Anita (given name)

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Anita is a common given name for women. In Sanskrit, Anita means full of grace, mercy, favor, variety, a leader, without guile. The name is the Spanish version of Anne. In Hebrew, Anita derives from the name Hannah which means grace or graceful. Furthermore, Anita is the short form for Anahita, the Iranian Water Goddess in Avestan language (an East Iranian language), and also has the meanings of kindness and being personable.

The name Anita is mostly used in Hungary and Spanish, Portuguese, Italian speaking countries as well as Indian languages with Sanskrit origins.

People

Given name

• Anita W. Addison (1952–2004), American television and film director and producer
• Anita Álvarez de Williams (born 1931), American anthropologist, photographer, and historian
• Anita Østby (born 1972), Norwegian Liberal Party politician
• Anita Allen (pentathlete), American Olympic pentathlete
• Anita Alpern (1920–2006), American Internal Revenue Service official
• Anita Alvarez (politician), American government official, State's Attorney of Cook County, Illinois
• Anita Anand, British radio presenter, and journalist
• Anita Andreassen, Norwegian mushing competitor
• Anita Apelthun Sæle (born 1951), Norwegian politician
• Anita Arya, Indian politician
• Anita Asante (born 1985), British footballer
• Anita Auglend (born 1979), Norwegian singer
• Anita Augspurg (1857–1943), German lawyer, actor, writer, and feminist
• Anita B. Brody, American judge
• Anita Bärwirth (1918–1994), German gymnast
• Anita Baker (born 1958), American R&B and soul singer and songwriter
• Anita Barone (born 1964), American actress
• Anita Berber (1899–1928), German dancer, actress, and writer
• Anita Berrizbeitia, Venezuelan-born American landscape theorist, teacher, and writer
• Anita Best, Canadian teacher, broadcaster, and singer
• Anita Bitri-Prapaniku (1968–2004), Albanian pop singer and violinist
• Anita Björk (born 1923), Swedish actress
• Anita K. Blair, American military judge
• Anita Błochowiak (born 1973), Polish politician
• Anita Borg (1949–2003), American computer scientist
• Anita Bose Pfaff (born 1942), Austrian economics professor, daughter of Indian politician Subhas Chandra Bose
• Anita Brenner (1905–1974), Mexican-born writer of children's literature and books on Mexican art and history
• Anita Briem (born 1982), Icelandic actress
• Anita Brodén (born 1948), Swedish Liberal People's Party politician
• Anita Brookner CBE (born 1928), British novelist and art historian
• Anita Bryant (born 1940), American singer
• Anita Bulath (born 1983), Hungarian handballer
• Anita Buri (born 1978), Swiss beauty pageant winner, crowned Miss Switzerland 1999
• Anita Bush (1883–1974), American stage actress and playwright
• Anita C. Hill, American cleric
• Anita Calvert Lebourgeoise (1879–1940), American attorney, judge, genealogist, biographer, and feminist
• Anita Caprioli (born 1973), Italian theatre and film actress
• Anita Carey (born 1948), British actress
• Anita Carter (1933–1999), American country and folk singer
• Anita Caspary (1915–2011), American nun, founder of Immaculate Heart of Mary Community
• Anita Cerquetti (April 13, 1931), Italian dramatic soprano
• Anita Chapman (born 1952), British Paralympic archer
• Anita Christensen, (born 1971), Danish professional boxer
• Anita Cobby (1959–1986), Australian nurse and beauty pageant winner
• Anita Cifra (born 1989), Hungarian handballer
• Anita Cochran (born 1967), American country singer, songwriter, and record producer
• Anita Colby (1914–1992), American actress and model
• Anita Coleman, American librarian and researcher
• Anita Conti (1899–1997), French explorer, photographer and oceanographer
