Since the 1970s it has become more common for African-Americans to create new names for their children by combining their own set of fashionable sounds and syllables. Muslim names from the Arabic language, such as Iesha, Jamal, Malik, and Aaliyah, have been more popular recently, even with African-Americans who have not adopted the Islamic religion.
However, only a few genuine African names, such as Ayana, Kwame, and Jabari, have become widely popular in the African-American community. Because slaves were often assigned the surnames of their owners and given common first names, choosing African names is a way for African-Americans to acknowledge their heritage before slavery. Some adults also changed their names to African or Muslim names. In the 1960s, some African-Americans began to give their children names from African cultures.
