Enslaved people were usually named by their owners. Slave owners often chose Biblical names, presidents' names, names from literature, and common nicknames. 

Male Slaves' Names Found in Historic Records 

Abe

Abraham

Abram 

Ambrose

Anderson

Andre

Bartley

Ben

Billy

Bob 

Breechy

Britain

Burwell 

Charles

Christopher

Cumberland

Cyrus

Daniel

David

Davy 

Dick

Edwin

Elias

Elijah

Emery

Ephraim

Frank 

Gabriel

George

Gideon 

Godfrey

Guss

Guy 

Hanson

Harry 

Hellam

Henley

Henry

Hezekiah 

Isaac

Israel

Jack

Jackson

Jacob

James

Jamie

Jefferson

Jesse

Jim

Joe

John

Johnny

Jonathan

Juba

Lewis

London 

Luge

Mack

Madison 

Matt

Meriday

Mike

Mingo

Monroe

Morgan

Moses

Nat

Nathan

Ned

Oliver

Oscar

Paschall

Paul 

Peter

Phil

Philip

Prosper

Ralph

Randolph

Reuben 

Richmond

Robert

Robin 

Roger

Sam

Sambo

Sandy 

Simms

Simon

Spencer 

Tandey

Thomas

Timothy 

Tom 

Townshend

Uriah 

Walter 

Washington

Will 

William 

Wilson 

Zack 

Female Slaves' Names Found in Historic Records 

Abigail 

Abby

Aggy

Agnes

Alla

Amanda

Angie

Anna

Anne

Barbary

Beck

Betsey

Bett

Betty

Briney

Caroline

Catherine

Cecelia

Charity

Charlotte 

Cherry 

Darcus

Delphy 

Dinah

Doll

Dolly

Easter

Edy 

Elizabeth

Ellen

Elvey

Eve 

Fanny

Grace

Hagar

Hannah 

Hany

Harriet

Henny

Henrietta

Isbel

Jacky

Jemimah

Jenny

Judy

Kate

Kitty 

Leantha

Letty 

Levina

Liddy

Linney

Lou 

Lucinda

Lucretia

Lucy

Lydia 

Malinda

Margaret

Maria

Mariah

Mary

Mary Ann

Matilda

Milley 

Mima

Molly

Myrtilla

Nancy

Nelley

Oney

Patience 

Patty

Peg

Penny

Polly 

Priscilla

Prudy

Rachel

Rainey

Rebecca

Renny

Rose

Ruth

Sackey

Sall

Sarah

Sinah

Siss

Tempey 

Vina

Winnie

Nicknames and Occupational Names 

When a slave owner had two or more slaves with the same name, they were often given descriptive nicknames, such as Big Sam, Kate Long, Kate Short, Little Jane, Long Jack, Old Ben, Shorty, or Young Ned. Elderly slaves who worked as nannies or valets were sometimes called "Aunt" or "Uncle," such as Uncle Peter or Aunt Sadie. Some slaves were called by their occupations: 

Boatswain 

Carter Jack 

Coffey

Cook

Cooper

Forester

Gardner George

Gunner

House Frank 

Kitchener

Mammy

Miller Ben

Potter Nat

Wagoner 

Title Names 

Aristocratic and royal titles were also common, and slaves were given names such as: Duchess, Duke, Earl, King, Lady, Marquis, Prince, Princess, Queen, and Queenie.

Greek and Roman Names 

To justify using slave labor, slave owners would often site other great societies that had accepted slavery, in particular Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. ("They had slaves, so it's all right for us to have slaves.") Elements of those periods were fashionable in the early 1800s. Women's clothing and hairstyles imitated Greek and Roman fashions (see the 1812 drawing below). Southern plantation houses were built with Parthenon-inspired columns, and slaves were often given names from antiquity. 

Greek and Roman Male Names 

Apollo

Antony

Augustus

Aurelius 

Cassius

Caesar

Claudius

Constantine

Cornelius

Demetrius

Eneas

Hercules 

Homer

Julius

July 

Lucius

Marcus

Paris

Phoenix 

Pompe

Roman 

Zeus 

Greek and Roman Female Names

Augusta

Aurelia

Barbara 

Chloe 

Claudia

Cornelia

Cynthia

Daphne

Delia

Diana

Flora

Julia

Narcissa

Parthena

Penelope

Phillis

Phoebe

Sabina

Sophia

Venus