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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020202017peak #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
1954
1953
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1951
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1949
1948
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1937
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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
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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 2017

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedAKMaine: #190 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 610 boysMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedNHWashington: #243 for boys · 36 births · 1 in 988 boysWAIdaho: #346 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 1,317 boysIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: #189 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 578 boysNDMinnesota: #373 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 1,805 boysMNIllinois: #596 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 3,643 boysILWisconsin: #307 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 1,368 boysWIMichigan: #354 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 1,786 boysMINew York: #798 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 6,097 boysNYMassachusetts: #710 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 5,764 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedRIOregon: #271 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 1,086 boysORNevada: #450 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,186 boysNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedSDIowa: #237 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 929 boysIAIndiana: #315 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 1,435 boysINOhio: #285 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 1,326 boysOHPennsylvania: #334 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 1,819 boysPANew Jersey: #661 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 4,539 boysNJConnecticut: #305 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 1,561 boysCTCalifornia: #648 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 4,794 boysCAUtah: #385 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,694 boysUTColorado: #401 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 1,889 boysCONebraska: #440 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,953 boysNEMissouri: #254 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 1,093 boysMOKentucky: #228 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 865 boysKYWest Virginia: #134 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 468 boysWVVirginia: #268 for boys · 33 births · 1 in 1,235 boysVAMaryland: #460 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,410 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedDEArizona: #492 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 2,664 boysAZNew Mexico: #160 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 579 boysNMKansas: #260 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 1,003 boysKSArkansas: #188 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 623 boysARTennessee: #223 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 907 boysTNNorth Carolina: #247 for boys · 47 births · 1 in 1,092 boysNCSouth Carolina: #232 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 955 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #219 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 806 boysOKLouisiana: #386 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 1,835 boysLAMississippi: #207 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 741 boysMSAlabama: #220 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 880 boysALGeorgia: #206 for boys · 63 births · 1 in 852 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Dakota, so not publishedHITexas: #337 for boys · 105 births · 1 in 1,678 boysTXFlorida: #312 for boys · 60 births · 1 in 1,611 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. West Virginia#134 · 1 in 468
  2. New Mexico#160 · 1 in 579
  3. Arkansas#188 · 1 in 623
  4. North Dakota#189 · 1 in 578
  5. Maine#190 · 1 in 610

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
West Virginia#134161 in 468
New Mexico#160141 in 579
Arkansas#188221 in 623
North Dakota#18971 in 578
Maine#19071 in 610
Georgia#206631 in 852
Mississippi#207181 in 741
Oklahoma#219241 in 806
Alabama#220261 in 880
Tennessee#223401 in 907
Kentucky#228251 in 865
South Carolina#232221 in 955
Iowa#237161 in 929
Washington#243361 in 988
North Carolina#247471 in 1,092
Missouri#254281 in 1,093
Kansas#260151 in 1,003
Virginia#268331 in 1,235
Oregon#271161 in 1,086
Ohio#285441 in 1,326
Connecticut#30591 in 1,561
Wisconsin#307191 in 1,368
Florida#312601 in 1,611
Indiana#315241 in 1,435
Pennsylvania#334321 in 1,819
Texas#3371051 in 1,678
Idaho#34661 in 1,317
Michigan#354261 in 1,786
Minnesota#373151 in 1,805
Utah#385121 in 1,694
Louisiana#386131 in 1,835
Colorado#401141 in 1,889
Nebraska#44051 in 1,953
Nevada#45061 in 2,186
Maryland#460111 in 2,410
Arizona#492131 in 2,664
Illinois#596171 in 3,643
California#648451 in 4,794
New Jersey#66191 in 4,539
Massachusetts#71051 in 5,764
New York#798161 in 6,097
Alaska
Delaware
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Montana
New Hampshire
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 2017

girls
#231
1,362 births · 1 in 1,268 girls
boys
#340
1,000 births · 1 in 1,851 boys

Top girls' names in 2017

  1. #1Emma19,873
  2. #2Olivia18,778
  3. #3Ava16,017
  4. #4Isabella15,263
  5. #5Sophia14,947
  6. #6Mia13,521
  7. #7Charlotte12,969
  8. #8Amelia11,870
  9. #9Evelyn10,748
  10. #10Abigail10,645
  11. #231Dakota1,362

Top boys' names in 2017

  1. #1Liam18,874
  2. #2Noah18,507
  3. #3William15,046
  4. #4James14,362
  5. #5Logan14,061
  6. #6Benjamin13,858
  7. #7Mason13,602
  8. #8Elijah13,449
  9. #9Jacob13,269
  10. #10Oliver13,224
  11. #340Dakota1,000
More about 2017

girls

1,726,461 girls got a published name in 2017; 1 in 1,268 of them was named Dakota, which outranked 98.7% of the 18,448 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. #227Juliet1,380
  2. #229Alayna1,378
  3. #230Diana1,368
  4. #231Dakota1,362
  5. #232Hayden1,359
  6. #233Ayla1,358
  7. #234Angela1,352
Biggest movers since 2016
Risers
  1. 1,443Ensley#2,412#969
  2. 1,020Oaklynn#1,908#888
  3. 842Dream#1,667#825
  4. 749Oaklyn#1,425#676
  5. 717Melania#1,649#932
Fallers
  1. 263Julianne#919#1,182
  2. 243Milania#947#1,190
  3. 240Wendy#858#1,098
  4. 238Montserrat#808#1,046
  5. 224Nathaly#930#1,154

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

boys

1,850,956 boys got a published name in 2017; 1 in 1,851 of them was named Dakota, which outranked 97.6% of the 14,262 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 8.0% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Dakota
  1. #336Marco1,010
  2. #338Daxton1,006
  3. #339Julius1,005
  4. #340Dakota1,000
  5. #341Peyton999
  6. #342Collin995
  7. #342Jaylen995
Biggest movers since 2016
Risers
  1. 497Wells#1,413#916
  2. 419Kairo#1,221#802
  3. 339Caspian#1,199#860
  4. 313Colson#1,049#736
  5. 311Kace#1,183#872
Fallers
  1. 415Riaan#861#1,276
  2. 292Chevy#980#1,272
  3. 245Kylo#904#1,149
  4. 226Braeden#993#1,219
  5. 194Kamdyn#809#1,003

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

See the top 100 for 2017