Names Categorized "rappers"

This is a list of names in which the categories include rappers.
gender
usage
Adewale m Yoruba
Means "the crown has come home" in Yoruba.
Akiko f Japanese
From Japanese (aki) meaning "clear, crystal", (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or (aki) meaning "autumn" combined with (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Amaru m Quechua
Means "snake" in Quechua. It was borne by Tupaq Amaru and Tupaq Amaru II, two Inca leaders after the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (in the 16th and 18th centuries).
Antwan m African American
Variant of Antoine, in use since the 1960s.
Aston m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from either a place name meaning "east town" in Old English or from the given name Æðelstan.
Austin m English
Medieval contracted form of Augustine 1. Modern use of the name is probably also partly inspired by the common surname Austin, which is of the same origin. This is also the name of a city in Texas.
Babatunde m Yoruba
Means "father has come again" in Yoruba.
Bashar m Arabic
Means "bringing good news" in Arabic, derived from بشّر (bashshara) meaning "to bring good news".
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.
Brandon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "hill covered with broom" in Old English.... [more]
Brent m English
From an English surname, originally taken from various place names, perhaps derived from a Celtic word meaning "hill".
Brian m English, Irish, Old Irish
Meaning uncertain, possibly related to the old Celtic root *brixs "hill, high" (Old Irish brií) or the related *brigā "might, power" (Old Irish briíg). It was borne by the Irish king Brian Boru, who thwarted Viking attempts to conquer Ireland in the 11th century. He was slain in the Battle of Clontarf, though his forces were decisively victorious. This name was common in Ireland after his time, and it was introduced to northern England by Norse-Gael settlers. It was also used in Brittany, and was brought to England by Bretons in the wake of the Norman Conquest. Though it eventually became rare in the English-speaking world, it was strongly revived in the 20th century, becoming a top-ten name for boys in most regions.
Bryson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Brice". Starting in the 1970s this name began steadily growing in popularity, likely because it features the same popular sounds found in other names such as Brice and Tyson.
Chance m English
Originally a diminutive of Chauncey. It is now usually given in reference to the English word chance meaning "luck, fortune" (ultimately derived from Latin cadens "falling").
Cleo f & m English
Short form of Cleopatra, Cleon or Cleopas.
Cleopatra f Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κλεοπάτρα (Kleopatra) meaning "glory of the father", derived from κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" combined with πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός). This was the name of queens of Egypt from the Ptolemaic royal family, including Cleopatra VII, the mistress of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After being defeated by Augustus she committed suicide (according to popular belief, by allowing herself to be bitten by a venomous asp). Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra (1606) tells the story of her life.
Clifford m English
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "ford by a cliff" in Old English.
Corey m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Kóri, of unknown meaning. This name became popular in the 1960s due to the character Corey Baker on the television series Julia.
Dara 3 m Persian
Means "wealthy" in Persian.
DeAngelo m African American
Combination of the popular name prefix de and Angelo.
DeMario m African American
Combination of the popular name prefix de and Mario.
Derrick m English
Variant of Derek.
Dewayne m English
Variant of Duane, with the spelling altered due to the influence of Wayne. It can be spelled Dewayne or with a capitalized third letter as DeWayne.
Dominique f & m French
French feminine and masculine form of Dominicus (see Dominic).
Drake m English
From an English surname derived from the Old Norse byname Draki or the Old English byname Draca both meaning "dragon", both via Latin from Greek δράκων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent". This name coincides with the unrelated English word drake meaning "male duck". A famous bearer is the Canadian actor and rapper Drake (1986-), who was born as Aubrey Drake Graham.
Dre m English
Short form of Andre. A famous bearer is the American rapper and music producer Dr. Dre (1965-), born Andre Young.
Durk m Frisian
Frisian form of Dirk.
Dwayne m English
Variant of Duane, with the spelling altered due to the influence of Wayne. A notable bearer is the American actor Dwayne Johnson (1972-), known as The Rock when he was a professional wrestler.
Earl m English
From the aristocratic title, which derives from Old English eorl "nobleman, warrior". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
Ebony f African American
From the English word ebony for the black wood that comes from the ebony tree. It is ultimately from the Egyptian word hbnj. In America this name is most often used in the black community.
Elvin 1 m English
Variant of Alvin.
Encarnación f Spanish
Means "incarnation" in Spanish. This is given in reference to the Incarnation of Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary.
Ermias m Amharic
Amharic form of Jeremiah.
