Anita
How to say it: uh-NEE-tuh · /əˈnitə/
Spanish diminutive of Ana (Anna); ultimately from Hebrew Hannah, 'grace' or 'favor'.
Anita was the 1,110th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 165 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1950s, its births are up about 11% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,156 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #1,110 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 165 |
| Share of births | 1 in 20,092 |
| Peak decade | 1950s |
| Change over 10 years | +11% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,156 |
| In France, 2025 | #701 among girls’ names, 45 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Popularity for Anita crested in the 1950s before fading to a fraction of that presence. Further softening seems probable in the years ahead.
What goes with it
Light and lilting over three syllables, Anita feels gentle and portable across languages. Sonia fits close by in style.
Nicknames
- Ani
- Nita
Honouring a Anita in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Anita is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #701 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Anita
- Anita Desai (born 1937)Indian novelist, University professor
- Anita Włodarczyk (born 1985)Polish hammer thrower
- Anita Baker (born 1958)American singer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
Good to know
- Hurricane Anita (1977), retired Atlantic storm name
Keep exploring
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