Names Categorized "R'n'B singers"

This is a list of names in which the categories include R'n'B singers.
gender
usage
Aaliyah f Arabic, English (Modern), African American (Modern)
Feminine form of Aali. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001), who was known simply as Aaliyah. This name received a boost in popularity after she released her debut album in 1994, and also in 2001 after her untimely death in an airplane crash.
Alicia f Spanish, English, Swedish, French
Latinized form of Alice.
Alwin m German, Dutch, Germanic
Contracted form of Adalwin.
Aretha f English
Possibly derived from Greek ἀρετή (arete) meaning "virtue". This name was popularized in the 1960s by American singer Aretha Franklin (1942-2018).
Ashanti f & m Various
From the name of an African people who reside in southern Ghana. It possibly means "warlike" in the Twi language.
Beryl f English
From the English word for the clear or pale green precious stone, ultimately deriving from Sanskrit. As a given name, it first came into use in the 19th century.
Betty f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Beverley f English
Variant of Beverly.
Beyoncé f African American (Modern)
Popularized by the American singer Beyoncé Knowles (1981-) whose given name came from her mother's maiden name (which was originally Beyincé, of Louisiana Creole origin). This name appeared on the United States top 1000 list in 2001, around the time her group Destiny's Child was at the height of their popularity.
Brandy f English
From the English word brandy for the alcoholic drink. It is ultimately from Dutch brandewijn "burnt wine". It has been in use as a given name since the 1960s.
Brenda f English
Possibly a feminine form of the Old Norse name Brandr, meaning "fire, torch, sword", which was brought to Britain in the Middle Ages. This name is sometimes used as a feminine form of Brendan.
Brittany f English
From the name of the region of Brittany in the northwest of France, called in French Bretagne. It was named for the Britons who settled there after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the invasions of the Anglo-Saxons.... [more]
Candi f English
Variant of Candy.
Casandra f Spanish, Romanian
Spanish and Romanian form of Cassandra.
Cassie f English
Diminutive of Cassandra and other names beginning with Cass.
Chanté f African American (Modern)
From French chanter meaning "sing". This spelling corresponds with the past participle, meaning "sung".
Charisse f English
From a French surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in honour of American actress and dancer Cyd Charisse (1921-2008).
Chloe f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "green shoot" in Greek, referring to new plant growth in the spring. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Demeter. The name is also mentioned by Paul in one of his epistles in the New Testament.... [more]
Christelle f French
French diminutive of Christine.
Chuck m English
Diminutive of Charles. It originated in America in the early 20th century. Two famous bearers of this name were pilot Chuck Yeager (1923-2020), the first man to travel faster than the speed of sound, and the musician Chuck Berry (1926-2017), one of the pioneers of rock music.
Ciara 2 f English (Modern)
Variant of Sierra. Use of the name has perhaps been influenced by the brand of perfume called Ciara, which was introduced by Revlon in 1973.
Claudine f French
French diminutive of Claude.
Davina f English
Feminine form of David. It originated in Scotland.
Deborah f English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name דְּבוֹרָה (Devora) meaning "bee". In the Old Testament Book of Judges, Deborah is a heroine and prophetess who leads the Israelites when they are threatened by the Canaanites. She forms an army under the command of Barak, and together they destroy the army of the Canaanite commander Sisera. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of the nurse of Rebecca.... [more]
Devante m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements da, von and tay. DeVanté Swing (1969-), stage name of Donald DeGrate Jr., was a singer with the group Jodeci. His name dramatically rose in popularity in the early 1990s when the group released their first successful songs, though it soon began to recede again.... [more]
Diamond f English (Rare), African American (Modern)
From the English word diamond for the clear colourless precious stone, the traditional birthstone of April. It is derived from Late Latin diamas, from Latin adamas, which is of Greek origin meaning "unconquerable, unbreakable".
Diana f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman Mythology
Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.... [more]
Dina 2 f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English
Short form of names ending in dina, such as Bernardina or Ondina. As an English name, this can also be a variant of Deanna.
Donna f English
From Italian donna meaning "lady". It is also used as a feminine form of Donald.
Donny m English
Diminutive of Donald.
Egbert m English, Dutch
Means "bright edge" from the Old English elements ecg "edge, blade" and beorht "bright". This was the name of kings of Kent and Wessex as well as two English saints. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest but was revived in the 19th century.
Ella 1 f English
Norman name, originally a short form of Germanic names containing the element alles meaning "other" (Proto-Germanic *aljaz). It was introduced to England by the Normans and used until the 14th century, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the American singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).
Estelle f English, French
From an Old French name meaning "star", ultimately derived from Latin stella. It was rare in the English-speaking world in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due to the character Estella Havisham in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).