Eve f English, Estonian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name חַוָּה (Ḥawwa), which was derived from the Hebrew word חָוָה (ḥawa) meaning "to breathe" or the related word חָיָה (ḥaya) meaning "to live". According to the Old Testament Book of Genesis, Eve and Adam were the first humans. God created her from one of Adam's ribs to be his companion. At the urging of a serpent she ate the forbidden fruit and shared some with Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.... [more]
Fabrice m French
French form of the Roman family name Fabricius, which was derived from Latin faber meaning "craftsman". Gaius Fabricius Luscinus was a 3rd-century BC Roman general and statesman.
Fabrizio m Italian
Italian form of Fabricius (see Fabrice).
Farid m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali
Means "unique, precious" in Arabic, derived from فرد (farada) meaning "to be unique, to be alone". This was the name of a 13th-century Persian poet.
Fatimah f Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic فاطمة (see Fatima), as well as the usual Malay and Indonesian form.
Felicia f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Latin name Felicius, a derivative of Felix. As an English name, it has occasionally been used since the Middle Ages.
Fleur f French, Dutch, English (British)
Means "flower" in French. Saint Fleur of Issendolus (Flor in Gascon) was a 14th-century nun from Maurs, France. This was also the name of a character in John Galsworthy's novels The Forsyte Saga (1922).
George m English, Romanian, Indian (Christian)
From the Greek name Γεώργιος (Georgios), which was derived from the Greek word γεωργός (georgos) meaning "farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elements γῆ (ge) meaning "earth" and ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Cappadocia who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.... [more]
Gunna f Danish, Old Norse
Feminine form of Gunne.
Hank m English
Originally a short form of Hankin, which was a medieval diminutive of John. Since the 17th century in the United States this name has also been used as a diminutive of Henry, probably under the influence of the Dutch diminutive Henk. A famous bearer is the American former baseball player Hank Aaron (1934-2021).
Henrikki m Finnish
Finnish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Herb m English
Short form of Herbert.
Iggy m English
Diminutive of Ignatius.
Ignacio m Spanish
Spanish form of Ignatius.
Ishmael m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Yishmaʿel) meaning "God will hear", from the roots שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Abraham. He is the traditional ancestor of the Arab people. Also in the Old Testament, it is borne by a man who assassinates Gedaliah the governor of Judah. The author Herman Melville later used this name for the narrator in his novel Moby-Dick (1851).
Isis f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ꜣst (reconstructed as Iset, Aset or Ueset), possibly from st meaning "throne". In Egyptian mythology Isis was the goddess of the sky and nature, the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She was originally depicted wearing a throne-shaped headdress, but in later times she was conflated with the goddess Hathor and depicted having the horns of a cow on her head. She was also worshipped by people outside of Egypt, such as the Greeks and Romans.
Issa m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عيسى (see Isa 1).
Ivelisse f Spanish (Caribbean)
Spanish form of Yvelise, especially used in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Jamaal m Arabic, African American
Alternate transcription of Arabic جمال (see Jamal).
Jamila f Arabic, Urdu, Hausa
Feminine form of Jamil. This was the name of a wife of the caliph Umar.
Janelle f English
Diminutive of Jane. It has been in use only since the 20th century.
Jay 1 m English
Short form of names beginning with the sound J, such as James or Jason. It was originally used in America in honour of founding father John Jay (1749-1825), whose surname was derived from the jaybird.
Jeffery m English
Variant of Jeffrey.
Jenn f English
Short form of Jennifer.
Jermaine m African American
Variant of Germain. This name rapidly increased in popularity in the early 1970s as a result of the newfound fame of Jermaine Jackson (1954-), a member of the singing group The Jackson 5.
Johnathan m English
Variant of Jonathan influenced by John.
Judi f English
Diminutive of Judith.
Junior m English
From a nickname that was originally used for a boy who had the same name as his father.
Kanye m African American (Modern)
Meaning uncertain. It could be from the name of a town in Botswana (of Tswana origin). Yoruba, Igbo, Xhosa and Fula meanings have also been suggested. It is borne by the American rapper Kanye West (1977-), and the name briefly appeared on the United States top 1000 list in 2004 when he released his debut album.
Kendrick m English
From a surname that has several different origins. It could be from the Old English given names Cyneric "royal power" or Cenric "bold power", or from the Welsh name Cynwrig "chief hero". It can also be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Eanraig meaning "son of Henry".... [more]
Khaled m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Arabic/Urdu خالد (see Khalid), as well as a Bengali variant.
Kim 1 f & m English, Dutch, German
At the present it is usually considered a short form of Kimberly, but it in fact predates it as a given name. The author Rudyard Kipling used it for the title hero of his novel Kim (1901), though in this case it was short for Kimball. In her novel Show Boat (1926) Edna Ferber used it for a female character who was born on the Mississippi River and was named from the initials of the states Kentucky, Illinois and Mississippi. The name was popularized in America by the actresses Kim Hunter (1922-2002) and Kim Novak (1933-), both of whom assumed it as a stage name.
