Kota

♂ Boy

Pronounced KOH-tuh /ˈkoʊ.tə/Medium

Meaning: Short form of Dakota ('friend, ally'); also a Japanese name and Indian 'fort'Medium

In 30 seconds: Kota is a short form of Dakota, meaning 'friend, ally', and it also stands as a Japanese name and an Indian word for 'fort'.

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Origin MediumNative American, Japanese

MeaningShort form of Dakota ('friend, ally'); also a Japanese name and Indian 'fort'

U.S. rank (2025)#1831 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births87 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2023

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,047

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kota most often comes from clipping Dakota, a name meaning 'friend' or 'ally'. It carries other lives too: it is a given name in Japanese, written Kouta or Kota, and it means 'fort' in an Indian sense. That makes it a compact name that lands differently depending on the tradition behind it.

Two open syllables, ko-ta, give the name a friendly, rounded sound across all its sources. Japanese footballers Kota Hattori and Kota Yoshihara carry the Japanese version.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Kota is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 70%

Behind the Name - Kota — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

KoutaKōta

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Kota Hattori (1977–present)
Japanese former footballer who played as a midfielder for Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
★Kota Yoshihara (1978–present)
Japanese former footballer who played for Consadole Sapporo.

If you like Kota…

Cody— Shares Kota's friendly, two-syllable American sound.

Akai— another unisex pick

Ryo— a fellow Japanese choice

Xion— a fellow Japanese choice

Ren— a fellow Japanese choice

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kota mean?

Kota is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Kota?

It's commonly said KOH-tuh /ˈkoʊ.tə/.

Is Kota a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Kota is used as a boy name.

How popular is Kota?

In 2024, Kota ranked #2045 in the U.S. for boys, with 74 births recorded.