Was the originally spelled Dacotah?

The word "Dakota" was originally spelled "Dakotah" in the 19th century. The spelling "Dakota" became more common later on.

The spelling "Dakotah" was influenced by the way the name was pronounced by the Dakota people themselves. However, the "h" at the end is not part of the original Lakota language.

The name "Dakota" itself comes from the Lakota word "dakhota" which means "friend" or "ally."