Etta f English
Short form of Henrietta and other names that end with etta. A famous bearer was the American singer Etta James (1938-2012), who took her stage name from her real given name Jamesetta.
Faye f English
Variant of Fay.
Gwen f Welsh, English
From Welsh gwen, the feminine form of gwyn meaning "white, blessed". It can also be a short form of Gwendolen, Gwenllian and other names beginning with Gwen.
Halle 2 f English (Modern)
In the case of American actress Halle Berry (1966-), it is from the name of a department store in Cleveland where she was born (the store was founded by brothers bearing the German surname Halle, a cognate of Hall).
Irma f German, English, Dutch, Finnish, Swedish, Danish, Spanish, Italian, Georgian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Slovene, Germanic
German short form of names beginning with the Old German element irmin meaning "whole, great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It is thus related to Emma. It began to be regularly used in the English-speaking world in the 19th century.
Jaclyn f English
Contracted variant of Jacqueline.
Janelle f English
Diminutive of Jane. It has been in use only since the 20th century.
Janet f English
Medieval diminutive of Jane. This was a popular name throughout the English-speaking world in the 20th century, especially the 1930s to the 60s. Its popularity has since faded.
Jewell f & m English
Variant of Jewel.
Joi f English (Modern)
Variant of Joy.
Judy f English
Diminutive of Judith. A well-known bearer of this name was the American singer and actress Judy Garland (1922-1969).
Justin m English, French, Slovene
From the Latin name Iustinus, which was derived from Justus. This was the name of several early saints including Justin Martyr, a Christian philosopher of the 2nd century who was beheaded in Rome. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors. As an English name, it has occasionally been used since the late Middle Ages, though it did not become common until the second half of the 20th century. Famous modern bearers include pop stars Justin Timberlake (1981-) and Justin Bieber (1994-).
Justine f French, English
French form of Iustina (see Justina). This is the name of the heroine in the novel Justine (1791) by the Marquis de Sade.
Karyn f English
Variant of Karen 1.
Keisha f African American
Possibly invented, or possibly based on Keziah. It began to be used in the 1960s.
Kelly m & f Irish, English
Anglicized form of the Irish given name Ceallach or the surname derived from it Ó Ceallaigh. As a surname, it has been borne by actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).... [more]
LaDonna f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Donna.
LaToya f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Toya.
Lauriana f Late Roman
Feminine form of Laurianus.
Lavina f English
Variant of Lavinia.
Mabel f English
Medieval feminine form of Amabilis. This spelling and Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's 1854 novel The Heir of Redclyffe, which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).
Macy f English
From an English surname that was from various towns called Massy in France. The towns themselves were originally derived from a Gallo-Roman personal name that was Latinized as Maccius. The name was brought to public attention in 1989 when the character Macy Alexander was introduced to the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. It is also notable as the name of a chain of American department stores founded by Rowland Hussey Macy in 1858.
Marcia f English, Spanish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Marcius. It was borne by a few very minor saints. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 18th century.
Mariah f English
Variant of Maria. It is usually pronounced in a way that reflects an older English pronunciation of Maria. The name was popularized in the early 1990s by the American singer Mariah Carey (1970-).
Martina f German, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Hungarian, English, Swedish, Dutch, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Martinus (see Martin). Saint Martina was a 3rd-century martyr who is one of the patron saints of Rome.
Marvin m English, German, Dutch
From an English surname that was derived from the Welsh given name Merfyn or the Old English name Mærwine. As an American given name, it steadily rose in popularity through the beginnings of the 20th century and peaked in the early 1930s (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated name Melvin). A famous bearer was the American musician Marvin Gaye (1939-1984).
Mary f English, Biblical
Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριάμ (Mariam) and Μαρία (Maria) — the spellings are interchangeable — which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".... [more]
Mavis f English
From the name of the type of bird, also called the song thrush, derived from Old French mauvis, of uncertain origin. It was first used as a given name by the British author Marie Corelli, who used it for a character in her novel The Sorrows of Satan (1895).
Maxine f English
Feminine form of Max. It has been commonly used only since the beginning of the 20th century.
Maxwell m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Mack's stream", from the name Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, combined with Old English wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.... [more]
Maybelle f English
Variant of Mabel.
Mayme f English
Possibly a variant of Mamie.
Melba f English
From the surname of the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba (1861-1931). This was a stage name that she got from the name of the city Melbourne, where she was born.
Michael m English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Miḵaʾel) meaning "who is like God?", derived from the interrogative pronoun מִי (mi) combined with ךְּ (ke) meaning "like" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel (see Daniel 12:1). In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.... [more]
Michelle f French, English, Dutch
French feminine form of Michel. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the former American first lady Michelle Obama (1964-).
