Dacota: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1970s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1980s	–	13	13	1	–	#5,741
1990s	78	257	335	34	+2477%	#2,174
2000s	76	193	269	27	-20%	#2,768
2010s	34	21	55	6	-80%	#9,023
2020s (to 2025)	–	7	7	1	-79%	#10,034

Decade

Girls

Boys

Total

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

1890s

–

1900s

–

1910s

–

1920s

–

1930s

–

1940s

–

1950s

–

1960s

–

1970s

–

1980s

–

#5,741

1990s

257

335

+2477%

#2,174

2000s

193

269

-20%

#2,768

2010s

-80%

#9,023

2020s (to 2025)

–

-79%

#10,034

The story of Dacota

Dacota is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1988, 679 American babies have been named Dacota, about 72% boys and 28% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1998, when 50 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Dacota stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Dacota?

The median living Dacota is about 26 years old; half are between 20 and 30. An estimated 700 people named Dacota are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Dacota year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	–	–	–	–
2024	–	–	–	–
2023	–	–	–	–
2022	–	–	7	#10,034
2021	–	–	–	–
2020	–	–	–	–
2019	–	–	–	–
2018	–	–	–	–
2017	6	#14,546	–	–
2016	5	#16,855	8	#9,023
2015	–	–	–	–
2014	5	#17,169	–	–
2013	5	#17,168	–	–
2012	5	#17,485	–	–
2011	–	–	7	#9,837
2010	8	#12,557	6	#11,029
2009	11	#10,133	8	#9,155
2008	7	#14,186	13	#6,467
2007	10	#11,029	14	#5,971
2006	7	#13,928	17	#5,118
2005	8	#12,086	16	#5,083
2004	–	–	19	#4,449
2003	14	#7,686	14	#5,321
2002	–	–	34	#2,768
2001	7	#12,349	33	#2,818
2000	12	#8,150	25	#3,326
1995	6	#12,111	32	#2,406
1990	5	#13,438	12	#4,456
1985	–	–	–	–
1980	–	–	–	–
1975	–	–	–	–
1970	–	–	–	–
1965	–	–	–	–
1960	–	–	–	–
1955	–	–	–	–
1950	–	–	–	–
1945	–	–	–	–
1940	–	–	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Dacota, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Dacota?

The median living Dacota is about 26 years old. Half of all living Dacotas are between 20 and 30 years old.

How many people named Dacota are alive today?

An estimated 700 people named Dacota are alive in the United States, based on 679 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Dacota in 2025?

Dacota did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Dacota?

679 babies have been named Dacota in the United States since 1988, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Dacota most popular?

Dacota peaked in 1998, when 50 newborns received the name.

Is Dacota a boy or girl name?

Dacota is used for both: about 28% of babies named Dacota have been girls and 72% boys.

Is the name Dacota rising or falling?

Dacota has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Dacota

Dacota popularity over time

The story of Dacota

How old are people named Dacota?

Dacota year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Dacota