This is a list of names in which the categories include black history.
Shirleyf & mEnglish From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a main character in Charlotte Brontë's semi-autobiographical novel Shirley (1849). Though the name was already popular in the United States, the child actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014) gave it a further boost. By 1935 it was the second most common name for girls.
Sidneym & fEnglish From the English surname Sidney. It was first used as a given name in honour of executed politician Algernon Sidney (1622-1683). Another notable bearer of the surname was the poet and statesman Philip Sidney (1554-1586).... [more]
SolangefFrench French form of the Late Latin name Sollemnia, which was derived from Latin sollemnis"religious". This was the name of a French shepherdess who became a saint after she was killed by her master.
SpikemEnglish From a nickname that may have originally been given to a person with spiky hair.
Steviem & fEnglish Diminutive of Stephen or Stephanie. A famous bearer is the American musician Stevie Wonder (1950-).
SylvestermEnglish, German, Danish Medieval variant of Silvester. This is currently the usual English spelling of the name. A famous bearer is the American actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-).
ThelmafEnglish Meaning unknown. It was a rare name when British author Marie Corelli used it for the Norwegian heroine of her novel Thelma (1887). The name became popular around the end of the 19th century after the novel was published. It is sometimes claimed to derive from Greek θέλημα (thelema) meaning "will", though this seems unlikely.
TheresafEnglish, German From the Spanish and Portuguese name Teresa. It was first recorded as Therasia, being borne by the Spanish wife of Saint Paulinus of Nola in the 4th century. The meaning is uncertain, but it could be derived from Greek θέρος (theros) meaning "summer", from Greek θερίζω (therizo) meaning "to harvest", or from the name of the Greek island of Therasia (the western island of Santorini).... [more]
ThomasmEnglish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek Greek form of the Aramaic name תָּאוֹמָא (Ta'oma') meaning "twin". In the New Testament this is the name of an apostle. When he heard that Jesus had risen from the dead he initially doubted the story, until Jesus appeared before him and he examined his wounds himself. According to tradition he was martyred in India. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world.... [more]
TigermEnglish (Rare) From the name of the large striped cat, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek τίγρις (tigris), ultimately of Iranian origin. A famous bearer is American golfer Tiger Woods (1975-).
ToddmEnglish From an English surname meaning "fox", derived from Middle English todde. As a given name it was rare before 1930. It peaked in popularity in most parts of the English-speaking world in the 1960s or 70s, but it has since declined.
TryphenafBiblical From the Greek name Τρύφαινα (Tryphaina), derived from Greek τρυφή (tryphe) meaning "softness, delicacy". This name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament.
TupacmHistory Usual English form of Tupaq. The American rapper Tupac Shakur (1971-1996) was named after the 18th-century rebel Tupaq Amaru II.
TylermEnglish From an English surname meaning "tiler of roofs", derived from Old English tigele "tile". The surname was borne by American president John Tyler (1790-1862).
TyrafSwedish, English, African American From the Old Norse name Þýri, a variant of the Norse names Þórví or Þórveig. Use of the name in the English-speaking world (especially among African Americans) may be in part from the Swedish name, though it is probably also viewed as a feminine form of Tyrone or Tyree. A famous bearer is the American model and actress Tyra Banks (1973-).
TyreemAfrican American From a Scottish surname, a variant of McIntyre. It has been well-used as an African-American name, especially since the 1970s, probably inspired by other similar-sounding names such as Tyrone.
VenusfRoman Mythology Means "love, sexual desire" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of love and sex. Her character was assimilated with that of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. As the mother of Aeneas she was considered an ancestor of the Roman people. The second planet from the sun is named after her.
VeronicafEnglish, Italian, Romanian, Late Roman Latin alteration of Berenice, the spelling influenced by the ecclesiastical Latin phrase vera icon meaning "true image". This was the name of a legendary saint who wiped Jesus' face with a towel and then found his image imprinted upon it. Due to popular stories about her, the name was occasionally used in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. It was borne by the Italian saint and mystic Veronica Giuliani (1660-1727). As an English name, it was not common until the 19th century, when it was imported from France and Scotland.
ViolafEnglish, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak Means "violet" in Latin. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night (1602). In the play she is the survivor of a shipwreck who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Working as a messenger for Duke Orsino, she attempts to convince Olivia to marry him. Instead Viola falls in love with the duke.
Whitneyf & mEnglish From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "white island" in Old English. Its popular use as a feminine name was initiated by actress Whitney Blake (1925-2002) in the 1960s, and further boosted in the 1980s by singer Whitney Houston (1963-2012).
WilburmEnglish From an English surname that was originally derived from the nickname Wildbor meaning "wild boar" in Middle English. This name was borne by Wilbur Wright (1867-1912), one half of the Wright brothers, who together invented the first successful airplane. Wright was named after the Methodist minister Wilbur Fisk (1792-1839). A famous fictional bearer is the main character (a pig) in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.
WilburnmEnglish From an English surname that was probably originally derived from an unknown place name. The second element corresponds with Old English burne "stream".
WillardmEnglish From an English surname that was derived from the Old German given name Willihard (or the Old English cognate Wilheard).
WilliammEnglish From the Germanic name Willehelm meaning "will helmet", composed of the elements willo "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection". An early saint by this name was the 8th-century William of Gellone, a cousin of Charlemagne who became a monk. The name was common among the Normans, and it became extremely popular in England after William the Conqueror was recognized as the first Norman king of England in the 11th century. From then until the modern era it has been among the most common of English names (with John, Thomas and Robert).... [more]
Williem & fEnglish Masculine or feminine diminutive of William. Notable bearers include the retired American baseball player Willie Mays (1931-) and the musician Willie Nelson (1933-).
WinifredfEnglish, Welsh From Latin Winifreda, possibly from a Welsh name Gwenfrewi (maybe influenced by the Old English masculine name Winfred). Saint Winifred was a 7th-century Welsh martyr, probably legendary. According to the story, she was decapitated by a prince after she spurned his advances. Where her head fell there arose a healing spring, which has been a pilgrimage site since medieval times. Her story was recorded in the 12th century by Robert of Shrewsbury, and she has been historically more widely venerated in England than in Wales. The name has been used in England since at least the 16th century.
WinniefEnglish Diminutive of Winifred. Winnie-the-Pooh, a stuffed bear in children's books by A. A. Milne, was named after a real bear named Winnipeg who lived at the London Zoo.