Given name & surname
Lakota
“a beloved friend”
Lakota is used as a given name and a surname. One Native American interpretation is “a beloved friend.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Native American interpretation is “a beloved friend.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Native American.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1978. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Lakota through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,245
- 1,556 boys · 1,689 girls
- Most popular year
- 1997
- 148 babies
- 2025
- 69
- #3,681 for girls · #3,908 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −15%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 49% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 41 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,681 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 15.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 80 in 1997. It also appeared in 28 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (7). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,348 as a first name in 2020; 287 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Lakota’s family of names
Lakota has a related form in Lakoda. Lakota has a related form in Lackoda. Lakota has a related form in Lackota.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Lakota, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Yuma
“the son of a chief”
72% boys · 28% girls
Sani
“the old one”
34% boys · 66% girls
Sakari
“a sweet girl”
48% boys · 52% girls
Sora
“resembling a chirping songbird”
37% boys · 63% girls
Cree
“a tribal name”
67% boys · 33% girls
Amaree
“having great strength; a builder” · “one who will be forever beautiful”
52% boys · 48% girls
Kadence
“rhythmic and melodious; a musical woman”
27% boys · 73% girls
Kamaree
66% boys · 34% girls