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Dakota

♀ Girl

Pronounced duh-KOH-tuh /dəˈkoʊtə/High

Meaning: Friend, ally; the friendly people — from the Sioux languageHigh

In 30 seconds: A Native American name meaning 'friend' or 'ally.' Dakota has the wide open sky of the Great Plains in its sound — free, strong, and genuinely American. Equally used for boys and girls, it is one of the most successful unisex place-names in use today.
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Origin HighSioux
MeaningFriend, ally; the friendly people — from the Sioux language
U.S. rank (2025)#296 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births1,035 girls (0.06% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2006
Total births (all-time)≈ 41,445

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200619152025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Dakota is taken from the Sioux word Dakȟóta, meaning 'friend,' 'allied,' or 'the friendly ones.' The Dakota are a group of Indigenous North American peoples whose homeland included the Dakotas, Minnesota, and surrounding areas. The name was given to the U.S. territories (and later states) of North and South Dakota in their honour.

As a given name, Dakota has been used for both boys and girls in the United States since the late 20th century, with female use now predominating. It entered the top 100 for girls in the 1990s and 2000s and remains in the top 300. It evokes the wide open American landscape and Native American heritage.

Did you know? The Dakota people are a group of Indigenous nations of the Great Plains — the name Dakota in their language means 'friend' or 'ally,' and it was the friendliness of the Dakota people toward early European explorers that gave the name its warm meaning.
Overall data confidence 93%
Behind the Name — Dakota — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

DacodaDakotah

Nicknames

DakKotaCody

Famous Bearers

  • ★Dakota Fanning (1994–present)
    American actress who began her career as a child star and has appeared in numerous major films.

If you like Dakota…

Cheyenne— Native American place-name used as a girl's name with the same wide-open American spirit
Sienna— place-name for girls with the same warm, three-syllable natural beauty
Savannah— American geographical name with the same open-sky, nature-landscape warmth
Sierra— Spanish-American geographical name with the same bold, landscape-inspired feel

Frequently Asked

What does the name Dakota mean?

Dakota means 'friend' or 'ally' in the Sioux language of the Dakota people of the Great Plains.

How do you pronounce Dakota?

It is said duh-KOH-tuh /dəˈkoʊtə/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Dakota a boy or girl name?

Dakota is used for both boys and girls, with female use now slightly predominating in the U.S.

How popular is Dakota?

Dakota has been in the U.S. top 300 for girls consistently since the 1990s.