31 Incredible Black Names for Girls
Let us start by looking at some beautiful and mysterious girl names that mean black or dark.
- Adriene: This Latin name translates to “dark one” and also refers to a “woman of Adria.”
- Blakely: A female name from Old English meaning “dark woodland clearing.”
- Catahecassa: A Native American girl name meaning “black hoof.” It belongs to a famous 18th-century Shawnee chief.
- Charna: A Slavic choice derived from the Yiddish word for “black.” It works well as a highly unique option.
- Ciardha: Coming from medieval Irish, this derivative of Ciar means “black” and connects deeply to ancient mythology.
- Donella: A beautiful Celtic name that translates to “girl with dark hair.”
- Duna: Meaning “little dark one” or “tall and confident like a hill.”
- Ebony: Named directly after the exceptionally dark wood that shines like glass when polished.
- Fuscienne: A French word meaning “black.” It operates as a derivative of Fuscienne, which translates to “dark beauty.”
- Inola/Inali: Another beautiful Native American name that means “black fox.”
- Kali: Meaning “black one” in Sanskrit, Kali is the name of a fearsome Hindu goddess and warrior.
- Kara: In Turkish, Kara translates to “black or dark.” It also means “courageous” in Ottoman history.
- Keira: A deeply popular Irish favorite meaning “dark-haired woman.”
- Lilith: Known as a night demon in ancient Mesopotamian mythology, this name translates to “ghost or night monster.”
- Lila: In Arabic, Lila simply means “night.”
- Lela: Meaning “night,” Lela is a great option for daughters born after sunset.
- Leylah: From Arabic, meaning “dark or night.” You can also spell it Leila, Laila, or Layla.
- Luna: While Luna is the Latin word for “moon,” it often links directly to the dark of night.
- Maureen: This name derives from Mairin and means “dark or bitter.”
- Melaina: This name comes from Greek mythology and belonged to a dark nymph.
- Melanie: An English, German, and French name derived from the Latin word Melania, meaning “darkness.”
- Merel: A Dutch name meaning “blackbird.” You can also spell it Merrell, Murial, or Muriel.
- Neesha: A pretty option meaning “dark night or dusky period.”
- Nigella: The female twin of Nigel, derived from a Latin botanical name meaning “black.”
- Rosa: The Latin girl name for “rose.” It pairs perfectly with the surname Black.
- Sable: Derived from the North Asian furred mammal, it translates to “black” in English heraldry.
- Sevda: A Turkish female name meaning “love and infatuation.” In Arabic, it means “black bile, sadness, and melancholy.”
- Shyama: From the ancient Sanskrit word meaning “dark black or blue.”
- Shyamal: A beautiful derivative of Shyama with the exact same dark meaning.
- Tamal: An Indian origin name meaning “dark tree.”
- Urraca: Rooted in ancient European royalty, this German word translates to “blackbird or magpie.”
25 Unbelievable Black Names for Boys
If you need a strong masculine name with dark undertones, you have plenty of great options to consider.
- Blakemore: An English origin name meaning “of the dark moor.”
- Bron: Meaning “dark or brown man.” Brona is the female derivative for “dark-haired.”
- Bruno: A Latin word meaning “of dark complexion.”
- Cole: Famous people with this name include songwriter Cole Porter. It translates to “swarthy” or “coal black.”
- Coleridge: Refers directly to a “dark ridge or mountain.”
- Colt: Means “coming from a dark town without a light source.”
- Corbett: A strong choice meaning “raven” or “dark hair.”
- Dade: In Latin, Dade translates to “dark and moody.”
- Darcus: Meaning “dark or strong one,” this is a charming and uncommon pick.
- Delaney: Means “one who performs dark challenges.”
- Dooley: In Irish mythology, Dooley is a celebrated hero with dark hair and skin.
- Douglas: This name has Scottish origins meaning “black water.” It started as an ancient Celtic river name.
- Doyle: A mysterious pick meaning “dark stranger” in old Irish.
- Ferrer: You can also spell this Fabre. It derives from France and Catalonia, meaning “blacksmith.”
- Glenden: Meaning “from the dark glen or valley,” this serves as a cool variation of Glen.
- Jett: Named directly after the intense black mineral heavily used in fine jewelry.
- Kier: An Irish boy’s name meaning “black or dark.”
- Krishna: Meaning “black” or “dark,” this is the name of a major Hindu deity.
- Maurice: A common American name with roots in Moorish, meaning “dark-skinned person.”
- Neil: A medieval Latinized version of Nigellus or Nigel, referring to dark clouds or champions.
- Nigel: A simple derivative of the Latin word “niger,” meaning “black.”
- Niro: In Latin, Niro means “strong, vigorous, and dark.”
- Siavash: A Persian word meaning “possessing black stallions.”
