Dakota

#295 for girls in 2025, 1,035 births · #319 for boys in 2025, 1,074 births
Given to boys 69.2% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1995 · 6,575 births
Debut · boys
5 births
In top 100 · boys
9 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
93,118
since 1966

Dakota over time

girlsboys

Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201989peak #190, 2006peak #56, 1995girlsboys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#2951,035#3191,074
2024#2731,160#3261,060
2023#2621,191#3281,017
2022#2591,210#347945
2021#2701,163#339958
2020#2571,175#346920
2019#2591,269#344973
2018#2461,322#349944
2017#2311,362#3401,000
2016#2271,417#376874
2015#2421,334#356943
2014#2831,149#357894
2013#2931,089#350905
2012#3071,039#328961
2011#2941,068#3121,031
2010#2851,142#2921,142
2009#2741,198#2511,387
2008#2661,288#2261,645
2007#2391,486#2021,962
2006#1901,839#1722,367
2005#2251,515#1472,722
2004#2771,180#1372,918
2003#339917#1263,160
2002#323952#1073,487
2001#330943#933,980
2000#2961,086#884,553
1999#2691,167#775,093
1998#2461,242#725,401
1997#2501,175#665,664
1996#2741,055#586,067
1995#2521,125#566,575
1994#305895#695,535
1993#355724#854,411
1992#346752#1033,613
1991#400636#1212,739
1990#596380#1951,551
1989#1,048163#296824
1988#1,40999#363554
1987#1,59178#421430
1986#1,63872#488320
1985#1,80962#866109
1984#3,99019#1,17460
1983#4,68615#1,32749
1982#5,20913#1,48742
1981#4,00519#1,89929
1980#3,31825#1,52440
1979#3,77720#1,67034
1978#4,45915#1,20355
1977#4,65214#2,13122
1976#5,21511#2,60116
1975#4,85412#2,75114
1974#6,2588#3,8378
1973#4,87111#3,4459
1972#7,2926#2,65913
1971#6,0068—
1970—#3,2829
1969——
1968—#4,1365
1967——
1966#4,8668#3,9485
1965#4,4949—
1964#6,0096—
1963#6,5925—
1962#4,5339—
1961#3,60813—
1960#3,51213—
1959#2,59620—
1958#3,74711—
1957——
1956——
1955——
1954——
1953——
1952——
1951——
1950——
1949——
1948——
1947——
1946——
1945——
1944——
1943——
1942——
1941——
1940——
1939——
1938——
1937——
1936——
1935——
1934——
1933——
1932——
1931——
1930——
1929——
1928——
1927——
1926——
1925——
1924——
1923——
1922——
1921#4,4646—
1920——
1919——
1918——
1917——
1916——
1915#3,1348—
1914——
1913——
1912——
1911——
1910——
1909——
1908——
1907——
1906——
1905——
1904——
1903——
1902——
1901——
1900——
1899——
1898——
1897——
1896——
1895——
1894——
1893——
1892——
1891——
1890——
1889——
1888——
1887——
1886——
1885——
1884——
1883——
1882——
1881——
1880——
First appearance
1966

The first year at least five boys were named Dakota! It came in at #3,948, and was given to 5 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1966–1969, when fewer than 6 boys a year got the name.

Where Dakota is popular in 1989

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: #141 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 1,141 boysNHWashington: #235 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 1,700 boysWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #283 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 3,505 boysMNIllinois: #461 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 4,568 boysILWisconsin: #203 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 1,839 boysWIMichigan: #294 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 2,777 boysMINew York: #553 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 6,424 boysNYMassachusetts: #489 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 8,752 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedRIOregon: #240 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,768 boysORNevada: #191 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 1,142 boysNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #162 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 936 boysSDIowa: #191 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,519 boysIAIndiana: #187 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 1,524 boysINOhio: #208 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 1,816 boysOHPennsylvania: #283 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 2,807 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #479 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 5,268 boysCAUtah: #228 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,506 boysUTColorado: #239 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 1,861 boysCONebraska: #209 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 1,832 boysNEMissouri: #117 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 740 boysMOKentucky: #168 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 1,359 boysKYWest Virginia: #125 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 733 boysWVVirginia: #291 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 2,462 boysVAMaryland: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedDEArizona: #295 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 2,164 boysAZNew Mexico: #168 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 775 boysNMKansas: #186 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 1,311 boysKSArkansas: #182 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 1,096 boysARTennessee: #179 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 1,194 boysTNNorth Carolina: #263 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 2,011 boysNCSouth Carolina: #385 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 3,369 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #82 for boys · 54 births · 1 in 381 boysOKLouisiana: #271 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 1,596 boysLAMississippi: #258 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,560 boysMSAlabama: #276 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 2,079 boysALGeorgia: #249 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 1,595 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedHITexas: #277 for boys · 86 births · 1 in 1,722 boysTXFlorida: #377 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 3,190 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Oklahoma#82 · 1 in 381
  2. Missouri#117 · 1 in 740
  3. West Virginia#125 · 1 in 733
  4. New Hampshire#141 · 1 in 1,141
  5. South Dakota#162 · 1 in 936

