Anita (given name)

Anita is a common given name for women. The name first developed as a Spanish diminutive of Ana, ultimately deriving from the Hebrew name Hannah, meaning "grace" or "favour". It was later adopted by English speakers in the 19th century. Furthermore, Anita is the short form for Anahita, the Iranian water goddess in Avestan (an East Iranian language), and also has the meanings of kindness and being personable, Leader. The name and its variants are now common worldwide, especially in regions where Indo-European languages are spoken, namely Europe, South Asia, North America and South America.