111+ Names That Mean Black
LA
Creative Names EditorUpdated Oct 29, 2025111 Names
Searching for baby names that mean black? This page curates 111+ options under "Names That Mean Black for Boys and Girls" to help you explore meaningful choices faster. A strong meaning can turn a name into a lifelong story, and that is exactly what this page helps you find.
Many of these names have historical or cultural depth, while still fitting naturally in modern day-to-day use.
When a name feels meaningful and easy to live with, it usually rises to the top quickly, and this list helps that happen faster.
Popular Names
Below is a visual overview of the most popular names that mean black for boys and girls. Use this snapshot to compare top picks at a glance.
Names That Mean Black for Girls
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Melanie derives from Greek terms for dark or black and was disseminated through Christian saints and later European usage.
- Origin:Sanskrit, Hawaiian
- Meaning:"Black"
- Description:Name with distinct meanings across cultures, including Sanskrit associations with darkness and Hawaiian usage with separate lexical roots.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:A spelling variant of Melanie, derived from Greek melas meaning black or dark, historically used in Christian contexts.
- Origin:Irish
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Ciara is an Irish feminine name from Gaelic roots meaning dark, historically connected to early Irish saints.
- Origin:Greek, Ukrainian
- Meaning:"Long Journey"
- Description:Associated with the Black Sea city; sometimes linked to Greek Odysseus and journey motifs, though derivation is debated.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Blackness or Dark"
- Description:Melania comes from a Greek root for black or dark and is borne by early Christian saints and later European usage.
- Origin:Irish, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Typically treated as a variant spelling of Ciara or Sierra, with uncertain intended derivation in specific cases.
- Origin:Scottish, English
- Meaning:"Black Moor Promontory"
- Description:Melrose originates as a Scottish place name and surname, later adopted as a given name with geographic resonance.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Black Gemstone"
- Description:Derived from the term jet, a black gemstone, it functions as a modern given name with material associations.
- Origin:Irish, English
- Meaning:"Dark-haired"
- Description:Variant of Ciara or Kiara used in English contexts, generally linked to Gaelic roots meaning dark or black.
- Origin:Greek, French
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Variant spelling of Melanie, from Greek melas meaning dark, widely used in European and American contexts.
- Origin:French, English
- Meaning:"Black"
- Description:Sable is a color term from heraldry meaning black, adopted as a given name in English and French contexts.
- Origin:Modern English
- Meaning:"Black/White; Sky/Blue"
- Description:Modern invention blending blessing and essence, used as a devotional virtue name with nonstandard morphological formation.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Black Hardwood"
- Description:An English vocabulary name referring to a dark hardwood, it became popular as a given name in the late twentieth century.
- Origin:Greek, French
- Meaning:"Dark or Black"
- Description:Variant spelling of Melanie, deriving from Greek roots for dark coloration, with usage shaped by modern orthographic preferences.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Spelling variant of Melanie, ultimately derived from a Greek root referring to dark coloration.
- Origin:Sanskrit
- Meaning:"Dark, Black"
- Description:A major Hindu theonym and given name from Sanskrit for dark or black, central to Vaishnava religious traditions.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Variant spelling of Melanie, derived from Greek for dark or black, adapted through contemporary orthographic preferences.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Melony is a modern spelling variant often associated with Melanie, from Greek Melania referring to dark or black.
- Origin:Arabic, Persian
- Meaning:"Black"
- Description:Siyah is a Persian and Arabic lexical item meaning black, sometimes adopted as a given name with descriptive semantics.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Black; Dark"
- Description:A variant of Melanie, it derives from Greek elements associated with dark or black and is common in modern English usage.
- Origin:Sanskrit, Hawaiian
- Meaning:"Time; Black"
- Description:Attested across traditions, including Sanskrit associations with time or black and Hawaiian usage where the form has local semantic interpretations.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Variant related to Melanie or Melaina forms, drawing on Greek melas for dark, with modern English spelling.
- Origin:Irish, Spanish
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Often treated as a variant of Ciara or Sierra; meanings vary, commonly linked to Irish for dark.
- Origin:Irish, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Khyra is a modern spelling variant of Kyra or Ciara, often associated with Irish derived meanings related to dark coloration.
- Origin:French
- Meaning:"Black"
- Description:French word-name meaning black, adopted as a modern given name with color-based semantic association.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Dark-complexioned; Black"
- Description:An Arabic name historically attested, traditionally glossed as dark-complexioned, and preserved through classical and religious naming lineages.
