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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020202010peak #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
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1955
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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
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1901
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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 2010

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedAKMaine: #199 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 791 boysMEVermont: #124 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 369 boysVTNew Hampshire: #193 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 836 boysNHWashington: #278 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 1,271 boysWAIdaho: #267 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 1,050 boysIDMontana: #206 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 649 boysMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #409 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,519 boysMNIllinois: #364 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 2,116 boysILWisconsin: #272 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 1,388 boysWIMichigan: #262 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 1,377 boysMINew York: #517 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 3,541 boysNYMassachusetts: #529 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 4,287 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedRIOregon: #293 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 1,221 boysORNevada: #406 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,279 boysNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedSDIowa: #364 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 1,911 boysIAIndiana: #201 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 904 boysINOhio: #186 for boys · 65 births · 1 in 931 boysOHPennsylvania: #218 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 1,151 boysPANew Jersey: #642 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 4,756 boysNJConnecticut: #439 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 2,934 boysCTCalifornia: #607 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 5,082 boysCAUtah: #232 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 883 boysUTColorado: #361 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 1,834 boysCONebraska: #291 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 1,231 boysNEMissouri: #141 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 583 boysMOKentucky: #102 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 401 boysKYWest Virginia: #122 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 424 boysWVVirginia: #194 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 966 boysVAMaryland: #399 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 2,350 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedDEArizona: #453 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 2,663 boysAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedNMKansas: #179 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 682 boysKSArkansas: #122 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 451 boysARTennessee: #149 for boys · 57 births · 1 in 617 boysTNNorth Carolina: #209 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 973 boysNCSouth Carolina: #285 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 1,403 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #138 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 528 boysOKLouisiana: #221 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 993 boysLAMississippi: #245 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 1,063 boysMSAlabama: #184 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 834 boysALGeorgia: #260 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 1,331 boysGAHawaii: #264 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 961 boysHITexas: #404 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 2,627 boysTXFlorida: #393 for boys · 37 births · 1 in 2,504 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Kentucky#102 · 1 in 401
  2. West Virginia#122 · 1 in 424
  3. Arkansas#122 · 1 in 451
  4. Vermont#124 · 1 in 369
  5. Oklahoma#138 · 1 in 528

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Kentucky#102561 in 401
Arkansas#122321 in 451
West Virginia#122191 in 424
Vermont#12451 in 369
Oklahoma#138391 in 528
Missouri#141561 in 583
Tennessee#149571 in 617
Kansas#179241 in 682
Alabama#184281 in 834
Ohio#186651 in 931
New Hampshire#19361 in 836
Virginia#194431 in 966
Maine#19961 in 791
Indiana#201401 in 904
Montana#20661 in 649
North Carolina#209531 in 973
Pennsylvania#218531 in 1,151
Louisiana#221241 in 993
Utah#232251 in 883
Mississippi#245131 in 1,063
Georgia#260421 in 1,331
Michigan#262351 in 1,377
Hawaii#26451 in 961
Idaho#26781 in 1,050
Wisconsin#272201 in 1,388
Washington#278281 in 1,271
South Carolina#285151 in 1,403
Nebraska#29181 in 1,231
Oregon#293151 in 1,221
Colorado#361151 in 1,834
Illinois#364331 in 2,116
Iowa#36481 in 1,911
Florida#393371 in 2,504
Maryland#399121 in 2,350
Texas#404681 in 2,627
Nevada#40661 in 2,279
Minnesota#409111 in 2,519
Connecticut#43951 in 2,934
Arizona#453141 in 2,663
New York#517301 in 3,541
Massachusetts#52971 in 4,287
California#607461 in 5,082
New Jersey#64291 in 4,756
Alaska
Delaware
District of Columbia
New Mexico
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Dakota
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 2010

girls
#285
1,142 births · 1 in 1,557 girls
boys
#292
1,142 births · 1 in 1,680 boys

Top girls' names in 2010

  1. #1Isabella22,936
  2. #2Sophia20,656
  3. #3Emma17,366
  4. #4Olivia17,040
  5. #5Ava15,444
  6. #6Emily14,281
  7. #7Abigail14,257
  8. #8Madison13,196
  9. #9Chloe11,765
  10. #10Mia10,650
  11. #285Dakota1,142

Top boys' names in 2010

  1. #1Jacob22,157
  2. #2Ethan18,020
  3. #3Michael17,387
  4. #4Jayden17,203
  5. #5William17,072
  6. #6Alexander16,769
  7. #7Noah16,481
  8. #8Daniel15,869
  9. #9Aiden15,547
  10. #10Anthony15,511
  11. #292Dakota1,142
More about 2010

girls

1,777,595 girls got a published name in 2010; 1 in 1,557 of them was named Dakota, which outranked 98.6% of the 19,841 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 8.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dakota
  1. #282Camryn1,172
  2. #283Esmeralda1,168
  3. #284Abby1,149
  4. #285Dakota1,142
  5. #285Juliet1,142
  6. #287Brynn1,140
  7. #288Willow1,122
  8. #289Maddison1,121

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

Biggest movers since 2009
Risers
  1. 2,433Tenley#2,892#459
  2. 2,126Elin#2,852#726
  3. 664Jordynn#1,353#689
  4. 623Kynlee#1,509#886
  5. 513Farrah#1,063#550
Fallers
  1. 502Calleigh#834#1,336
  2. 491Marely#851#1,342
  3. 477Analia#331#808
  4. 417Destiney#900#1,317
  5. 326Dayanara#810#1,136

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

boys

1,918,676 boys got a published name in 2010; 1 in 1,680 of them was named Dakota, which outranked 98.0% of the 14,270 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 9.0% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dakota
  1. #289Dawson1,168
  2. #290Angelo1,157
  3. #291Reid1,145
  4. #292Dakota1,142
  5. #293Abel1,128
  6. #294Zander1,119
  7. #295Judah1,111
Biggest movers since 2009
Risers
  1. 2,631Bentlee#3,476#845
  2. 1,735Jencarlos#2,663#928
  3. 1,536Bently#2,203#667
  4. 940Callen#1,638#698
  5. 892Bode#1,665#773
Fallers
  1. 314Dereon#953#1,267
  2. 290Aaden#271#561
  3. 248Landin#935#1,183
  4. 229Rigoberto#920#1,149
  5. 191Dillan#793#984

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

See the top 100 for 2010