Tokala Name Meaning, Origins & History

Tokala

Pronunciation: toh-KAH-luh

Meaning Fox Origin Sioux Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#13,704
TREND
420

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 Tokala in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Tokala

  • 15 babies named Tokala: U.S. records list 15 babies given the name Tokala from 1880 through 2025.

What Does the Name Tokala Mean?

Tokala is a Lakota name meaning "fox." It comes from the Lakota word toǧála, the ordinary noun for a fox. The English spelling Tokala simplifies the Lakota form; the letter ǧ stands for a voiced velar fricative, a sound that has no exact English equivalent. The meaning is literal: the name is the animal word itself, not a compound with a separate translation. Associations with the fox as a character or symbol are later interpretations rather than part of the word's basic meaning.

Tokala Name History & Origins

Lakota is a Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of the northern Great Plains. Toǧála is the Lakota term for "fox," and Tokala is an English-friendly spelling of that term. Lakota has been written in several orthographies, including missionary and modern linguistic systems, so the same word can appear with different diacritics and letters across sources. The spelling Tokala reflects a simplified English rendering rather than a separate name with its own etymology.

As a given name, Tokala uses the Lakota animal term directly rather than translating a European personal name. It is used in English-speaking contexts and remains connected to Lakota language and identity. Its history is therefore tied to the transmission of Lakota words into English spelling, not to a European saint, biblical figure, or literary invention.

How Popular is the Name Tokala?

Tokala has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #13,054 in 2004.

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 Tokala Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You like to control everyone within your influence, to shape things to your own liking. If positive, you develop high spirituality, as you have a God's protection. You are sensitive, affectionate, imaginative and cooperative, spiritually aware and prone to self-sacrifice. You can keep secrets and are a good diplomat. You may have healing and psychic powers. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.

You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.

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