Best ever in a state: #15 in Oklahoma, 1997.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Oklahoma#82541 in 381
Missouri#117511 in 740
West Virginia#125141 in 733
New Hampshire#14171 in 1,141
South Dakota#16251 in 936
Kentucky#168181 in 1,359
New Mexico#168151 in 775
Tennessee#179291 in 1,194
Arkansas#182141 in 1,096
Kansas#186131 in 1,311
Indiana#187261 in 1,524
Iowa#191121 in 1,519
Nevada#19171 in 1,142
Wisconsin#203181 in 1,839
Ohio#208431 in 1,816
Nebraska#20961 in 1,832
Utah#228111 in 1,506
Washington#235201 in 1,700
Colorado#239131 in 1,861
Oregon#240111 in 1,768
Georgia#249311 in 1,595
Mississippi#258111 in 1,560
North Carolina#263231 in 2,011
Louisiana#271201 in 1,596
Alabama#276131 in 2,079
Texas#277861 in 1,722
Minnesota#28391 in 3,505
Pennsylvania#283291 in 2,807
Virginia#291171 in 2,462
Michigan#294251 in 2,777
Arizona#295141 in 2,164
Florida#377281 in 3,190
South Carolina#38571 in 3,369
Illinois#461191 in 4,568
California#479511 in 5,268
Massachusetts#48951 in 8,752
New York#553211 in 6,424
Alaska———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Maine———
Maryland———
Montana———
New Jersey———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
Vermont———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Dakota
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 7 spots since 2024 (#326 → #319)
  • 27 spots since 2020 (#346 → #319)
  • 37 spots since 2015 (#356 → #319)
  • Biggest jump: 378 spots in 1986 (#866 → #488)
  • Biggest drop: 41 spots in 2010 (#251 → #292)
Rise & fade · boys
29 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1966
  • Peaked 1995 at #56 (6,575 births)
  • Births halved by 2003, 8 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 9 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 9 yrs · run 1993–2001
  • Top 1,000: 41 yrs · run 1985–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 290
  • Highest: 1 in 290 boys born in 1995 were named Dakota (0.35%)
  • Latest: 1 in 1,590 boys born in 2025 (0.06%)
Era · boys
The 1990s
  • 50.1% of all boys named Dakota (46,649) were born in this decade
Girls or boys?
Flipped in 2025
  • Mostly girls until 2024, mostly boys since
all girlsall boys
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1960s10#3,948 (1966)#4,042
1970s180#1,203 (1978)#2,620
1980s2,457#296 (1989)#985
1990s46,649#56 (1995)#90
2000s28,181#88 (2000)#155
2010s9,667#292 (2010)#340
2020s5,974#319 (2025)#334

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Dakota in 1989

girls
#1,048
163 births · 1 in 11,310 girls
boys
#296
824 births · 1 in 2,428 boys

Top girls' names in 1989

  1. #1Jessica47,887
  2. #2Ashley47,588
  3. #3Brittany37,792
  4. #4Amanda36,834
  5. #5Sarah27,797
  6. #6Samantha24,792
  7. #7Jennifer24,006
  8. #8Stephanie22,766
  9. #9Lauren21,065
  10. #10Elizabeth20,298
  11. #1,048Dakota163

Top boys' names in 1989

  1. #1Michael65,415
  2. #2Christopher53,186
  3. #3Matthew45,375
  4. #4Joshua44,100
  5. #5David35,225
  6. #6Daniel35,007
  7. #7Andrew34,817
  8. #8Justin32,852
  9. #9James32,720
  10. #10Robert30,072
  11. #296Dakota824
More about 1989

girls

1,843,552 girls got a published name in 1989; 1 in 11,310 of them was named Dakota, which outranked 92.8% of the 14,550 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dakota
  1. #1,042Marta164
  2. #1,042Reina164
  3. #1,042Shanell164
  4. #1,048Dakota163
  5. #1,048Marcela163
  6. #1,048Ramona163
  7. #1,051Alesia162
  8. #1,051Ashlea162
  9. #1,051Janee162

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1988
Risers
  1. ↑ 9,523Audriana#10,386 → #863
  2. ↑ 7,504Martika#8,391 → #887
  3. ↑ 6,932Audrianna#7,691 → #759
  4. ↑ 3,972Elizabet#4,496 → #524
  5. ↑ 1,772Katherin#2,489 → #717
Fallers
  1. ↓ 539Diandra#905 → #1,444
  2. ↓ 524Taja#720 → #1,244
  3. ↓ 455Jonathan#999 → #1,454
  4. ↓ 445Katarina#960 → #1,405
  5. ↓ 397Caryn#816 → #1,213

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

2,000,928 boys got a published name in 1989; 1 in 2,428 of them was named Dakota, which outranked 96.8% of the 9,232 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 20.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dakota
  1. #293Jarrod833
  2. #294Morgan828
  3. #295Kelvin826
  4. #296Dakota824
  5. #297Alvin823
  6. #298Jermaine820
  7. #299Kelly811
Biggest movers since 1988
Risers
  1. ↑ 6,314Kiara#7,270 → #956
  2. ↑ 5,870Alexande#6,426 → #556
  3. ↑ 1,111Kwame#1,768 → #657
  4. ↑ 766Kadeem#1,467 → #701
  5. ↑ 684Hakeem#1,270 → #586
Fallers
  1. ↓ 839Long#819 → #1,658
  2. ↓ 337Darell#981 → #1,318
  3. ↓ 294Whitney#890 → #1,184
  4. ↓ 269Trevin#840 → #1,109
  5. ↓ 252Curt#850 → #1,102

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1989 →