Dakota Unisex

Popularity: #303 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: duh-KOH-tuh //dəˈkoʊtə//

Origin: Native American; English

Meaning: Native American: 'allies'; English: 'friend'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Dakota has its roots in the Native American Sioux language, where it means "allies" or "friends." The term is derived from the Dakota people, a group of Native American tribes that include the Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota. The name entered the English language in the 19th century, particularly as the United States expanded westward and interactions with Native American tribes increased.

It was popularized through the naming of the Dakota Territory in 1861, which was established as a result of the westward expansion and the settlement of European Americans in the region that is now North and South Dakota. Historically, the Dakota people have played a significant role in American history, particularly during the 19th century.

The Dakota War of 1862 was a pivotal conflict between the Dakota people and settlers in Minnesota, which brought national attention to the struggles and rights of Native Americans. The name Dakota, therefore, carries with it a historical weight, representing both the cultural heritage of the Sioux tribes and the complex interactions between Native Americans and European settlers.

Culturally, the name Dakota has come to symbolize a sense of unity and friendship, reflecting its original meaning. It has been embraced in various contexts, including literature and popular culture, often evoking themes of connection to nature and the land.

The name has also been used in various forms, such as the feminine Dakota, which further emphasizes its versatility. Overall, Dakota stands as a name deeply rooted in the history and culture of Native American peoples, embodying both a rich heritage and a spirit of camaraderie.

Famous people named Dakota

In this section, you will find notable people named Dakota. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Dakota who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Dakota who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Dakota Fanning is an actress best known for I Am Sam, War of the Worlds, and The Alienist.

Dakota Johnson is an actress best known for Fifty Shades of Grey, The Social Network, and How to Be Single.

Fictional characters named Dakota

The following list of fictional characters named Dakota is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Dakota is a fictional character from the animated series The Amazing World of Gumball. They are a student at Elmore Junior High and known for their quirky personality.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Dakota, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MasonLoganAveryHunterRileyCameron

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Dakota. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

DakotahKodaDanteDamonDaxKadenDevinDylan

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Dakota was first seen in the United States in 1915.

Dakota has ranked as high as #87 nationally, which occurred in 1995, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Dakota has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Dakota is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Dakota was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Dakota.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 2,109 1,074 1,035
2024 2,220 1,060 1,160
2023 2,208 1,017 1,191
2022 2,155 945 1,210
2021 2,121 958 1,163
2020 2,095 920 1,175
2019 2,242 973 1,269
2018 2,266 944 1,322
2017 2,362 1,000 1,362
2016 2,291 874 1,417
2015 2,277 943 1,334
2014 2,043 894 1,149
2013 1,994 905 1,089
2012 2,000 961 1,039
2011 2,099 1,031 1,068
2010 2,284 1,142 1,142
2009 2,585 1,387 1,198
2008 2,933 1,645 1,288
2007 3,448 1,962 1,486
2006 4,206 2,367 1,839
2005 4,237 2,722 1,515
2004 4,098 2,918 1,180
2003 4,077 3,160 917
2002 4,439 3,487 952
2001 4,923 3,980 943
2000 5,639 4,553 1,086
1999 6,260 5,093 1,167
1998 6,643 5,401 1,242
1997 6,839 5,664 1,175
1996 7,122 6,067 1,055
1995 7,700 6,575 1,125
1994 6,430 5,535 895
1993 5,135 4,411 724
1992 4,365 3,613 752
1991 3,375 2,739 636
1990 1,931 1,551 380
1989 987 824 163
1988 653 554 99
1987 508 430 78
1986 392 320 72
1985 171 109 62
1984 79 60 19
1983 64 49 15
1982 55 42 13
1981 48 29 19
1980 65 40 25
1979 54 34 20
1978 70 55 15
1977 36 22 14
1976 27 16 11
1975 26 14 12
1974 16 8 8
1973 20 9 11
1972 19 13 6
1971 8 0 8
1970 9 9 0
1968 5 5 0
1966 13 5 8
1965 9 0 9
1964 6 0 6
1963 5 0 5
1962 9 0 9
1961 13 0 13
1960 13 0 13
1959 20 0 20
1958 11 0 11
1921 6 0 6
1915 8 0 8

Top States for Dakota (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 214
10%
CA 147
7%
FL 120
6%
GA 119
5%
NC 95
4%
OH 89
4%
MI 81
4%
TN 78
4%
VA 76
4%
PA 76
4%
MD 70
3%
MO 70
3%
IN 60
3%
NY 57
3%
SC 56
3%
LA 55
3%
AL 51
2%
IL 51
2%
AZ 48
2%
KY 48
2%
OK 42
2%
WA 41
2%
CO 40
2%
UT 36
2%
MS 34
2%
NJ 34
2%
WI 32
1%
MA 27
1%
AR 24
1%
NV 21
1%
OR 21
1%
MN 20
1%
CT 17
1%
IA 16
1%
MT 15
1%
WV 14
1%
ID 12
1%
NE 11
1%
SD 10
0%
NM 9
0%
KS 9
0%
NH 8
0%
AK 7
0%
RI 6
0%