- Origin:Irish, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Often treated as a short form of Ciara or Kiera, it carries an Irish-derived semantic association with darkness.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Dark, Black"
- Description:Variant of Melaina or Melina, connected to Greek words for dark coloration, with meaning largely transparent in classical glosses.
- Origin:Greek, Scientific Latin
- Meaning:"Black Pigment"
- Description:Adopted from scientific terminology for pigment, occasionally repurposed as a given name with symbolic connotations.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Dark or Black"
- Description:A spelling variant of Melanie, ultimately from Greek elements associated with darkness or black coloration.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Small Jet; Black"
- Description:Jettie functions as a diminutive or nickname form, sometimes referencing jet imagery and sometimes serving as a pet-name variant.
- Origin:Irish, American
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Keiara is a modern spelling of Ciara or Kiara, often linked to Irish roots meaning dark.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Melanni is a modern spelling variant of Melanie, derived from Greek indicating darkness or blackness in its root sense.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Darkness"
- Description:Melayna is a modern spelling influenced by Melaina and Melanie traditions, often associated with dark or black meanings.
- Origin:Greek, Modern English
- Meaning:"Dark or Black"
- Description:A variant related to Greek melan roots and Melanie forms, shaped by regional spelling preferences.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Dark or Black"
- Description:Melenie is a variant of Melanie, from Greek roots associated with darkness or blackness in traditional etymological analysis.
- Origin:Malay, Persian
- Meaning:"Black"
- Description:Name used in Malay contexts and linked to Persian siyah, meaning black, often appearing as a concise personal name.
- Origin:Scottish, English
- Meaning:"Black/White"
- Description:Blannie is a diminutive nickname form in Scottish and English usage, with unclear connection to a specific root name.
- Origin:Irish, Modern English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Cieara is a modern spelling of Ciara, from Irish elements associated with dark or black coloration.
- Origin:Irish, Modern
- Meaning:"Dark One Variant"
- Description:A modern spelling related to Irish names such as Ciara or Ciar meaning dark or black.
- Origin:Irish, English
- Meaning:"Dark or Black"
- Description:A stylized spelling of Ciara, from Irish roots associated with dark coloration or dark-haired description.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Black Wood"
- Description:Alternative spelling of Ebony, derived from the wood name, used in modern English-speaking communities since late twentieth century.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Black Gemstone"
- Description:Derived from the English term for jet stone, sometimes used to signal sleekness and intensity.
- Origin:Irish, Italian
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:A variant of Ciara or Chiara-associated spellings, it commonly carries the sense of dark or black in traditional interpretations.
- Origin:Irish
- Meaning:"Little Dark One"
- Description:Kieren is an Irish variant of Ciaran, typically interpreted from Gaelic elements associated with darkness or blackness.
- Origin:Irish, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:A spelling variant of Ciara and Kiara forms, commonly linked to Irish language roots meaning dark or black.
- Origin:Sanskrit, Indonesian
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Krisna is a variant spelling of Krishna used in South and Southeast Asia, linked to Sanskrit terminology for dark coloration.
- Origin:Irish, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:A stylized spelling related to Ciara and Kiara forms, ultimately linked to Irish roots associated with dark coloration.
- Origin:French
- Meaning:"The Black"
- Description:French surname meaning the black or dark-haired, sometimes used as a given name in surname-to-forename traditions.
- Origin:French
- Meaning:"Blackbird"
- Description:From French merle meaning blackbird, used as a given name and surname with naturalistic semantic associations.
- Origin:Greek, French
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Melaine resembles French-influenced variants of Melanie, from Greek roots commonly glossed as dark or black.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:A variant spelling of Melanie, from Greek roots associated with dark coloration, widely used in modern Anglophone contexts.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:A spelling variant related to Melanie, from Greek melas meaning dark or black, used in English-speaking contexts.
- Origin:Latin, Spanish
- Meaning:"Blackbird"
- Description:Related to Romance terms for blackbird, used as a feminine name and carrying a direct avian reference.
- Origin:Greek, French
- Meaning:"Dark or Black"
- Description:A variant spelling of Melanie, originating from Greek roots describing dark coloration and widely adopted across European languages.
- Origin:French, English
- Meaning:"Blackbird"
- Description:Derived from Old French for blackbird, appearing in English as a short form of longer names.
