Anita

femaleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Anita: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Anita: Recorded every year since 1945, it reached #4 in 1963, and it stood at #459 in 2025.

6registrars recorded it
195times a registrar ranked it
81years from first to last
#4highest recorded position
38groupings it qualifies for
22names it appears alongside

What stands out in Anita's record

Ranked every year since 1945, without a single year missing. Names by continuity of record
Held a top-100 place for 40 years running. Names by top-100 run
Appears alongside 22 other names across 5 kinds of recorded relationship. All recorded relationships
Shares a published list with another name across 78 years. Longest shared records

Region

Falling

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2025

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#436
1997	#536
1998	#497
1999	#573
2000	#545
2001	#642
2002	#689
2003	#619
2004	#607
2005	#609
2006	#958
2007	#655
2008	#676
2009	#783
2010	#730
2011	#776
2012	#998
2013	#1220
2014	#1177
2015	#1057
2016	#1327
2017	#1258
2018	#1526
2019	#1252
2020	#1352
2021	#1402
2022	#1215
2023	#2063
2024	#1743
2025	#2278

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among girls in Norway in 78 of the 81 years from 1945 to 2025.

In 2025: #459 among girls in Norway, #2278 among girls in England and Wales.

Official data from 6 national registrars across 6 regions, 1945–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #162 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Norway, in 1963 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2278 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls

Anita appears in 6 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Norway · Girls, which has ranked it in 78 years beginning in 1945, and has registered 15,157 births with the name.

Anita across 6 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Anita's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Norway · Girls	#162 (1945)	#4 (1963)	#459 (2025)	78 of 81	15,157 (1945–2025)	665 (1970)
Republic of Ireland · Girls	#130 (1964)	#74 (1976)	#905 (2022)	53 of 59	2,333 (1964–2022)	120 (1971)
England and Wales · Girls	#436 (1996)	#436 (1996)	#2278 (2025)	30 of 30	1,119 (1996–2025)	71 (1996)
New Zealand · Girls	#93 (1968)	#49 (1980)	#100 (1989)	21 of 22	1,526 (1968–1989)	101 (1977)
New South Wales, Australia · Girls	#99 (1967)	#85 (1979)	#86 (1983)	10 of 17	836 (1967–1983)	94 (1979)
Northern Ireland · Girls	#343 (2001)	#343 (2001)	#430 (2010)	3 of 10	9 (2001–2010)	3 (2001)

Anita by decade in Norway · Girls

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Anita in Norway · Girls, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1940s	184	5 of 10	37
1950s	1,892	10 of 10	189
1960sbusiest	5,751	10 of 10	575
1970s	4,665	10 of 10	467
1980s	1,691	10 of 10	169
1990s	658	10 of 10	66
2000s	198	10 of 10	20
2010s	100	10 of 10	10
2020s	18	3 of 10	6

Across Norway · Girls, the 1960s were its busiest decade, averaging 575 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1962 and 1963, when recorded births rose by 123, from 480 to 603.

See the names Norwayhas recorded the most births with →

Anita appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 6 regions, from 1945 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #4 in Norway in 1970.