King m English
From the English vocabulary word king, ultimately derived from Old English cyning. This was also a surname, derived from the same source, a famous bearer being the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).
Kobe 2 m Various
From the name of the city in Japan. The parents of basketball player Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) chose this name after seeing Kobe beef (which is from the Japanese city) on a menu.
Kris m & f English, Flemish, Danish
Short form of Kristian, Kristoffer and other names beginning with Kris.
Kwadwo m Akan
Means "born on Monday" in Akan.
Kyle m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves from Gaelic caol meaning "narrows, channel, strait". As a given name it was rare in the first half of the 20th century. It rose steadily in popularity throughout the English-speaking world, entering the top 50 in most places by the 1990s. It has since declined in all regions.
Lamar m English, African American
From a French and English surname, originally from a place name in Normandy, which was derived from Old French la mare meaning "the pool". In the second half of the 20th century this name has been well-used in the African-American community, probably because of its popular phonetic components la and mar.
Latifah f Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic لطيفة (see Latifa), as well as the usual Malay and Indonesian form.
Lexy f English
Diminutive of Alexandra or Alexis.
Lonnie m English
Short form of Alonzo and other names containing the same sound.
Louie m English
Diminutive of Louis.
Malik 1 m Arabic
Means "king" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition الملك (al-Malik) is one of the 99 names of Allah. This can also be another way of transcribing the name مالك (see Maalik).
Marshall m English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who was a marshal. The word marshal originally derives from Latin mariscalcus, itself from Germanic roots akin to Old High German marah "horse" and scalc "servant". A famous bearer is the American rapper Marshall Mathers (1972-), who performs under the name Eminem.
Marva f English
Feminine form of Marvin.
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-).
Mike m English
Short form of Michael.
Missy f English
Diminutive of Melissa. This is also a slang term meaning "young woman".
Mohammed m Arabic, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Arabic محمّد or Bengali মুহাম্মদ (see Muhammad).
Monique f French, English, Dutch
French form of Monica.
Myra f English
Created by the 17th-century poet Fulke Greville. He possibly based it on Latin myrra meaning "myrrh" (a fragrant resin obtained from a tree). Otherwise, he may have simply rearranged the letters from the name Mary. Although unrelated etymologically, this is also the name of an ancient city of Anatolia.
Nabil m Arabic
Means "noble" in Arabic.
Nana 4 m & f Akan
From an Akan word used as a title of a monarch.
Napoleon m History, English
From the old Italian name Napoleone, used most notably by the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who was born on Corsica. The etymology is uncertain, but it is possibly derived from Old German Nibelungen meaning "sons of mist", a name used in Germanic legend to refer to the keepers of a hoard of treasure, often identified with the Burgundians. Alternatively, it could be connected to the name of the Italian city of Napoli (Naples).
Nasir m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali, Malay
Means "helper" in Arabic, from the root نصر (naṣara) meaning "to help, to aid". This transcription represents two related yet distinct Arabic names: ناصر, in which the first vowel is long, and نصير, in which the second vowel is long.
Nelly f English, Swedish, French, German
Diminutive of Nell and other names containing nel.
Nicki f English
Diminutive of Nicole.
Noelle f English
English form of Noëlle.
Nosson m Yiddish
Yiddish form of Naṯan (see Nathan).
Noureddine m Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic نور الدين (see Nur ad-Din) chiefly used in North Africa.
Nova f English, Swedish (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
Derived from Latin novus meaning "new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.
Olamide m & f Yoruba
Means "my wealth has arrived" in Yoruba.
Olanrewaju m Yoruba
Means "wealth goes forward" in Yoruba.
Olu m Yoruba
Short form of Yoruba names beginning with olú or olúwa meaning "lord, God".
Olusegun m Yoruba
Means "God conquers" in Yoruba.
Petra f German, Dutch, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Swedish, Finnish, English
Feminine form of Peter. This was also the name of an ancient city in the region that is now Jordan.
Prince m English
From the English word prince, a royal title, which comes ultimately from Latin princeps. This name was borne by the American musician Prince Rogers Nelson (1958-2016), who is known simply as Prince.
Queen f English
From an old nickname that was derived from the English word queen, ultimately from Old English cwen meaning "woman, wife".
