Total births
491
Unisex name · since 1988
Dacota
Since 1988, U.S. Social Security records show 491 babies named Dacota, peaking in 1997. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 491
- total births
- 1988–2022
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 52%
- born in that decade
Dacota sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 491 recorded since 1988.
Social Security Administration records show Dacota recorded 491 times among boys since 1988, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1988 to 2022.
- 491 total births
- 1988–2022 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 52% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
491 boys have been named Dacota since 1988, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2022.
- 491
- total births
- 1988–2022
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 52%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
52% of everyone ever named Dacota was born in this single decade.
1997
Single peak year
40 babies were named Dacota in 1997 - its busiest year on record.
Dacota's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Dacota's SSA record in two at 2001 and the more recent half accounts for 40% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 60%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1988, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1997 peak of 40, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Dacota at a glance
Last recorded 2022Peak year
1997
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1988
Dacota popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1988–2022
- Peak year (1997)
- 40
- Annual births at peak, across 35 years of records
Dacota popularity over time - girls
188 total births recorded since 1990 (Dacota as girls' name)
Dacota by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Dacota's strongest decade.
257 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 52% of all-time use.
Dacota births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 13
1980s
13 births
- 1990s
1990s
257 births
- 2000s
2000s
193 births
- 2010s 21
2010s
21 births
- 2020s 7
2020s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 257 births (52% of all-time use).
Dacota by state
Where Dacota concentrates geographically, total births since 1988
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dacota? ▼
Dacota has been given to 491 babies in the U.S. since 1988, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2022. 40 babies were born in 1997, its single highest year.
When was Dacota most popular? ▼
Dacota was most popular in the 1990s decade with 257 total births. The single peak year was 1997.
Where is Dacota most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Dacota are Indiana (5 births), Michigan (5 births), Texas (5 births).
Is Dacota a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Dacota is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 491 births, and as a girl's name it has 188 births.
How long has the name Dacota been used? ▼
Records for Dacota go back to 1988, giving 35 years of history through 2022.
What names are similar to Dacota? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Dacoda, Dace, Dacari, Dacian, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Dacota's data
- Dacota's decade-level peak was the 1990s (257 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Indiana records the most Dacotas (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Indiana names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Dacota
Nearby Names Like Dacota
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dacota
Dacoda Boy
544 births
Dace Boy
#5718 524 births
Dacari Boy
#4404 443 births
Dacian Boy
#8537 306 births
Dacen Boy
99 births
Compare Dacota side by side: Dacota vs Dacoda Dacota vs Dace Dacota vs Dacari
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1988–2022 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dacota: Baby Name Since 1988 - 491 Births, Peak 1997." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dacota. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Dacota draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.