Anita
Girl name · #1341 in 2025 · Uniqueness 59/100
In 2025, 165 baby girls were named Anita, placing it at #1341 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1520, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,909 girls born in 2025 was named Anita.
Babies named Anita per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Anita first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 16 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1957, when 5,811 girls were named Anita — good for #81 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Anita against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Anita in class?
Anita scores 59 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Anita is most common
Geography matters for names, and Anita is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Anitas were CA (28), TX (16), FL (9), WA (9), WI (8). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Anita
Statistically, parents drawn to Anita tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rita, Marta, Brenda, Carla, and Rosita.
RitaMartaBrendaCarlaRositaMarlaAudraAnn
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Anita | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 165 | #1341 |
| 2024 | 149 | #1466 |
| 2023 | 155 | #1439 |
| 2022 | 168 | #1373 |
| 2021 | 154 | #1410 |
| 2020 | 138 | #1533 |
| 2019 | 191 | #1229 |
| 2018 | 172 | #1319 |
| 2017 | 188 | #1257 |
| 2016 | 175 | #1353 |
| 2015 | 148 | #1520 |
| 2014 | 164 | #1399 |
| 2013 | 151 | #1470 |
| 2012 | 151 | #1491 |
| 2011 | 181 | #1301 |
| 2010 | 174 | #1348 |
| 2009 | 199 | #1241 |
| 2008 | 238 | #1090 |
| 2007 | 211 | #1196 |
| 2006 | 212 | #1151 |
| 2005 | 223 | #1067 |
| 2004 | 266 | #908 |
| 2003 | 245 | #954 |
| 2002 | 266 | #863 |
| 2001 | 297 | #795 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Anita a popular girl name?
Anita ranked #1341 among girls in 2025 with 165 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1520.
When was the name Anita most popular?
Anita peaked in 1957, when 5,811 American girls received the name (ranked #81 that year). Since 1957 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Anita?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,909 newborn American girls was named Anita. It scores 59/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.