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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 (2024)#2045 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births74 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2023
Total births (all-time)≈ 960

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202319852024

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

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.

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.