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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020202015peak #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—
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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 2015

  • 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: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedNHWashington: #441 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 2,298 boysWAIdaho: #266 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 884 boysIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #470 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,581 boysMNIllinois: #413 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 2,289 boysILWisconsin: #292 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 1,361 boysWIMichigan: #253 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 1,165 boysMINew York: #628 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 4,285 boysNYMassachusetts: #622 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 4,927 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedRIOregon: #228 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 863 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedSDIowa: #260 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 1,052 boysIAIndiana: #256 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 1,095 boysINOhio: #233 for boys · 55 births · 1 in 1,096 boysOHPennsylvania: #283 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 1,496 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedNJConnecticut: #389 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,401 boysCTCalifornia: #563 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 4,041 boysCAUtah: #508 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,657 boysUTColorado: #322 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 1,384 boysCONebraska: #316 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 1,263 boysNEMissouri: #265 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 1,129 boysMOKentucky: #190 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 786 boysKYWest Virginia: #200 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 743 boysWVVirginia: #316 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 1,631 boysVAMaryland: #493 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 2,781 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedDEArizona: #458 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 2,640 boysAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedNMKansas: #334 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,439 boysKSArkansas: #199 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 697 boysARTennessee: #260 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 1,107 boysTNNorth Carolina: #307 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 1,576 boysNCSouth Carolina: #256 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 1,132 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #206 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 742 boysOKLouisiana: #241 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 980 boysLAMississippi: #266 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,156 boysMSAlabama: #187 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 773 boysALGeorgia: #291 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 1,409 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedHITexas: #424 for boys · 79 births · 1 in 2,381 boysTXFlorida: #411 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 2,342 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Alabama#187 · 1 in 773
  2. Kentucky#190 · 1 in 786
  3. Arkansas#199 · 1 in 697
  4. West Virginia#200 · 1 in 743
  5. Oklahoma#206 · 1 in 742

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Alabama#187301 in 773
Kentucky#190281 in 786
Arkansas#199211 in 697
West Virginia#200111 in 743
Oklahoma#206281 in 742
Oregon#228211 in 863
Ohio#233551 in 1,096
Louisiana#241261 in 980
Michigan#253411 in 1,165
Indiana#256331 in 1,095
South Carolina#256191 in 1,132
Iowa#260151 in 1,052
Tennessee#260331 in 1,107
Missouri#265281 in 1,129
Idaho#26691 in 884
Mississippi#266121 in 1,156
Pennsylvania#283401 in 1,496
Georgia#291391 in 1,409
Wisconsin#292201 in 1,361
North Carolina#307331 in 1,576
Nebraska#31681 in 1,263
Virginia#316261 in 1,631
Colorado#322201 in 1,384
Kansas#334111 in 1,439
Connecticut#38961 in 2,401
Florida#411421 in 2,342
Illinois#413291 in 2,289
Texas#424791 in 2,381
Washington#441161 in 2,298
Arizona#458141 in 2,640
Minnesota#470111 in 2,581
Maryland#493101 in 2,781
Utah#50881 in 2,657
California#563561 in 4,041
Massachusetts#62261 in 4,927
New York#628241 in 4,285
Alaska———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Maine———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
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 2015

girls
#242
1,334 births · 1 in 1,338 girls
boys
#356
943 births · 1 in 2,033 boys

Top girls' names in 2015

  1. #1Emma20,487
  2. #2Olivia19,729
  3. #3Sophia17,454
  4. #4Ava16,416
  5. #5Isabella15,667
  6. #6Mia14,943
  7. #7Abigail12,422
  8. #8Emily11,808
  9. #9Charlotte11,415
  10. #10Harper10,311
  11. #242Dakota1,334

Top boys' names in 2015

  1. #1Noah19,680
  2. #2Liam18,410
  3. #3Mason16,675
  4. #4Jacob16,005
  5. #5William15,950
  6. #6Ethan15,103
  7. #7James14,865
  8. #8Alexander14,584
  9. #9Michael14,504
  10. #10Benjamin13,732
  11. #356Dakota943
More about 2015

girls

1,785,098 girls got a published name in 2015; 1 in 1,338 of them was named Dakota, which outranked 98.7% of the 19,130 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 8.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dakota
  1. #239Katelyn1,385
  2. #240Juliet1,357
  3. #241Maggie1,338
  4. #242Dakota1,334
  5. #243Delaney1,328
  6. #244Brynlee1,319
  7. #245Keira1,312
Biggest movers since 2014
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,984Alaia#2,648 → #664
  2. ↑ 1,835Meilani#2,781 → #946
  3. ↑ 1,733Aitana#2,648 → #915
  4. ↑ 1,387Aislinn#2,351 → #964
  5. ↑ 1,072Taya#2,049 → #977
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,075Isis#703 → #1,778
  2. ↓ 502Annabell#923 → #1,425
  3. ↓ 500Anabel#911 → #1,411
  4. ↓ 344Cindy#711 → #1,055
  5. ↓ 334Anabella#529 → #863

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

boys

1,916,743 boys got a published name in 2015; 1 in 2,033 of them was named Dakota, which outranked 97.5% of the 14,059 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 8.3% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dakota
  1. #353Grady958
  2. #354Quinn949
  3. #355Frank945
  4. #356Dakota943
  5. #356Fabian943
  6. #358Roberto927
  7. #359Beckham923
  8. #360Skyler914

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

Biggest movers since 2014
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,348Riaan#2,277 → #929
  2. ↑ 397Huxley#1,355 → #958
  3. ↑ 355Wilder#1,313 → #958
  4. ↑ 284Jaziel#1,218 → #934
  5. ↑ 268Canaan#1,074 → #806
Fallers
  1. ↓ 676Arnav#891 → #1,567
  2. ↓ 262Jayse#906 → #1,168
  3. ↓ 239Neymar#551 → #790
  4. ↓ 228Rylee#877 → #1,105
  5. ↓ 204Johnathon#915 → #1,119

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

See the top 100 for 2015 →