Celebrity Names · Historic and Vintage Names
Black Hero Names
Across 14 pages
of 14
Dorothea
Greek
"gift of God"
Dorothea is a romantic Victorian-sounding name that blends elegance, gravitas and a hint of clunkiness too. Popular in the early decades of the twentieth century, it has been off the charts since…
Leotis
Variation of Leodis, Celtic
"people living by the strongly flowing river"
Leotis effortlessly blends vintage and contemporary style, offering old-fashioned charm and not one, but two old-school cool nicknames: Leo and Otis. Leotis and Leodis — the original form of the name…
Douglass
Douglass is a masculine name that represents a variant spelling of Douglas, which originated as a Scottish surname meaning 'dark water' or 'dark stream.' This specific spelling with the double 's' is…
Dox
Invented name
Dox may sound like a modern invention but it actually has a notable historical bearer. Malagasy poet Jean Verdi Salomon Razakandrainy was known mononymously as Dox, inspired by a nickname he received…
Dubois
French surname
"of the forest"
Dubois, which can also be stylized as DuBois or Du Bois, is a surname derived from bois , the French word for "forest." A notable, namesake-worthy bearer is W. E. B. Du Bois (who actually pronounced…
Ebenezer
Hebrew
"stone of help"
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…
Edmonia
Edmonia is a feminine name of uncertain etymology, though it may be a feminine form of Edmund, a Germanic name combining elements meaning 'wealth' or 'fortune' and 'protection.' The name gained some…
Ellen
English variation of Helen
"torch; shining light"
An medieval English form of Helen, the sensitive but clear-eyed Ellen has swung in and out of style for centuries, often alternating with the parent name. Ellen was the more common in medieval…
Ellington
English place-name and surname
"Ellis's town"
Ellington is a swinging musical name, evoking the jazzy and elegant persona of the Duke (born Edward Kennedy Ellington). While that reference may seem to make Ellington a male name, it is also…
Ernie
Variation of Ernest, English from German
"serious, resolute"
Not too long ago, Ernie may have felt totally out of style: a clunky old man nickname, best reserved for grandpa alongside Merle, Errol, and Barney. Now however, it's a rising star, a vintage revival…
Fannie
Spelling variation of Fanny, diminutive of Frances
"from France; free man"
It's hard to believe, via a 21st-century sensibility, that Fannie was ever a Top 50 name. But Fannie was even more popular than Fanny in its late 19th-century heyday, and stuck around much longer,…
Fitzgerald
Irish and Scottish
"son of Gerald"
Made famous by F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald Kennedy; still works best as a middle name.
Medgar
German
"lucky spear"
Medgar Evers was a civil rights activist and the NAACP's first field secretary in Mississippi in 1943. Both his bold first name or softer surname would make meaningful choices.
Gabby
Gabby is a feminine name that functions both as a standalone name and as a familiar diminutive for Gabrielle, Gabriella, or Abigail. Derived ultimately from the Hebrew name Gabriel, meaning 'God is…
Garnet
Jewel name, for the French
"pomegranate"
One of the jewel names in use a hundred years ago, for both boys and girls, due for revival along with sisters Ruby and Pearl. But interestingly, Garnet means pomegranate, the fruit who shares a deep…
Garvey
Irish
"rough peace"
Occasionally used in the African-American community to honor Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey, known as "Emperor of the Kingdom of Africa," though his first name is more frequently chosen. Another…
Gladys
Possibly a form or Claudia or Welsh
"land, nation"
Hard as it might be to believe, Gladys was the Harper of 1900, emerging almost out of nowhere to take the naming world by storm. It became a favorite among parents — and writers of romantic Edwardian…
Gordon
Scottish
"great hill"
As this long-term Age of Jordans, both male and female, begins to wind down, the neglected Scottish favorite Gordon, with its more distinguished history, could come back as a distinctive alternative.…
Guion
Diminutive of Guilherme, Portuguese variation of William
"resolute protection"
Intriguing short form of Guilherme, heard in Portugal and Brazil. Guion Bluford was the first African American to go to space.
Hale
English
"someone who lives in a hollow; strong and hearty"
This name projects a sense of well-being, as in "hale and hearty", while also having a nature-adjacent meaning, referring to someone who lives near a hollow, a nook, or a remote area of land. Rhyming…