- Origin:Greek, French
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Melane is a variant aligned with Melanie, derived from Greek elements meaning dark, with usage shaped by French orthography.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Blackbird"
- Description:Murle appears as a variant related to Merle, a name derived from French words referring to the blackbird.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Black Honey"
- Description:A modern variant of Melanie or Melony, influenced by Greek melas elements and English sound patterns, with mixed interpretations.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:An alternative spelling of Melanie, ultimately from Greek, often chosen for distinctive orthography in contemporary naming.
- Origin:English, Greek
- Meaning:"Dark"
- Description:Spelling variant of Melanie, derived from Greek for dark or black, historically used as a descriptive epithet.
- Origin:Spanish, Nahuatl
- Meaning:"River of Black Stones"
- Description:Compound devotional form referencing Guadalupe, a Spanish toponym and Marian title with debated deep linguistic origins.
- Origin:Greek, English
- Meaning:"Dark or Black"
- Description:A spelling variant aligned with Melanie forms, it ultimately reflects Greek melas roots associated with dark coloration.
- Origin:English, Latin
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Developed in medieval England, it may relate to Latin niger, and its usage was reinforced by clerical and literary appearances.
- Origin:Greek, Ukrainian
- Meaning:"Bright; Shining"
- Description:Odessia is a modern feminine form likely influenced by the Black Sea city name, with Greek and Eastern European associations.
- Origin:Native American
- Meaning:"Black Drink Cry"
- Description:Name associated with the Seminole leader Osceola, often explained as black drink cry, used as a commemorative given name.
- Origin:Irish, English
- Meaning:"Dark or Black"
- Description:Siarra is a phonetic spelling related to Ciara, reflecting Irish roots and contemporary English orthographic adaptation.
- Origin:Indian, Sanskrit
- Meaning:"Dark, Blackish"
- Description:Drawn from Sanskrit vocabulary and sometimes botanical reference, used in South Asian naming with varied local nuances.
Names That Mean Black for Boys
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Black Gemstone"
- Description:Derived from the term jet, a black gemstone, it functions as a modern given name with material associations.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Black Gemstone"
- Description:Derived from the English term for jet stone, sometimes used to signal sleekness and intensity.
- Origin:English, Latin
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Developed in medieval England, it may relate to Latin niger, and its usage was reinforced by clerical and literary appearances.
- Origin:Sanskrit
- Meaning:"Dark, Black"
- Description:A major Hindu theonym and given name from Sanskrit for dark or black, central to Vaishnava religious traditions.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Dark Black"
- Description:Arabic name traditionally interpreted as very dark or black, used historically and in contemporary Arabic speaking communities.
- Origin:Sanskrit, Hawaiian
- Meaning:"Black"
- Description:Name with distinct meanings across cultures, including Sanskrit associations with darkness and Hawaiian usage with separate lexical roots.
- Origin:French
- Meaning:"Blackbird"
- Description:From French merle meaning blackbird, used as a given name and surname with naturalistic semantic associations.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Black/White; Valley"
- Description:Blayden is a modern given name influenced by English surname patterns and contemporary sound preferences, with uncertain original semantic content.
- Origin:Irish
- Meaning:"Blackbird or Dark One"
- Description:Anglicized from Irish Ó Lachtnáin traditions, it is used as both surname and given name with dark-toned semantic roots.
- Origin:English, Latin
- Meaning:"Volcanic Glass"
- Description:Obsidian is a geological term used as a word name, referencing volcanic glass and connotations of darkness and hardness.
- Origin:Greek, Spanish
- Meaning:"Onyx Gemstone"
- Description:Onix is a modern spelling of onyx, ultimately from Greek, used to reference the black banded gemstone.
- Origin:Armenian, Persian
- Meaning:"Black Lake"
- Description:Sevan is associated with Lake Sevan in Armenia, functioning as a toponymic name with traditional interpretations like black lake.
- Origin:Irish
- Meaning:"Little Dark One"
- Description:Kieren is an Irish variant of Ciaran, typically interpreted from Gaelic elements associated with darkness or blackness.
- Origin:Modern English
- Meaning:"Black Gemstone"
- Description:A contemporary stylized spelling, it evokes the mineral onyx and associated dark color symbolism.
- Origin:Irish, English
- Meaning:"Black-haired"
- Description:Daegan is used as a modern form related to Deagan or Dagan, sometimes glossed from Gaelic descriptors such as black-haired.
