Naming your new bundle of joy can be a joyous occasion filled with themes of legacy, family pride, and anticipation. For African-Americans, it's often tradition to name children after a parent, an elder loved one, or an esteemed leader who had impact on the parents' lives. Some also name their children with a certain term or meaning related to prosperity, longevity, wisdom, or love. The Social Security Administration regularly reports on the most popular baby names in the country. Let's explore 10 top African-American names from states that, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, have the highest percentage of African-Americans:
Most Common African-American Names & Their Meaning
1. Noah
Many are familiar with the Biblical figure who is associated with bravery, noblity, and obedience to God. From state to state, this name made numerous appearances in the top 5, and singer Trey Songz recently had a son who is named Noah. Other notable stars with this name include Broadway actor Noah Ricketts, track-and-field star Noah Lyles, and football player Noah Fant.
2. Emma
The name Emma is reportedly English in origin and means "complete", "whole", or "universal." Famous women with this name include Emma Thynn, the first black marchionese in British aristocratic history, esteemed painter Emma Amos, and author and scholar Emma Dabiri.
3. Elijah
Elijah is another popular baby name from the Bible, with a meaning associated with connection to "Yaweh" or the "Lord" as "God." Famous leaders with this name include wrestler Elijah Burke, politician Elijah Cummings, and actor Elijah Kelley.
4. Mia
The meaning of this name can vary from culture to culture and it can go super-left with "bitter", or super-positive with "mine". It's also reportedly a pet name for Maria. Leaders with this name include politician Mia Love, the first black Republican woman to be elected to Congress in Utah and voice-over star Mia Bank as well as wrestler Mia Yim.
Image via Shutterstock
5. Mason
The name Mason typically refers to a "stone layer" or "stone maker", and celebrities with this name include rapper Mase, football player Mason Foster and baseball player Mason Williams.
6. Charlotte
With French and English origins, the name Charlotte is associated with royalty. Leaders include concert singer and Howard University professor Charlotte Holloman, law pioneer Charlotte Ray, and Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III.
Image via Giphy
7. Jackson
We all know Jackson as a common last name for super-famous families from entertainment to politics, but it's also a popular first name. Its meaning is literally "son of Jack" and it originates from England. More than a few soccer players share this name including Jackson Martinez, Jackson Richardson, and Jackson Pereira.
8. Harper
Who doesn't remember the sexy author Harper (played by Taye Diggs) in The Best Man films? Well, the name has origins in Scotland, England and Ireland and refers to one who plays the harp. Celebrities who share this name are former NBA player Harper Williams, child model Harper Anthony, and Harper Rhimes, daughter of TV powerhouse Shonda Rhimes.
9. Ethan
A poetic man of the Bible, Ethan was a pivotal leader in the book of Psalms. Its meaning is related to strength and firmness. Famous figures with this name include actor Ethan Herisse.
10. Ava
In Hebrew, it translates into meaning "like a bird", and it's associated with glamour and grace. Leading ladies who carry the name well are iconic filmmaker Ava DuVernay and one half of the young online influencer duo the McClure twins.
Featured image by Shutterstock
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While an evolution is a natural progression that happens as businesses grow, a rebrand is a total change. Lola tells xoNecole, "A total rebrand is necessary when a business’s current reputation/what it’s known for is at odds with the business’s vision or direction.
"For example, if you’ve fundamentally changed what your product is and does, it’s likely that your brand is out of alignment with the business. Or, if you find your company is developing a reputation that doesn’t serve it, it might be time to pump the brakes and figure out what needs to change.
She continues, "Sometimes you’ll see companies (especially startups) announce a name change that comes with updated messaging, visuals, etc. That usually means their vision has changed or expanded, and their previous branding was too narrow/couldn’t encompass everything they planned to do."
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The Brand Doula was born in 2019, and its focus is on putting "the experiences, goals, and needs of women of color founders first," as well as brands with "culture-shifting missions."
According to Lola, culture-shifting is "the act of influencing dominant behavior, beliefs, or experiences in a community or group (ideally, for the better)."
"At The Brand Doula, we work with companies and leaders that set out to challenge the status quo in their industries and communities. They’re here to make an impact that sends ripples across the market," she says.
"We help the problem solvers of the world — the ones who aren't satisfied with 'this is how it's always been' and instead ask 'how could this be better?' Our clients build for impact, reimagining tools, systems, and ways of living to move cultures forward."
The Brand Doula has worked with many brands, including Too Collective, to assist with their collaboration with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Balanced Black Girl for a "refresh," aka rebrand. For businesses looking to rebrand, Lola shares four essential steps.
1. Do an audit of your current brand experience — what’s still relevant and what needs to change? Reflect on why you’re doing the rebrand in the first place and what success would look like after relaunching.
2. Tackle the overall strategy first — before you start redesigning logos and websites, align on a new vision for your brand. How do you want your company to be positioned moving forward? Has your audience changed at all? Will your company have a fresh personality and voice?
3. Bring your audience along the journey — there’s no need to move in secret. Inviting your current audience into the journey can actually help them feel more connected to and invested in your story, enough to stick around as changes are being made.
4. Keep business moving — one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies take down their websites as soon as they have the idea to rebrand, then have a Coming Soon page up for months! You lose a lot of momentum and interest by doing that. If you’re still in business and generating income, continue to operate while you work on your rebrand behind the scenes. You don’t want to cut existing customers off out of the blue, and you also don’t want so much downtime that folks forget your business exists or start looking for other solutions.
While determining whether the rebrand was successful may take a few months, Lola says a clear sign that it is unsuccessful is negative feedback from your target audience. "Customers are typically more vocal about what they don’t like more than what they do like," she says.
But some good signs to look out for are improvements in engagement with your marketing, positive reviews, press and increase in retention, and overall feeling aligned with the new branding.
For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
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