Dakota Unisex
duh-KOH-tuh
“friend, ally” · Native American
#296
Native American Baby Names
62 names
The names on this list come from many different Indigenous peoples and languages of the Americas, not from a single tradition. Some are names of nations or places, some come from specific languages, and some are modern choices that parents associate with Indigenous heritage. Dakota is the name of a Sioux people and is often translated as friend or ally, while Cheyenne is the name of a Plains nation. Tallulah is a place name in Georgia with Indigenous roots.
Several names come from languages of Mexico and Central America. Xochitl, pronounced with a sound close to so-cheel, means flower in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, and Citlali means star in the same language. Itzel and Nayeli are also popular names with roots in Indigenous languages of Mexico. Anahi is linked to a legend of the Guaraní people of South America, and Aiyana and Koda are modern favorites often associated with Native American heritage.
You will notice several spellings of the same name, such as Cheyenne, Cheyanne, Shyanne and Shyann. These variations are common in modern naming. If you choose a name from this list, take time to learn about its origin and the people connected to it. Many families find it meaningful to understand the history and significance of the name they choose.
Most popular right now
Cheyenne Girl
shy-AN
“from the name of the Cheyenne people” · Native American
#920
Nayeli Girl
nah-YEH-lee
“often said to mean I love you” · Native American
#271
Itzel Girl
eet-SEHL
“uncertain; often linked to Maya Ixchel” · Native American
#359
Anahi Girl
ah-nah-EE
“from a Guaraní legend” · Native American
#482
Koda Boy
KOH-duh
“friend” · Native American
#411
Aiyana Girl
eye-AN-uh
“often said to mean eternal blossom” · Native American
#1,225
Cheyanne Girl
shy-AN
“from the name of the Cheyenne people” · Native American
#3,350
Shania Girl
shuh-NY-uh
“often said to mean 'I'm on my way'” · Native American
#2,535
Tallulah Girl
tuh-LOO-luh
“uncertain; Native American place name” · Native American
#940
All 62 names
Sorted by current popularity. US rank uses 2025 data for the name's most common sex; the trend compares births with five years earlier. Tap a column heading to re-sort.
| Name | Sex | Meaning | Origin | US rank 2025 | 5-yr trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota | Unisex | friend, ally | Native American | 296 | ↓ -12% |
| Cheyenne | Girl | from the name of the Cheyenne people | Native American | 920 | ↓ -44% |
| Nayeli | Girl | often said to mean I love you | Native American | 271 | ↑ +59% |
| Itzel | Girl | uncertain; often linked to Maya Ixchel | Native American | 359 | ↑ +64% |
| Anahi | Girl | from a Guaraní legend | Native American | 482 | ↑ +35% |
| Koda | Boy | friend | Native American | 411 | ↑ +66% |
| Aiyana | Girl | often said to mean eternal blossom | Native American | 1,225 | ↓ -20% |
| Cheyanne | Girl | from the name of the Cheyenne people | Native American | 3,350 | ↓ -41% |
| Shania | Girl | often said to mean 'I'm on my way' | Native American | 2,535 | ↓ -18% |
| Tallulah | Girl | uncertain; Native American place name | Native American | 940 | ↑ +29% |
| Shyanne | Girl | variant of Cheyenne | American (modern coinage) | 4,739 | ↓ -51% |
| Winona | Girl | firstborn daughter | Native American | 627 | ↑ +203% |
| Kenai | Boy | from an Alaskan place name | Native American | 713 | ↑ +162% |
| Shyann | Girl | variant of Cheyenne | American (modern coinage) | 12,989 | ↓ -78% |
| Dakoda | Unisex | variant of Dakota; friend, ally | Native American | 2,114 | ↓ -13% |
| Dakotah | Unisex | friend, ally | Native American | 4,090 | ↓ -31% |
| Sequoia | Girl | the sequoia tree | English | 1,987 | ↑ +23% |
| Denali | Unisex | the high one | Native American | 2,338 | ↑ +10% |
