Entry № 0173 · Spanish, Hebrew origin

Anita Anita — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ ah-NEE-tah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Spanish, Hebrew
Meaning
"Grace (Anita Hill; Anita Baker; Anita Desai)"
Syllables
3
Rank · US 2025
№ 720
First recorded
Medieval (Spanish)

A name that means "grace (anita hill; anita baker; anita desai)".

Anita is the Spanish-Italian diminutive of Ana — from the Hebrew *Hannah* (grace). **A top-100 US baby name from 1936 to 1968**. **Anita Hill (born 1956)** — American lawyer and professor whose **October 1991 testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee about sexual harassment by Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas became a watershed moment for American workplace harassment law** — though Thomas was confirmed, the testimony catalyzed a 73% increase in EEOC harassment claims. **Anita Baker (born 1958)** — American singer; eight Grammy Awards; *Rapture* (1986) sold over 8 million copies. **Anita Desai (born 1937)** — Indian novelist; three-time Booker Prize finalist; mother of Booker winner Kiran Desai.

Subject of Freida Mock's *Anita: Speaking Truth to Power* (2013).

Grace. Anita Hill's 1991 testimony catalyzed a 73% rise in EEOC harassment claims; Anita Baker's eight Grammys.

The name in its native script.

Anita
Transliteration
Anita
Pronunciation
/ əˈniː.tə /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Anita stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 720 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 42 in 1956
Babies named Anita · last year
400 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1880
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · #42 NOW · #720

Anitas before her.

Real people
Anita Hill
American lawyer and professor.
born 1956
Anita Baker
American Grammy singer.
born 1958
Anita Desai
Indian novelist.
born 1937
In fiction
Anita
West Side Story.
1957

Names connected to Anita.

The number behind Anita.

7

The Seeker

Anita reduces to seven — the number of grace.

Why families chose this name.

"Hill's grace. Five letters. Anita."
Maria · Mother of one · Norman