Total births
93,118
Unisex name · since 1966
Dakota
Since 1966, U.S. Social Security records show 93,118 babies named Dakota, peaking in 1995. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #326
- among boys today
- 93,118
- born since 1966
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Dakota currently ranks #326 among unisex names in America, with 93,118 babies recorded since 1966.
Dakota has 93,118 recorded births among boys since 1966, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #326 as of the latest data, more common than 98% of boys, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1966 to 2025.
- #326 among boys today
- 93,118 born since 1966
- 1990s peak decade
- 98% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Dakota is currently the #326 unisex name in America, more common than 98% of boys - 93,118 born since 1966, peaking in the 1990s.
- #326
- among boys today
- 93,118
- born since 1966
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Dakota vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#326
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 98% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
50% of everyone ever named Dakota was born in this single decade.
1995
Single peak year
6,575 babies were named Dakota in 1995 - its busiest year on record.
How Dakota compares
93,118 Top 2% higher than 98% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Dakota's all-time total is 254x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Dakota | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 93,118 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 6,575 | 23 | 22,252 |
Dakota's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Dakota splits its recorded history at 1997: 64% of all births land in the more recent half, 36% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1966 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1995 peak of 6,575 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Dakota at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
1995
Current rank
#326
Active since
1966
Dakota popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1966–2025
- Peak year (1995)
- 6,575
- Annual births at peak, across 60 years of records
Dakota popularity over time - girls
41,458 total births recorded since 1915 (Dakota as girls' name)
Dakota by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Dakota's strongest decade.
46,649 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 50% of all-time use.
Dakota births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 10
1960s
10 births
- 1970s 180
1970s
180 births
- 1980s 2,457
1980s
2,457 births
- 1990s
1990s
46,649 births
- 2000s
2000s
28,181 births
- 2010s 9,667
2010s
9,667 births
- 2020s 5,974
2020s
5,974 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 46,649 births (50% of all-time use).
How Dakota compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Dakota's total volume
Dakota vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Dakota by state
Where Dakota concentrates geographically, total births since 1966
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 6,361 | 6.8% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 5,257 | 5.6% |
| #3 | California | | 4,488 | 4.8% |
| #4 | Missouri | | 4,005 | 4.3% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 3,865 | 4.2% |
| #6 | Indiana | | 3,829 | 4.1% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 3,742 | 4.0% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 3,672 | 3.9% |
Texas share of Dakota's total US births 6.8%
Even split
6,361 of 93,118 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 50 reporting states.
Dakota appears in 50 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Dakota? ▼
Dakota has been given to 93,118 babies in the U.S. since 1966, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #326 as of the latest data. 6,575 babies were born in 1995, its single highest year.
When was Dakota most popular? ▼
Dakota was most popular in the 1990s decade with 46,649 total births. The single peak year was 1995.
Where is Dakota most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Dakota are Texas (6,361 births), Ohio (5,257 births), California (4,488 births).
Is Dakota a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Dakota is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 93,118 births, and as a girl's name it has 41,458 births.
How long has the name Dakota been used? ▼
Records for Dakota go back to 1966, giving 60 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Dakota? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Dakari, Dakoda, Dakotah, Dakarai, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Dakota's data
- Dakota's decade-level peak was the 1990s (46,649 total births); usage has since declined to 5,974 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Dakotas (6,361 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Dakota
Nearby Names Like Dakota
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Dakota
Dakari Boy
#796 4,326 births
Dakoda Boy
#1978 3,356 births
Dakotah Boy
#4773 3,151 births
Dakarai Boy
#3727 1,493 births
Daksh Boy
#3091 759 births
Compare Dakota side by side: Dakota vs Dakari Dakota vs Dakoda Dakota vs Dakotah
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Dakota
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, 1966–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Dakota: #326 Unisex Name - 93,118 Births, Peak 1995." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/dakota. 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 Dakota 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.