Mickey m & f English
Diminutive or feminine form of Michael. This was the name that Walt Disney gave to Ub Iwerks' cartoon character Mickey Mouse (debuting 1928), who was called Mortimer Mouse while being developed. Another famous bearer was the American baseball player Mickey Mantle (1931-1995).
Missy f English
Diminutive of Melissa. This is also a slang term meaning "young woman".
Monica f English, Italian, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Late Roman
Meaning unknown, most likely of Berber or Phoenician origin. In the 4th century this name was borne by a North African saint, the mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, whom she converted to Christianity. Since the Middle Ages it has been associated with Latin moneo "advisor" and Greek μονός (monos) "one, single".... [more]
Ngaire f Maori
Possibly from the name of the town of Ngaere in New Zealand, of Maori origin meaning "wetland".
Nneka f Igbo
Means "mother is greater" in Igbo.
Patti f English
Variant of Patty.
Pattie f English
Variant of Patty.
Rachelle f English, French
Variant of Rachel. In the English-speaking world it has likely been influenced by the spelling of Rochelle.
Rhetta f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Rhett.
Rhianna f English (Modern)
Probably a variant of Rhiannon.
Rihanna f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic ريحانة (see Rayhana). This name is borne by the Barbadian singer Robyn Rihanna Fenty (1988-), known simply as Rihanna. In the United States it jumped in popularity between the years 2005 and 2008, when Rihanna was releasing her first albums. It quickly declined over the next few years.
Rochelle f English
From the name of the French city La Rochelle, meaning "little rock". It first became commonly used as a given name in America in the 1930s, probably due to the fame of actress Rochelle Hudson (1914-1972) and because of the similarity to the name Rachel.
Rosalind f English
Derived from the Old German elements hros meaning "horse" and lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it was not common. During the Middle Ages its spelling was influenced by the Latin phrase rosa linda "beautiful rose". The name was popularized by Edmund Spencer, who used it in his poetry, and by William Shakespeare, who used it for the heroine in his comedy As You Like It (1599).
Rosangela f Italian
Combination of Rosa 1 and Angela.
Ruben m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, French, Italian, Armenian, Biblical Latin
Form of Reuben in several languages. This was the name of an 11th-century Armenian ruler of Cilicia.
Ruth 1 f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name רוּת (Ruṯ), probably derived from the word רְעוּת (reʿuṯ) meaning "female friend". This is the name of the central character in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. She was a Moabite woman who accompanied her mother-in-law Naomi back to Bethlehem after Ruth's husband died. There she met and married Boaz. She was an ancestor of King David.... [more]
Salena f English (Modern)
Perhaps an invented name based on similar-sounding names such as Selina.
Savannah f English
From the English word for the large grassy plain, ultimately deriving from the Taino (Native American) word zabana. It came into use as a given name in America in the 19th century. It was revived in the 1980s by the movie Savannah Smiles (1982).
Shae f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Shea.
Shanice f African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements sha and nees.
Siena f English (Modern)
Variant of Sienna, with the spelling perhaps influenced by that of the Italian city.
Sly m English
Short form of Sylvester. The actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-) is a well-known bearer of this nickname.
Sunshine f English
From the English word, ultimately from Old English sunne "sun" and scinan "shine".
Tamar f Hebrew, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "date palm" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah and later his wife. This was also the name of a daughter of King David. She was raped by her half-brother Amnon, leading to his murder by her brother Absalom. The name was borne by a 12th-century ruling queen of Georgia who presided over the kingdom at the peak of its power.
Tameka f English
Variant of Tamika.
Tamela f English
Probably a blend of Tamara and Pamela. It first arose in the 1950s.
Tamia f African American (Modern)
An invented name, using the initial sound found in names such as Tamika. It was popularized by the Canadian singer Tamia Hill (1975-), who is known simply as Tamia.
Tanika f African American (Modern)
Invented name, probably modelled on the sounds found in other names like Tamika, Tanisha and Tanya.
Tate m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Tata.
Timotha f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Timothy.
Toni 2 f English
Short form of Antonia and other related names.
Toya f American (Hispanic)
Diminutive of Victoria or Custodia used among Hispanic Americans.
Vesta f Roman Mythology
Probably a Roman cognate of Hestia. Vesta was the Roman goddess of the hearth. A continuous fire, tended by the Vestal Virgins, was burned in the Temple of Vesta in Rome.
Whitney f & m English
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).
Wilson m English, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese
From an English surname meaning "son of William". The surname was borne by Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), the American president during World War I.
Zulema f Spanish
Possibly a Spanish feminine form of Sulayman.