anthony when she converted to Catholicism aged 12, which is where her nickname comes from. Australian actress Toni Collette is another notable bearer.

Toni

Made famous by F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald Kennedy; still works best as a middle name.

Fitzgerald

Ebenezer is the name of a biblical place --the stone set up by Samuel to mark his victory over the Philistines--rather than a person. It was adopted by the British Puritans as a first name and then exported to America, where it had some early popularity, even entering the Top 1000 in the 1880s.
 After appearing in Walter Scott's novel Waverly and Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, it made its most lasting impression as Dickens's miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, pretty much annihilating the name, but since Scrooge did reform at the end of A Christmas Carol, maybe there's some slight hope for the old name yet. If you have a sense of humor, you might consider it one of the darker <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/412/christmas-baby-names">Christmas baby names</a>.
 The good news: the appealing short form Eben--so if you find Ebenezer too loaded and quirky for your taste, you might skip straight to the nickname.

Ebenezer

One of the most feminine of surname names, calling to mind dresses and doilies, though it was once used for boys too. The spelling Lacey is currently more popular, while Lacie has been a favorite in the UK.

Lacy

Despite a return to such feminizations of male names as Josephine, Clementine, and Theodora, starchy Henrietta has not made it into that group. Still, if you look hard enough, you'll see that Henrietta has the same vintage charm. 
 The name arrived in England in 1625 via King Charles I's wife, the French princess Henriette Marie, who became known as Henrietta Maria. Her daughter shared her name but was known as Minette.
 It has been prominent recently through the bestselling book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, the story of the poor black woman whose cells became one of the most important tools in medical research. Henrietta Szold was a U.S. Zionist leader and founder of the Hadassah Women's Organization. 
 Henrietta has a number of charming vintage nicknames, including Etta, Hetty and Hattie.

Henrietta

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 standalone name in the mid-20th century, bolstered by famous bearers like musician Stevie Wonder and singer Stevie Nicks (who popularized it for females as well). For boys, Stevie carries a friendly, approachable quality while maintaining masculine associations. The name peaked in popularity during the 1950s-1970s but has maintained steady usage since. Stevie offers the rare combination of being recognizable without being overly common, with a vintage charm that appeals to contemporary parents. The name evokes a sense of warmth and familiarity while still feeling distinctive in today's naming landscape.

Stevie

Morrison is one of the more uncommon patronymics; it could be used to honor an ancestral Morris, or one of the well-known surnamed Morrisons: Toni, Jim or Van.


Morrison

Carrie lives on mainly on the screen, as the new/old antiheroine of Stephen King's classic Carrie, as turn-of-the-21st-century diva Carrie Bradshaw of Sex & The City, and as Claire Danes' Emmy-winning character Carrie Mathison of Homeland. 
 In real life, however, Carrie dropped off the Top 1000 a handful of years ago and, while the name retains some charm, shows no signs of making an imminent comeback. Try Cara instead.

Carrie

Used especially in Latin America, this would make a funky spin on Maria.

 
The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Maritza

Issa might make more sense if you're using it as a nickname for any one of the various names ending in -issa, but this spelling is also an Arabic and Hebrew boy name. The Isa spelling is almost exclusively feminine. 

Issa

Black hero names honor notable Black leaders of history and today, including abolitionists, activists, athletes, artists, and entertainers.

Some of the most famous Black figures, such as Dr. Martin Luther King and Josephine Baker, add a subtle layer of significance to their traditional first names. Their more 

 are a modern and particularly powerful way to connect your child to your hero.

Black hero names for girls in the US Top 1000 

include Clara, Ella, Nina, and Ruby. In addition to King, other 

Black hero names for boys in the US Top 1000

 include Brooks, Kyrie, Legend, and Walker.

 worth considering for your child include Carver, Ellington, Hughes, and Owens.

A Black hero name may serve to imbue your child the strength and values of their namesake. If you are searching for a name to connect your child to their Black heritage or wish to honor an important Black hero, browse our list of over 250 names below.

Names of black and African-American heroes, including activists, athletes, artists and entertainers, with meanings, origins, and popularity. (Page 8)