• Anita Cornwell (born 1923), American gay rights advocate
• Anita Daher, Canadian writer of juvenile and teen books
• Anita Darian, American singer and actress
• Anita De Bauch (born 1986), British model
• Anita de Braganza (died 1977), American socialite and heiress
• Anita DeFrantz (born 1952), American Olympic rower
• Anita Delgado, Spanish flamenco dancer and singer
• Anita Desai (born 1937), Indian novelist and academic
• Anita Diamant (born 1951), American writer
• Anita Dobson (born 1949), British television actress
• Anita Dolly Panek (born 1930), Brazilian biochemist
• Anita Doreen Diggs (born 1966), American editor, novelist, and lecturer
• Anita Doth (born 1971), Dutch singer
• Anita Dunn, American political consultant
• Anita Ekberg (born 1931), Swedish model and actress
• Anita Elberse, American academic
• Anita Elson (1898–1985), American dancer and singer
• Anita Fernandini de Naranjo, Peruvian politician
• Anita Finlay, American actress
• Anita Görbicz (born 1983), Hungarian handball player
• Anita Gaće (born 1983), Croatian handballer
• Anita Gale, Baroness Gale, (born 1940), British politician
• Anita Galić (born 1985), Croatian freestyle swimmer
• Anita Ganeri, British writer, the Horrible Geography series
• Anita Gara (born 1983), Hungarian chess grandmaster
• Anita Garibaldi (1821–1849), Brazilian-born revolutionary, wife of Giuseppe Garibaldi
• Anita Garvin (1907–1994), American actress and comedienne
• Anita Gershman, American film producer
• Anita Gillette (born 1936), American actress
• Anita Goel, American physicist and physician
• Anita Gradin (born 1933), Swedish politician and ambassador
• Anita Guha, Indian film actress
• Anita Gutwell, Austrian film actress
• Anita Håkenstad (born 1968), Norwegian long-distance runner
• Anita Hagen (born 1931), Canadian politician
• Anita Halpin (born 1944), British politician
• Anita Hamilton, American journalist
• Anita Harding (1952–1995), British neurologist
• Anita Harris (born 1942), British actress and singer
• Anita Hegerland (born 1961), Norwegian singer
• Anita Hegh (born 1972), Australian actor
• Anita Heiss (born 1968), Indigenous Australian writer
• Anita Hendrie (1868–1940), American actress
• Anita Hill (born 1956), American academic
• Aníta Hinriksdóttir (born 1996), Icelandic middle-distance runner
• Anita Hoffman (1942–1998), American activist and writer, wife of radical Abbie Hoffman
• Anita Howard (born 1969), American sprinter
• Anita Huffington (born 1934), American sculptor
• Anita Inder Singh, Indian international affairs analyst
• Anita Iseghohi, Nigerian businesswoman
• Anita Jönsson (born 1947), Swedish Social Democratic politician
• Anita Johansson (figure skater) (born 1954), Swedish figure skater
• Anita Johansson (politician) (born 1944), Swedish Social Democratic politician
• Anita Jose, Indian-born educator and business strategist
• Anita Kanter, American amateur tennis player
• Anita Kanwal, Indian television actress and producer
• Anita Kanwar, Indian film and television actor
• Anita Kazai (born 1988), Hungarian handballer
• Anita Kelsey, British singer and songwriter
• Anita Kerr (born 1927), American singer, composer, and music producer
• Anita Kert Ellis (born 1920), Canadian-born American singer and actress
• Anita King (1884–1963), American racecar driver, actress, and thoroughbred racehorse owner
• Anita Klein (born 1960), Austrialina-born British painter and printmaker
• Anita Kulcsár (1976–2005), Hungarian handballer
• Anita Kuhlke (born 1947), German rower
• Anita Kunz (born 1956), Canadian-born artist and illustrator
• Anita L. Allen, American academic
• Anita Lallande (born 1949), Puerto Rican Olympic swimmer
• Anita Lane, Australian singer and songwriter
