Dakota is the name of a Native American people of the northern plains and means "friend" or "ally" in their own language; North and South Dakota are named after them. As a given name it took off in the 1990s, and actress Dakota Fanning made it familiar for girls. Dakota ranked 296th in 2000, peaked at number 190 in 2006 and stands at exactly 296 again among girls' names in 2025.