Dakota

“Ally, friend — from the Dakota people's own name” — Dakota (Siouan) origin

Boy's name · #319 in the US (2025) · 90s

Dakota reached #56 in 1995 and has faded to #319 since. About 93,000 boys have carried it since 1966. Dakota is split almost evenly between girls and boys among recent newborns. Dak is a short form of Dakota.

Around the world: about 1 in 3,500 boys in Canada (2024) · about 1 in 16,000 boys in England & Wales (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 45 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Dakotas

Dakota Goyo — Canadian actor
Dakota Mathias — American basketball player
Dakota Meyer — United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient
Dakota Lucas — New Zealand footballer
Dakota Collins — American soccer player (born 1991)

What Dakotas become

Among 108 notable people named Dakota:

Entertainers appear 2.51× more often than among typical names — e.g. Dakota Goyo, Canadian actor.

Similar names: Dakoda · Tanner · Dalton · Javon · Dashawn · Dandre

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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