Dakoda Name Meaning & Historical Trends

Dakoda

Pronunciation: duh-KOH-duh

Meaning Friend or ally Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#2,114
TREND
120
GIRLS RANK
#7,578
TREND
2,673

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Dakoda in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Dakoda

  • More than 4 thousand babies named Dakoda: U.S. records list 4,257 babies given the name Dakoda from 1880 through 2025. Even 903 girls received the name Dakoda - about 1 girl for every 4 boys.

What Does the Name Dakoda Mean?

Dakoda is a variant spelling of Dakota, a name taken from the Dakota people. The name comes from the Dakota language, a Siouan language of the northern Great Plains, where the autonym is often written Dakȟóta. It is commonly translated as "friend" or "ally," a traditional gloss for the group's name rather than a modern English compound. The spelling Dakoda does not alter the meaning; it is an English respelling of Dakota.

Dakoda Name History & Origins

The source of the name is the Dakota people, part of the larger Sioux (Oceti Sakowin) confederation. English speakers encountered the Dakota-language name Dakȟóta and rendered it as Dakota. In the 19th century, Dakota became a place name in the United States: the Dakota Territory was organized in 1861, and it was divided into North Dakota and South Dakota in 1889. Dakota also came into use as an English given name. Dakoda is a later spelling variant that follows English phonetic habits, using k and a final -da. It appears in modern naming alongside Dakota, though the exact date when the Dakoda spelling first appeared is not firmly established.

How Popular is the Name Dakoda?

Dakoda recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2004. Its best rank was #922 in 1995.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

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How the Name Dakoda Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You are strong in material matters, determined and stubborn. You have good business ability. You are a good worker, steady and practical, a builder who takes responsibility well. These qualities may bring you a position of authority and power. You are a doer, down-to-earth, serious-minded, reliable, and self-disciplined; have good power of concentration. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.

✦ Dakoda's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Dakoda's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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