- Origin:Egyptian
- Meaning:"Black Land"
- Description:Ancient Egyptian term for Egypt meaning black land, adopted as a modern given name referencing historical and cultural identity.
- Origin:Sanskrit, Indian
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Indian name associated with Kishan as a form of Krishna, commonly linked to meanings of dark or black.
- Origin:Irish, Modern
- Meaning:"Dark One Variant"
- Description:A modern spelling related to Irish names such as Ciara or Ciar meaning dark or black.
- Origin:Irish, Modern American
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Modern spelling aligned with Ciar or Kieran roots from Irish, commonly interpreted as dark or black.
- Origin:French
- Meaning:"Black"
- Description:French word-name meaning black, adopted as a modern given name with color-based semantic association.
- Origin:Arabic, Persian
- Meaning:"Black"
- Description:Siyah is a Persian and Arabic lexical item meaning black, sometimes adopted as a given name with descriptive semantics.
- Origin:Persian
- Meaning:"Royal Blacksmith Hero"
- Description:A Persian name from Iranian epic tradition, associated with a heroic blacksmith figure symbolizing resistance and leadership.
- Origin:Arabic
- Meaning:"Black"
- Description:Aswad is an Arabic descriptive name meaning black, used historically as an epithet and as a standalone given name.
- Origin:Hmong
- Meaning:"Black/White"
- Description:Name associated with Hmong communities, more common as a surname, with meaning not standardized in English sources.
- Origin:French, Latin
- Meaning:"Black/White"
- Description:Blease is a rare variant associated with Blaise, a Latin and French tradition name with uncertain original etymology.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Black/White; Valley"
- Description:Modern English given name resembling Blayden and related surnames, formed through contemporary sound patterns rather than a single historical root.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Black/White; Hill"
- Description:Blandon is a surname-derived given name in English usage, with uncertain original meaning and limited historical documentation.
- Origin:Irish
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Duff comes from Irish Gaelic elements meaning dark, chiefly a surname that is occasionally repurposed as a concise given name.
- Origin:Irish, English
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Dub is a short name linked to Irish Gaelic elements meaning dark or black, historically used as a nickname and byname.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Black Hardwood"
- Description:An English vocabulary name referring to a dark hardwood, it became popular as a given name in the late twentieth century.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Black Wood"
- Description:From English ebony, it denotes dark wood and is used as a concise color-material name with modern stylistic character.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Small Jet; Black"
- Description:Jettie functions as a diminutive or nickname form, sometimes referencing jet imagery and sometimes serving as a pet-name variant.
- Origin:Sanskrit, Hawaiian
- Meaning:"Time; Black"
- Description:Attested across traditions, including Sanskrit associations with time or black and Hawaiian usage where the form has local semantic interpretations.
- Origin:French, English
- Meaning:"Blackbird"
- Description:Derived from Old French for blackbird, appearing in English as a short form of longer names.
- Origin:Greek
- Meaning:"Dark; Black"
- Description:Melanie derives from Greek terms for dark or black and was disseminated through Christian saints and later European usage.
- Origin:English
- Meaning:"Blackbird"
- Description:Murle appears as a variant related to Merle, a name derived from French words referring to the blackbird.
- Origin:Dutch, Germanic
- Meaning:"Blackbird"
- Description:In Dutch usage it relates to merel meaning blackbird, bringing a concise nature association into personal naming.
- Origin:English, French
- Meaning:"Blackbird"
- Description:Mearle is a variant of Merle, linked to Old French for blackbird and later adopted in English usage.
- Origin:Scottish, English
- Meaning:"Black Moor Promontory"
- Description:Melrose originates as a Scottish place name and surname, later adopted as a given name with geographic resonance.
- Origin:Greek, Ukrainian
- Meaning:"Long Journey"
- Description:Associated with the Black Sea city; sometimes linked to Greek Odysseus and journey motifs, though derivation is debated.
- Origin:Native American
- Meaning:"Black Drink Cry"
- Description:Name associated with the Seminole leader Osceola, often explained as black drink cry, used as a commemorative given name.
- Origin:Armenian
- Meaning:"Black"
- Description:An Armenian masculine name associated with a word for black, used in Armenian communities with strong cultural continuity.
Why Choose Names That Mean Black?
Many families choose from names that mean black to reflect their beliefs, hopes, or heritage. The result is usually a name that feels both memorable and deeply personal.
Written by
Lily AndersonUnique & Creative Names Specialist
Creative Writing grad and novelist specializing in unique, literary, and mythological names.
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