| Arizona | Girl | the US state; origin disputed | Spanish | 2,156 | ↓ -44% |
| Lakota | Unisex | friends, allies | Native American | 3,681 | ↓ -11% |
| Cree | Unisex | from the name of the Cree people | Native American | 3,096 | ↓ -52% |
| Takoda | Boy | often said friend to everyone (Lakota) | Native American | 2,874 | → 0% |
| Chayton | Boy | often said falcon (Lakota) | Native American | 4,423 | ↓ -28% |
| Alaska | Girl | mainland, from Aleut | Native American | 2,896 | ↓ -46% |
| Seneca | Unisex | Roman family name; also a Native nation | Latin | 4,343 | → -3% |
| Nayely | Girl | variant of Nayeli, often said I love you | Native American | 8,210 | ↓ -32% |
| Kota | Boy | short form of Dakota; also Japanese | Native American | 1,831 | ↑ +64% |
| Jacy | Unisex | from initials J.C.; Tupi for moon | American (modern coinage) | 7,642 | ↓ -42% |
| Shianne | Girl | variant of Cheyenne | American (modern coinage) | 10,004 | ↑ +43% |
| Nayelli | Girl | variant of Nayeli; often said I love you | Native American | 3,753 | ↑ +21% |
| Chyanne | Girl | variant of Cheyenne, a Native American nation | Native American | — | ↓ -100% |
| Kateri | Girl | Mohawk form of Catherine | Native American | 4,406 | → +3% |
| Nakai | Boy | Navajo name, often said to mean Mexican | Native American | 2,275 | ↑ +82% |
| Ahtziri | Girl | modern Mexican name, meaning uncertain | Spanish | 6,841 | ↑ +129% |
| Tennessee | Unisex | from the US state; Cherokee place name | Native American | 4,974 | ↑ +29% |
| Makya | Girl | often said to mean eagle hunter (Hopi) | Native American | 11,542 | ↓ -33% |
| Dyani | Girl | often said to mean deer | Native American | 5,451 | ↓ -8% |
| Cherokee | Girl | from the Cherokee nation's name | Native American | 13,556 | ↓ -77% |
| Shyanna | Girl | variant of Cheyenne | American (modern coinage) | — | ↓ -100% |
| Kansas | Girl | US state, named for the Kansa people | Native American | 7,305 | ↓ -40% |
| Cheyann | Girl | variant of Cheyenne, a Native American nation | Native American | 13,557 | → 0% |
| Dekota | Unisex | variant of Dakota, 'friendly, allies' | Native American | 7,303 | ↓ -27% |
| Wynona | Girl | variant of Winona, firstborn daughter | Native American | 2,820 | ↑ +118% |
| Kiona | Girl | uncertain; often said to mean brown hills | Native American | 8,626 | ↑ +100% |
| Chenoa | Girl | uncertain; often said to mean white dove | Native American | 11,147 | ↓ -27% |
| Cheyanna | Girl | variant of Cheyenne | Native American | — | ↓ -100% |
| Sheyenne | Girl | variant of Cheyenne | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Tex | Boy | from Texas | English | 3,502 | ↑ +50% |
| Tenaya | Girl | from the name of a Yosemite chief | Native American | — | ↓ -100% |
| Chyenne | Girl | variant of Cheyenne | Native American | — | ↓ -100% |
| Shasta | Girl | from Mount Shasta | Native American | 16,904 | → 0% |
| Shawnee | Girl | from the Shawnee nation | Native American | — | ↓ -100% |
| Jamaica | Girl | from the Caribbean island | Native American | — | ↓ -100% |
| Erie | Girl | from Lake Erie and the Erie people | Native American | 13,731 | ↓ -14% |
| Missouri | Girl | from the Missouri people and river | Native American | 12,764 | new |
| Oneida | Girl | name of an Iroquois nation | Native American | — | new |
| Wenona | Girl | firstborn daughter | Native American | — | new |
| Kee | Boy | uncertain; used among Navajo families | Native American | — | new |
| Waneta | Girl | uncertain; possibly a variant of Juanita | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Towanda | Girl | modern, To- with Wanda | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Lahoma | Girl | probably from Oklahoma | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Hiawatha | Unisex | name of a Haudenosaunee leader | Native American | — | new |