Message: "Anita" - Behind the Name

Anita

by Janan (jeziana)

11/1/2016, 3:26 PM

I've been thinking a lot recently about Anita - it's uncommon but well known, and very international.

WDYT? Combos?

#Anita

Replies

- Joiya (guest)

11/3/2016, 11:59 AM

Love it.

We had a neighbor named Anita who went by Netti.

Anita Gale is my favorite combo, but here are a few others:

Anita Cadence
Anita Georgine
Anita Heloise
Anita Lauren
Anita Odette
Anita Francesca
Anita Undine
Anita Violet
Anita Willow-Bell
Anita Daphne
Anita Catherine
Anita Maureen

- RDNZL (Billina)

11/2/2016, 9:31 AM

I've always disliked this name. It's so middle-aged to me, but not in a positive way. It's that nosy woman with a ton of lipstick who is loud and obnoxious and has NO interest in anything but smoking and playing bingo. Not appealing.

- queenv +3

11/2/2016, 7:06 AM

I may be wrong, this is just my personal feeling, I guess, but I've never thought of it as being international. It seems very Spanish to me. It's okay, but not something I would feel comfortable using.

- RoxStar +2

11/2/2016, 8:58 AM

it is ...

International. There was an Anita (it might have been spelled a bit different, but it was pronounced just like Anita) in high school with me whose family had come from India.
My SIL's mother-in-law is black and her name is Anita.
Anita Roddick was British and founded the Body Shop.
I think it was Keith Richards, or somebody from that band, who famously had a girlfriend from Sweden named Anita Pallenberg.

- Quill (nsi) (guest) +1

11/2/2016, 3:01 PM

It's also not unheard of in the Netherlands, especially among middle aged women.

- Caprice

11/3/2016, 4:50 AM

And it's common in Sweden, among women who are 50-70.

- RoxStar

11/2/2016, 6:10 AM

I like it well enough. It's not been common in the US for a pretty long time. As I said a few days ago in another post about the name, a big drawback about Anita in American English is that it can sound a lot like "I need a" and so with the wrong last name, you could be in for a lot of silly jokes, about Anita Mann or ANita Cane or Anita Fish.

- ladybug75

11/1/2016, 6:59 PM

I like how uncommon it is. Unfortunately, I'd never use it because it sounds like "I need a.....". I can only imagine the horrible ways children can end that sentence.

Anita Catherine
Anita Elizabeth
Anita Isabel
Anita Roxanne
Anita Taylor

- Iris (irisrain)

11/1/2016, 6:09 PM

I love Anita!

Anita Lillian
Anita Carlotta
Anita Isabella
Anita Victoria
Anita Pauline
Anita Patricia
Anita Camille

- Jasmine (silly_rabbit)

11/1/2016, 3:55 PM

I've always liked this. My mom had a friend named Anita when I was growing up, I always thought it sounded sweet. I think that's the only Anita I've ever personally known - don't hear it a lot, which is a plus.

- hylo

11/1/2016, 3:50 PM

Cute!

I have also realized the appeal in the name Anita lately. It's a darling choice and quite unexpected.

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