The story behind Anita
From Spanish Anita, diminutive of Ana (“Ann”).
Other language forms and explanations (4)
Finnish entry
From Spanish Anita, often through other languages, at the end of the 19th century.
Portuguese entry
Borrowed from Spanish Anita. By surface analysis, Ana + -ita
Albanian entry
Borrowed from Spanish Anita.
Indonesian entry
Borrowed from Spanish Anita.
Pronunciation
English; dialect unspecified: /əˈniːtə/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Finnish: /ˈɑnitɑ/
- Finnish: [ˈɑ̝nit̪ɑ̝]
- Portuguese; Brazil: /aˈni.tɐ/
- Portuguese; Portugal: /ɐˈni.tɐ/
- Albanian: /aˈni.ta/
- Indonesian; Standard-Indonesian: /aˈnita/
- Indonesian; Standard-Indonesian: [aˈni.t̪a]
Popularity
Anita ranked #1342 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Anita
Adolba
From Spanish Adolfo (“Adolf”), coined by Sabino Arana.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Alita
From Spanish Alita.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Amaia
From Spanish Amaya, coined by Francisco Navarro Villoslada from Basque amai (“ending”).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Angela
Feminine form of Church Latin Angelus, from Ancient Greek ἄγγελος (ángelos, “messenger, angel”). a female given name from Latin, equivalent to English Angela a female given…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Aurora
Ultimately from Latin Aurōra. The Philippine placenames were named after First Lady Aurora Quezon, the wife of Pres. Manuel Quezon, the 2nd president of the Philippines. From…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Andressa
From Spanish Andreza, variant of Andreia.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- same starting sound
Middle Names for Anita
Baldomero
Borrowed from Spanish Baldomero.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Benedicto
Borrowed from Latin Benedictus. Doublet of Benito. Borrowed from Spanish Benedicto, from Latin Benedictus.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Bernabe
a male given name from Spanish, equivalent to English Barnabas
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Anita
Basilio
From Latin Basilius, from Ancient Greek Βασίλειος (Basíleios). From Latin Basilius, from Ancient Greek Βασίλειος (Basíleios). Borrowed from Spanish Basilio, from Latin…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Benigno
Borrowed from Spanish Benigno, from benigno (“benign”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Benito
Borrowed from Spanish Benito. Based on Ecclesiastical Latin, Late Latin Benedictus, from benedictus (“blessed; well spoken of”), from Latin benedicō. Cf. benito (“Benedictine…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length