• Anita Lasker-Wallfisch (born 1925), German-born cellist and Holocaust survivor
• Anita Leocádia Prestes (born 1936), Brazilian historian
• Anita Lerche, Danish singer, songwriter, and composer
• Anita Lerman (born 1944), American politician
• Anita Liepiņa (born 1967), Latvian race walker and long distance runner
• Anita Linda (born 1924), Filipino film actor
• Anita Lipnicka (born 1975), Polish singer and songwriter
• Anita Lizana (1915–1994), Chilean tennis player
• Anita Lo, American chef and restaurateur
• Anita Lonsbrough MBE (born 1941), British swimmer
• Anita Loos (1888–1981), American screenwriter and playwright
• Anita Louise (1915–1970), American film actress
• Anita Louise Combe, Australian actress, singer, and dancer
• Anita Louise Suazo (born 1947), Native-American potter
• Anita Márton (born 1989), Hungarian shot putter
• Anita Madden (born 1933), American sportswoman
• Anita Malfatti (1889–1964), Brazilian artist
• Anita Mann (born 1947), American choreographer, dancer, and actress
• Anita Marks, American football player and radio personality
• Anita Martinez (born 1925), American politician
• Anita Mason (born 1942), British writer
• Anita McNaught (born 1965), British-born New Zealand journalist and television presenter
• Anita Meyer (Annita Meijer) (born 1954), Dutch singer
• Anita Miller (born 1951), American field hockey player
• Anita Miller Smith (1893–1968), American impressionist and regionalist painter
• Anita Moen (born 1967), Norwegian cross-country skier
• Anita Mormand (born 1971), French sprinter
• Anita Morris (1943–1994), American actress
• Anita Mui (1963–2003), Hong Kong singer and actress
• Anita Nüssner-Kobuss (born 1935), German sprint canoeist
• Anita Nair, Indian-born writer
• Anita Nall (born 1976), American Olympic swimmer
• Anita Neville MP (born 1942), Canadian politician
• Anita Newcomb McGee (1864–1940), American physician
• Anita North, British shooter
• Anita Nyberg (born 1940), Swedish academic
• Anita Nyman (born 1971), Finnish cross-country skier
• Anita O'Day (1919–2006), American jazz singer
• Anita of Braganza (1885–1977), American socialite and heiress
• Anita Ondine Smith (born 1974), Australian-born filmmaker
• Anita Orlund (born 1964), Norwegian Labour Party politician
• Anita Ortega, Puerto Rican basketball player
• Anita Otto (born 1942), German discus thrower
• Anita Pádár, Hungarian footballer
• Anita Page (1910–2008), American film actress
• Anita Palermo Kelly, American politician
• Anita Pallenberg (born 1944), Italian-born actress, model, and fashion designer
• Anita Parkhurst Willcox (1892–1984), American artist, feminist, and pacifist
• Anita Peabody (1925–1934), American racehorse
• Anita Perez Ferguson (born 1949), American speaker, consultant, and writer
• Anita Perras, Canadian country singer
• Anita Thigpen Perry American healthcare advocate and First Lady of Texas (2000–present)
• Anita Phillips (born 1945), Australian politician
• Anita Pistone (born 1976), Italian runner
• Anita Pointer (born 1948), American R&B/soul singer and songwriter, member of The Pointer Sisters
• Anita Pollitzer (1894–1975), American photographer
• Anita J. Prazmowska, British academic
• Anita Protti, Swiss track and field athlete
• Anita Punt (born 1987), New Zealand field hockey player
• Anita Rachlis, Canadian AIDS researcher
• Anita Raj (born 1962), Indian actress
• Anita Ramasastry, American academic
• Anita Rani (born 1977), British radio and television presenter and journalist
• Anita Rapp (born 1977), Norwegian footballer
• Anita Ratnam (born 1954), Indian dancer and choreographer
• Anita Rau Badami (born 1961), Indian-born Canadian writer
• Anita Renfroe (born 1963), American comedian
