Girl & boy name
Dakota
As of 2025, Dakota ranks #295 among American girls' names, according to Social Security records. 1,035 girls received the name that year. Popularity is fading: #257 five years ago, #295 now. SSA records for Dakota go back to 1915; the peak came in 2006 at #190, with 1,839 babies named that year. Geographically, it's strongest in Maryland, where it ranks #114 among girl names.
Rankings
Dakota popularity, 1880–2025
Where Dakota is most popular
Uniqueness score
A familiar pick that most people will recognize instantly. Based on how many babies per birth were named Dakota in the most recent year of SSA data.
Similar names
Dakota as a boy name
Dakota holds the #319 spot on the 2025 list of the most popular boy names in the U.S. That amounts to 1,074 newborn boys in a single year. Its position has barely moved over the past five years — a sign of steady, established appeal. Its strongest year on record was 1995 (#56 nationally, 6,575 newborns), in a data series reaching back to 1966. The name's biggest fan base is in Oklahoma (#133 there in 2025).