Dakota Fanning's Real Name: Hannah Dakota Fanning

Quick answer: Dakota Fanning's full name is Hannah Dakota Fanning. She was born on February 23, 1994, in Conyers, Georgia, and works under Dakota Fanning—using her middle name as her professional given name.

Real name and early life

Biography.com and the Library of Congress identify Hannah Dakota Fanning, born February 23, 1994, in Conyers, Georgia (Biography.com; LOC). Fanning is the family surname; Hannah and Dakota are given and middle names. She began professional acting as a small child, quickly moving from commercials and television guest spots into major studio features. Younger sister Elle Fanning followed her into acting.

Career highlights

Breakthrough came as Lucy in I Am Sam (2001) opposite Sean Penn, earning major critics’ awards attention while still a child. She starred with Denzel Washington in Man on Fire (2004) and with Tom Cruise in Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds (2005), then transitioned through Charlotte’s Web, the Twilight films (as Jane), The Runaways, Effie Gray, and adult leads including The Alienist on television. Billing stayed Dakota Fanning; the documented full name is Hannah Dakota Fanning.

Major entertainment biographies and library name authorities remain the best check when fan sites disagree on middle names or early credits.

Profiles aimed at general readers sometimes omit middle names; this page restores them from the cited authorities.

Search interest in real-name queries often spikes around new releases, awards seasons, or anniversary coverage of signature roles.

Contemporary trade press and newspaper features repeatedly confirm the same civil or birth name used throughout this profile.

Spelling and order of given names follow the highest-trust citations listed under Sources rather than unsourced social posts.

Name notes for searchers

Dakota is her middle name used as the everyday professional given name; Hannah remains the first name on birth records reflected in Biography.com and LOC. Prefer those sources when databases list only Dakota Fanning.