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The short answer
Dakota is a unisex name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the name of the Native American people of the northern Mississippi Valley, or from the two American states that were named for them: North and South Dakota (until 1889 unified as the Dakota Territory). It was rare as an American given name before 1975." It ranked #319 for boys and #296 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the name of the Native American people of the northern Mississippi Valley, or from the two American states that were named for them: North and South Dakota (until 1889 unified as the Dakota Territory). It was rare as an American given name before 1975. The entry lists its usage as English (Modern).
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Dakota ranked #319 for boys and #296 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (boys) | 2025 | #319 | ssa-2025 |
| United States (girls) | 2025 | #296 | ssa-2025 |
United States, 2025: #296 (Social Security Administration)
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Dakota in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Dakota mean?
Dakota means "allies, friends", according to Behind the Name.
Is Dakota a popular name?
Dakota ranked #319 for boys and #296 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Dakota a boy's or a girl's name?
Dakota appears in both the boys' and girls' SSA lists for 2025, so it is used for both.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Dakota — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
