How to say it
da · KO · ta
dəˈkoʊ.tə
Unisex
Dakota
Friend, ally
What it means
From the Dakota people of the Sioux nation, whose name means 'friend' or 'ally.'
Dakota comes from the Dakota, one of the peoples of the Sioux nation, whose own name means 'friend' or 'ally.' It also names the two US states. As a given name it took off in the 1990s as a genuinely unisex choice, worn by Dakota Fanning and Dakota Johnson on the one side and plenty of boys on the other. It reads open, American, and a touch frontier. Kota and Cody serve as shorts.
How to spell Dakota
The standard spelling is Dakota. Common variants include Dakotah, Dacota, but Dakota is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
Feminine: peaked at #190 in 2006, currently #296 in 2025.
Masculine: peaked at #56 in 1995, currently #319 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Worth knowing
Genuinely unisex; the two state names and the 'ally' meaning are the touchstones.
- Nickname
Kota is the natural short.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Dakota Fanning American actress
- Dakota Johnson American actress
Spelling variants
- Dakotah
- Dacota
Names with the same feeling
See Dakota from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Dakota mean?
- From the Dakota people of the Sioux nation, whose name means 'friend' or 'ally.'
- What does Dakota mean in Native American?
- In Native American, Dakota means "Friend, ally." Dakota comes from the Dakota, one of the peoples of the Sioux nation, whose own name means 'friend' or 'ally.' It also names the two US states. As a given name it took off in the 1990s as a genuinely unisex choice, worn by Dakota Fanning and Dakota Johnson on the one side and plenty of boys on the other. It reads open, American, and a touch frontier. Kota and Cody serve as shorts.
- How do you pronounce Dakota?
- Dakota is pronounced dəˈkoʊ.tə. Say it as da-KO-ta, with the stress on the "ko" syllable.
- How do you spell Dakota?
- The standard spelling is Dakota. Common spelling variants include Dakotah, Dacota.
- Is Dakota a boy or girl name?
- Dakota is used for both boys and girls.
- How popular is the name Dakota?
- Dakota ranked #296 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.