• Anita Revel (born 1968), Australian writer
• Anita Rinaldi (born 1974), Hungarian pornographic actress and film director
• Anita Rizzuti (born 1971), Norwegian snooker player
• Anita Roberts (1942–2006), American molecular biologist
• Anita Roddick, DBE (1942–2007), British businesswoman, founder of The Body Shop
• Anita Rollin (born c. 1981) Sri Lankan snowboarder
• Anita Sarkeesian, American feminist and blogger
• Anita Schätzle (born 1981), German freestyle wrestler
• Anita Shapira (born 1940), Israeli historian
• Anita Shreve (born 1946), American writer
• Anita Sidén (born 1940), Swedish Moderate Party politician
• Anita Silvers, American philosopher
• Anita Silvey, American editor and literary critic
• Anita Singhvi, Indian classical singer
• Anita Skorgan (born 1958), Norwegian singer and songwriter
• Anita Smits (born 1967), Dutch archer
• Anita Snellman (1924–2006), Finnish painter
• Anita Sokołowska (born 1976), Polish actress
• Anita Stansfield (born 1961), American writer
• Anita Stewart (1895–1961), American actress and film producer
• Anita Stewart (culinary author) (born 1947), Canadian culinary writer and food activist
• Anita Strindberg (born 1944), Italian actress
• Anita Summers, American educator
• Anita Thallaug (born 1938), Norwegian actor and singer
• Anita Tijoux (born 1977), French-born Chilean hip-hop musician
• Anita Tomar, Indian wrestler
• Anita Tsoy (born 1971), Russian singer
• Anita Turner (born 1972), British script editor and television producer
• Anita Ušacka (born 1952), Latvian judge and academic
• Anita Utseth (born 1966), Norwegian engineer and politician
• Anita Uwagbale (now Anita Iseghohi), Nigerian beauty queen and model
• Anita Valen (born 1968), Norwegian cyclist
• Anita Vogel (born 1969), American news reporter
• Anita Weiß (born 1955), German middle-distance runner
• Anita Włodarczyk (born 1985), Polish hammer thrower
• Anita Waage (born 1971), Norwegian footballer
• Anita Wachter (born 1967), Austrian alpine skier
• Anita Wagner (born 1960), Austrian singer
• Anita Wall (born 1940), Swedish actress
• Anita Ward (born 1956), American singer
• Anita Werner (born 1978), Polish television journalist
• Anita West, British actress and television presenter
• Anita Weyermann (born 1977), Swiss middle-distance runner
• Anita Wood (born 1937), American television performer
• Anita Yuen, Hong Kong actress
• Anita Zucker, American businesswoman, first female Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company
• Gurmayum Anita Devi, Indian mountaineer
• J. Anita Stup (born 1945), American politician
• Jagat and Anita Nanjappa, Indian racecar drivers
• Princess Anita of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven-van Eijk, Dutch royal

Surname

• Quezon-Villa Anita, Filipino basketball player
• Vurnon Anita (born 1989), Dutch footballer

Fictional characters

• Anita Blake, the protagonist of Laurell K. Hamilton's novel series Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter
• Anita (Darkstalkers), videogame character and follower of Donovan Baine
• Anita Hailey (Shiho Miyano), a character in the manga/anime Case Closed
• Anita Santos, character on the ABC daytime drama All My Children
• Anita Knight, from "The Secret Show"
• Anita Van Buren, character on the television crime drama Law & Order portrayed by S. Epatha Merkerson
• Anita, a comic book character in the works of Italian artist Guido Crepax
• Anita, a character in the musical West Side Story
• Anita, a recurring character in the British sit-com dinnerladies
• Anita Needy, a character in the black comedy horror film Jennifer's Body
• Anita, a girlfriend character in Need For Speed

See also

• Amita
• Annette
• Anna
• Annie
• Anya
• Annika

References