Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Koda
BoyNative American· “friend”
- Meaning
- friend
- Origin
- Native American
- Pronunciation
- KOH-duh
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #411
- US babies 2025
- 778
- Best rank
- #411 (2023)
- Peak year
- 2025
Meaning and origin of Koda
Koda is a Native American name that is usually said to mean “friend”.
Koda is usually explained as coming from a Dakota word meaning friend or ally, related to the name of the Dakota people and to the Lakota kola. As a given name in the United States it is a modern choice, and it gained attention through the bear cub in the Disney film Brother Bear. Koda has a warm, outdoorsy feel and a strong, simple sound. It is used mostly for boys and sits alongside names like Kodiak and Dakota. The spelling Coda, a musical term for a closing passage, is a separate word with a different meaning.
Popularity over time
Koda first appears in US Social Security records in 1984. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 11 different years, starting in 2004. Its best national rank was #411 in 2023, and the most babies received it in 2025, when 778 were named Koda. In 2025, 778 babies were named Koda, and it ranked #411 nationally. That is 299% more than ten years earlier, so it is clearly on the rise.
Its national rank moved from #5,758 in 2000, #1,595 in 2010, and #411 in 2025. Of the 6,919 US boys named Koda since records began, 57% were born in the 2020s, its biggest decade. The 2010s come next, with 2,107 babies.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Hank, Tadeo, Kaysen, Leandro, and Conrad.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Koda ranked highest in Wyoming, Hawaii, and Oklahoma.
Gender, sound and spelling
About 91% of US babies named Koda over the last 20 years were boys, with a small share of girls.
Koda is usually pronounced KOH-duh, with two syllables. It has four letters, starts with K and ends in “-da”.
Middle names for Koda
A few middle names that flow with Koda: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Koda
Similar names
Kenai Boy
KEE-ny
“from an Alaskan place name” · Native American
#713
Yehuda Boy
yuh-HOO-duh
“praised” · Hebrew
#741
Kota Boy
KOH-tuh
“short form of Dakota; also Japanese” · Native American
#1,831
Dakota Unisex
duh-KOH-tuh
“friend, ally” · Native American
#296
Denali Unisex
duh-NAH-lee
“the high one” · Native American
#2,338
Seneca Unisex
SEN-ih-kuh
“Roman family name; also a Native nation” · Latin
#4,343
Lists that include Koda
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Koda mean?
Koda is a Native American name that is usually said to mean “friend”.
What is the origin of the name Koda?
Koda has Native American roots. Koda is usually explained as coming from a Dakota word meaning friend or ally, related to the name of the Dakota people and to the Lakota kola.
Is Koda a popular name?
Yes. Koda ranked #411 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.
Is Koda a boy or girl name?
Koda is mainly a boy's name. About 91% of US babies named Koda over the last 20 years were boys, with a small share of girls.
How do you pronounce Koda?
Koda is usually pronounced KOH-duh. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings