Koda is a moderately popular boys' name in United States, ranking #469 in 2022 with 658 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 2025 with 778 births ranking #411. In 2022, approximately 1 in every 2,651 boys born was named Koda. STABLE Recent data shows the name is currently stable.
Koda is a modern English name that Behind the Name says was at least partly inspired by the Brother Bear character. The source adds that the filmmakers apparently took it from the Lakota or Dakota word koda, meaning "friend" or "companion".
This is a recent pop-culture name rather than a long-standing mainstream English personal name. Its meaning is appealing and clear, but the source quite rightly presents the Native-language link with a little caution.