Quentin m French, English
French form of the Roman name Quintinus. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a missionary who was martyred in Gaul. The Normans introduced this name to England. In America it was brought to public attention by president Theodore Roosevelt's son Quentin Roosevelt (1897-1918), who was killed in World War I. A famous bearer is the American movie director Quentin Tarantino (1963-).
Quinlan m & f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Caoindealbháin, itself from the given name Caoindealbhán (Old Irish Caíndelbán).
Rashid m Arabic, Urdu, Uzbek, Malay
Means "rightly guided" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition الرشيد (al-Rashīd) is one of the 99 names of Allah.... [more]
Reese m & f Welsh, English
Anglicized form of Rhys. It is also used as a feminine name, popularized by the American actress Reese Witherspoon (1976-).
Remy m & f English (Modern)
English form of Rémy, occasionally used as a feminine name.
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.
Roddy m English, Scottish
Diminutive of Roderick or Rodney.
Saleh m Arabic, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic صالح (see Salih), as well as the usual Indonesian form.
Saul m Biblical, Jewish, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name שָׁאוּל (Shaʾul) meaning "asked for, prayed for". This was the name of the first king of Israel, as told in the Old Testament. Before the end of his reign he lost favour with God, and after a defeat by the Philistines he was succeeded by David as king. In the New Testament, Saul was the original Hebrew name of the apostle Paul.
Sean m Irish, English
Anglicized form of Seán. This name name, along with variants Shawn and Shaun, began to be be used in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland around the middle of the 20th century.
Sky f & m English (Modern)
Simply from the English word sky, which was ultimately derived from Old Norse ský "cloud".
Skyler m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Schuyler, based on the pronunciation of the surname but respelled as if it was a blend of the English word sky with names such as Tyler. It was rare before 1980, and first gained popularity as a name for boys. It is now more common for girls, though it is more evenly unisex than the mostly feminine variant Skylar.
Summer f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English sumor. It has been in use as a given name since the 1970s.
Tanya f Russian, Bulgarian, English
Russian diminutive of Tatiana. It began to be used in the English-speaking world during the 1930s.
Tate m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Tata.
Thyra f Swedish, Danish
Variant of Tyra.
Travis m English
From the English surname Travis (a variant of Travers). It was used in America in honour of William Travis (1809-1836), the commander of the Texan forces at the Battle of the Alamo.
Trevor m Welsh, English
From a Welsh surname, originally taken from the name of towns in Wales meaning "big village", derived from Middle Welsh tref "village" and maur "large". As a given name it became popular in the United Kingdom in the middle of the 20th century, then caught on in the United States in the 1960s.
Tupac m History
Usual English form of Tupaq. The American rapper Tupac Shakur (1971-1996) was named after the 18th-century rebel Tupaq Amaru II.
Ty m English
Short form of Tyler, Tyson, Tyrone and other names beginning with Ty.
Tyler m English
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).
Uchenna m & f Igbo
Means "wisdom of the father, sense of the father" in Igbo.
Uzi m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Uzzi.
Vanessa f English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Dutch
Invented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem Cadenus and Vanessa. He arrived at it by rearranging the initial syllables of the first name and surname of Esther Vanhomrigh, his close friend. Vanessa was later used as the name of a genus of butterfly. It was a rare given name until the mid-20th century, at which point it became fairly popular.
Victor m English, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Late Roman
Roman name meaning "victor, conqueror" in Latin. It was common among early Christians, and was borne by several early saints and three popes. It was rare as an English name during the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the French writer Victor Hugo (1802-1885), who authored The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables.
Warren m English
From an English surname that was derived either from Norman French warrene meaning "animal enclosure", or else from the town of La Varenne in Normandy. This name was borne by the American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).
Wayne m English
From an occupational surname meaning "wagon maker", derived from Old English wægn "wagon". Use of it as a given name can be partly attributed to the popularity of the actor John Wayne (1907-1979). Another famous bearer is Canadian hockey player Wayne Gretzky (1961-), generally considered the greatest player in the history of the sport.
Wes m English
Short form of Wesley.
Wesley m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself meaning "west meadow" from Old English west "west" and leah "woodland, clearing". It has been sometimes given in honour of John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism.
Xeno f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Xenon.
Yannick m & f Breton, French
Diminutive of Yann or Yanna 2.
Younes m Arabic (Maghrebi), Persian
North African and Persian form of Yunus.
Young f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul (see Yeong).
Yousef m Persian, Arabic
Persian form of Yusuf, as well as an alternate Arabic transcription.
Yusef m Persian, Arabic
Alternate transcription of Persian یوسف (see Yousef) or Arabic يوسف (see Yusuf).
Zane 2 f Latvian
Latvian form of Susanna.