Dakota is a unisex given name derived from the name of the Native American Dakota people, or from the name of two states in the United States, North Dakota and South Dakota, which are also derived from the Dakota people indigenous to that area.

Mar 24, 2025 · The name Dakota is a boy's name of Native American origin meaning "friendly one". An early and still one of the most popular unisex names, also a place name and name of a Native American people in the northern Mississippi valley, which makes it …

Jul 4, 2024 · Whether you’re inspired by its Native American roots or simply love the way it sounds, Dakota is a charming and memorable name that is sure to stand the test of time. Whether your son is a true friend to all, a rugged adventurer, or simply a kind and loyal soul, Dakota is the perfect name for him.

May 7, 2024 · During the 1990s, the name Dakota experienced a notable surge in popularity, especially among boys, and it maintained its position among the top 100 popular boy names from 1993 to 2001.

Though Dakota is currently more often than not a girl name, there was a period from 1985 to 2009 when more boys were given the name. From 2010 on, increasingly more girls than boys were named Dakota.

Aug 7, 2024 · Dakota is the #270 most popular girls' and #344 most popular boys' name in the U.S., according to 2021 Social Security Administration data. However, it ranks #4 on FamilyEducation.com.

Dakota is a Boy Name pronounced as duh-KOE-tuh and means friend, ally. The name Dakota originates from the Lakota tribe, a Native American tribe of the Great Plains region of North America.

American parents began to use Dakota as a name for their baby boys starting in 1985 and it officially became gender-neutral when it showed up on the female naming charts in 1990. This unisex name is now used with relative equality between the two sexes.

The name is translated as “friend, friendly, allies” in the Yankton-Yanktonai and Santee dialects of the Lakota Sioux language. Dakota is in use for both girls and boys. It was the 203rd most popular name for American boys in 2007, having ranked in the …

From 1985, the name surged in popularity for boys. A few years later, parents started naming their daughters Dakota, too. Actress Dakota Fanning certainly popularized the name for females, along with comedian Rosie O'Donnell, who named her daughter Dakota.