Dakota
Meaning of Dakota
Dakota comes from the name of the Dakota, one of the Sioux peoples of North America, and is usually explained as meaning 'friend' or 'ally' in their language. It is pronounced duh-KOH-tuh and is used for both boys and girls.
The U.S. states of North Dakota and South Dakota take their names from the same people. Well-known bearers include the actresses Dakota Fanning, who began her career as a child, and Dakota Johnson.
In the U.S., Dakota was rarely used before 1985, when it ranked 1,809th, and then rose quickly to 252nd by 1995. It reached its highest rank, 190th, in 2006, when 1,839 babies were given the name. In 2025 it ranked 295th, with 1,035 babies.
Pronunciation
British English
- Pronunced as duh-KOH-tuh (/dəˈkəʊtə/)
American English
- Pronunced as duh-KOH-tuh (/dəˈkoʊtə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Dakota
| Dakota Mayi Johnson is an American actress and British Academy Film Award nominee. |
| Dakota Fanning is an American actress known for blockbuster and indie roles from childhood into adulthood, earning nominations for a Golden Globe, a Primetime Emmy, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. |