- Smith: Derives from “blacksmith,” originating from the historic word Smite.
- Sullivan: This name has roots in old Irish meaning “dark eyes,” and it exploded in popularity during the 1990s.
34 Outstanding Unisex Black Names
These gender-neutral names offer the perfect balance of mystery and flexibility for any child.
- Blackwell: A gender-neutral choice derived from the English phrase “dark stream.”
- Blake: An Old English root meaning “black.” It started as a masculine moniker but works beautifully for anyone.
- Blakeney: Another unisex name with roots in Old English, meaning “from the black island.”
- Brindle: Refers to an animal’s coat color and translates as “black and tan.”
- Caliban: A Romanian word meaning “black,” famously featured in Shakespeare’s play The Tempest.
- Carey: An Irish word that simply means “dark.”
- Ciar: From the Irish word for “black,” this was also the name of a famous 7th-century Irish nun.
- Colby: Translates to “a dark town that produces coal.”
- Corbin: In Latin, Corbin means “raven, raven-haired, or dark.”
- Darcell: Works perfectly for any gender and means “dark and determined.”
- Darcy: Means “dark-haired” and lends itself nicely to both sexes.
- Donaver: An African American origin name derived from Donovan, meaning “black.”
- Dublin: Named after the significant Irish city, meaning “black pool.”
- Fabron: A gender-neutral option derived from Ferrer or Fabre, meaning “blacksmith.”
- Ferrari: This name is Italian in origin and means “ironworker.”
- Fitch/Fitche: Refers to a polecat or ermine, a dark-furred animal heavily used in stately royal robes.
- Hari: A Hindu name meaning “dark or tawny.” It sounds very similar to the English name Harry.
- Indigo: A very cool unisex name that means “dark blue.”
- Kanika: An African word meaning “black cloth.”
- Kumba: Of Aboriginal origin, meaning “dark fruit tree.”
- Li: In Chinese, Li has many meanings ranging from “black or dark” to “power or beautiful.”
- Makvala: A Georgian word meaning “blackberry.”
- Merle: From the French language, meaning “blackbird.”
- Moe: A Latin word meaning “dark-skinned” or “savior.”
- Moon: A beautiful choice meaning “one who enlightens the dark.”
- Onyx: Ancient Greek for “claw,” but famously known as a dark, impenetrable gemstone.
- Osceola: A unique gender-neutral baby name meaning “black drink crier.”
- Perran: Named after a Cornish village, this fun unisex name means “little dark one.”
- Raven: A unique name heavily associated with dark birds and ancient mythology.
- Reven: A derivative of Raven with the exact same mystical undertones.
- Sam: In Persian, Sam means “fire” and derives from an early Iranian word for “black root.”
- Sixsipita: Coming from the Blackfoot tribe, this name means “black eagle.”
- Ta-Nehisi: An Egyptian name referring to Nubia, the “Land of Black.”
- Urraca: A historical European royal name meaning “blackbird,” easily adapted for any gender.
Names Meaning Black FAQs
What Are The Best Latin Names Meaning Black?
The best Latin names that mean black include Mauritz (a derivative of Maurice and Maury), which is a Moorish word meaning “dark-skinned,” and Dade, meaning “dark one.” Over 50 Latin name variations have similar meanings relating to “dark” or “black.”
What Is The Most Popular Girl’s Name Meaning Black?
Some of the most popular girl names that mean black include Raven, Lela, Rosa, and Kara. While there are other examples, almost all names that mean black are highly adaptable and unisex.
What Is The Most Popular Boy’s Name Meaning Black?
The most popular boy names meaning black include Sam, Maurice, Moe, Neil, and Nigel. Sam is also a very popular choice for girls.
What Are Some Japanese Names Meaning Black?
Kuro is a popular Japanese word for black. It is often used in names like Kuroko or Kuromi, which carry dark and mysterious undertones while remaining modern.
Do Any Biblical Names Mean Black?
Yes, the name Kedar appears in the Old Testament and translates to “dark” or “blackness” in Hebrew. It is a fantastic option for a strong, historically rooted boy name.
What Are Some Names That Mean Dark Or Shadow?
Names like Lethe, meaning “oblivion” or “concealment” in Greek, and Zilla, meaning “shadow” in Hebrew, are excellent options if you want a subtle connection to darkness without directly using the word black.
Are Black Names Associated With Bad Luck?
Not at all. In many cultures around the world, black represents strength, elegance, grounding, and fierce protection rather than bad luck or negativity.
What Name Means Black Wolf?
The name Maccon is an ancient Irish origin name that directly translates to “son of a wolf.” It is heavily associated with dark, mythological wolves in ancient folklore.
What French Names Mean Black?
Noir is the direct French translation for black. Names like Fuscienne mean “dark beauty,” and Merle translates directly to “blackbird.”
