Naming your child DAKOTA is NOT Cultural Appropriation! If that were the case... Don't name your child DOUGLAS! It is a SCOTTISH GAELIC name! Don't name your child JOHN! It is a HEBREW name! Don't name your child PIERRE! It is a FRENCH name!
I think it's pretty clear from the usage patterns of this name that the great majority of parents who give it were thinking of it primarily as a place name and not as the name of the Native American nation. In the 19th century when the first instances of it occur, the Native Americans were almost always called "Sioux", not Dakota. It's only in recent times that most other Americans have referred to this group by the name that comes from their own language. The very first instance I can find in the United States census of a male Dakota is Dakota Bennett, born in 1867 in Mercer County, Ohio. He had sisters named Nevada and Minnesota and brothers named Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, and Vermont, so it's pretty clear his parents were thinking of the place name when they used it. [noted -ed]
Nicknames for Dakota include: Duck, Koda, Cody, and Dody. Of course, you can use different spellings for these nicknames.
― Anonymous User 7/21/2019
2
In 2018, 15 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Dakota who is registered male with the Social Security Administration. It is the 612th most common male first name for living U.S. citizens. In 2018, 4 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Dakota who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 1321st most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
― Anonymous User 10/19/2018
0
I feel like Dakota is more of a masculine name than feminine. That's just my opinion though.
Don't name your child DOUGLAS! It is a SCOTTISH GAELIC name!
Don't name your child JOHN! It is a HEBREW name!
Don't name your child PIERRE! It is a FRENCH name!