Black History Names

Even for lovers of Cab (born, yes, Cabell) Calloway's music, the connection to 'Taxi!' is too strong.

Long associated with jazz great Ornette Coleman, this name's main problem is that almost all other ette-ending names -- from Annette to Paulette -- are unequivocally feminine.

There's still only one.

First Woody Allen, then Spike Lee named their children to honor the great early black pitcher, Leroy "Satchel" Paige. A bit luggage-related for non-celebrity use, however.

Sometimes heard as a first name in Scotland, particularly among the Campbell clan.

Despite its -son ending, Woodson is not a patronymic surname (although it would be a great choice for the child of a Woody or Woodrow). People with the surname Woodson have ancestors from Woodsome, a town in West Yorkshire, England. Woodsome means "place at the houses in the wood," from the Old English æt wudu-hūsum.

A potential hero name: Crispus Attucks, an African and Native American man, was the first colonist to die for independence in the Boston Massacre.

A once very common Irish diminutive of Bridget that has unfortunately been associated since the 18th century with a pejorative slang term for an old or fussy woman.

This spelling of Winton has gotten considerable buzz via jazz musician Wynton Marsalis.

An old English redhead name -- one of the few that doesn't begin with the letter r -- with references both to a famous French knight and a magical horse.

African-American and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth was born as Isabelle into enslavement. She adopted her new name when she began traveling and preaching abolition in 1843. Sojourner is a heroine name that may, with the rise of spiritual word names such as Journey and Genesis, finally be ready for prime time.

Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall's name probably originated as "Thoroughgood" -- quite a mouthful and a lot to live up to.

If you want to move beyond Maya.

Multisyllabic New Testament relic dimly recalled from the Thornton Wilder novel Theophilus North.

Made famous by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, whose parents fashioned her name from a musical term meaning "with sweetness".

This form of Charlotte, long obscure, is sure to grow in popularity along with the explosion of Charlotte. It's pretty and feminine and a nice spin on the more familiar version. In Germany, short form Lotta is popular.

Colorful middle name choice.

While typically used for girls, former US senator Blanche Bruce — the first ever Black man to preside over the senate — makes this name feel useable (and meaningful) on a boy as well.