Anita's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2025	England and Wales	female	#2278	12	High	Verified
2024	England and Wales	female	#1743	17	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	female	#2063	13	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	female	#1215	27	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	female	#1402	22	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	female	#1352	23	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	female	#1252	26	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#1526	20	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	female	#1258	27	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#1327	25	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	female	#1057	33	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#1177	29	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	female	#1220	28	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	female	#998	36	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#776	48	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#730	50	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#783	45	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#676	54	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#655	53	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	female	#958	30	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#609	52	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#607	50	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#619	47	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	female	#689	38	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#642	40	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#545	50	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#573	48	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#497	56	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#536	49	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#436	71	High	Verified
1983	New South Wales, Australia	female	#86	88	Insufficient	Not yet available
1982	New South Wales, Australia	female	#97	82	Insufficient	Not yet available
1981	New South Wales, Australia	female	#85	92	Insufficient	Not yet available
1979	New South Wales, Australia	female	#85	94	Insufficient	Not yet available
1978	New South Wales, Australia	female	#99	76	Insufficient	Not yet available
1977	New South Wales, Australia	female	#89	83	Insufficient	Not yet available
1976	New South Wales, Australia	female	#93	79	Insufficient	Not yet available
1975	New South Wales, Australia	female	#94	81	Insufficient	Not yet available
1973	New South Wales, Australia	female	#90	86	Insufficient	Not yet available
1967	New South Wales, Australia	female	#99	75	Insufficient	Not yet available
1989	New Zealand	female	#100	50	High	Verified
1987	New Zealand	female	#98	49	High	Verified
1986	New Zealand	female	#90	55	High	Verified
1985	New Zealand	female	#90	56	High	Verified
1984	New Zealand	female	#99	51	High	Verified
1983	New Zealand	female	#85	61	High	Verified
1982	New Zealand	female	#73	69	High	Verified
1981	New Zealand	female	#56	86	High	Verified
1980	New Zealand	female	#49	97	High	Verified
1979	New Zealand	female	#75	70	High	Verified
1978	New Zealand	female	#65	75	High	Verified
1977	New Zealand	female	#54	101	High	Verified
1976	New Zealand	female	#73	74	High	Verified
1975	New Zealand	female	#71	83	High	Verified
1974	New Zealand	female	#73	83	High	Verified
1973	New Zealand	female	#71	89	High	Verified
1972	New Zealand	female	#93	69	High	Verified
1971	New Zealand	female	#94	75	High	Verified
1970	New Zealand	female	#84	83	High	Verified
1969	New Zealand	female	#84	78	High	Verified
1968	New Zealand	female	#93	72	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	female	#430	3	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	female	#377	3	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	female	#343	3	High	Verified
2025	Norway	female	#459	5	High	Verified
2023	Norway	female	#379	8	High	Verified
2021	Norway	female	#429	5	High	Verified
2019	Norway	female	#404	7	High	Verified
2018	Norway	female	#444	6	High	Verified
2017	Norway	female	#419	8	High	Verified
2016	Norway	female	#447	7	High	Verified
2015	Norway	female	#381	10	High	Verified
2014	Norway	female	#372	11	High	Verified
2013	Norway	female	#413	9	High	Verified
2012	Norway	female	#330	14	High	Verified
2011	Norway	female	#325	14	High	Verified
2010	Norway	female	#332	14	High	Verified
2009	Norway	female	#347	13	High	Verified
2008	Norway	female	#353	12	High	Verified
2007	Norway	female	#349	12	High	Verified
2006	Norway	female	#296	15	High	Verified
2005	Norway	female	#277	17	High	Verified
2004	Norway	female	#219	23	High	Verified
2003	Norway	female	#242	20	High	Verified
2002	Norway	female	#217	22	High	Verified
2001	Norway	female	#162	34	High	Verified
2000	Norway	female	#178	30	High	Verified
1999	Norway	female	#199	26	High	Verified
1998	Norway	female	#153	41	High	Verified
1997	Norway	female	#107	70	High	Verified
1996	Norway	female	#138	48	High	Verified
1995	Norway	female	#148	46	High	Verified
1994	Norway	female	#107	76	High	Verified
1993	Norway	female	#103	83	High	Verified
1992	Norway	female	#106	80	High	Verified
1991	Norway	female	#113	73	High	Verified
1990	Norway	female	#72	115	High	Verified
1989	Norway	female	#82	99	High	Verified
1988	Norway	female	#66	125	High	Verified
1987	Norway	female	#59	133	High	Verified
1986	Norway	female	#55	143	High	Verified
1985	Norway	female	#38	175	High	Verified
1984	Norway	female	#34	185	High	Verified
1983	Norway	female	#29	215	High	Verified
1982	Norway	female	#33	187	High	Verified
1981	Norway	female	#28	206	High	Verified
1980	Norway	female	#28	223	High	Verified
1979	Norway	female	#16	289	High	Verified
1978	Norway	female	#17	316	High	Verified
1977	Norway	female	#14	332	High	Verified
1976	Norway	female	#14	338	High	Verified
1975	Norway	female	#9	418	High	Verified
1974	Norway	female	#10	463	High	Verified
1973	Norway	female	#5	571	High	Verified
1972	Norway	female	#5	618	High	Verified
1971	Norway	female	#6	655	High	Verified
1970	Norway	female	#4	665	High	Verified
1969	Norway	female	#6	647	High	Verified
1968	Norway	female	#6	661	High	Verified
1967	Norway	female	#4	649	High	Verified
1966	Norway	female	#4	648	High	Verified
1965	Norway	female	#6	628	High	Verified
1964	Norway	female	#9	540	High	Verified
1963	Norway	female	#4	603	High	Verified
1962	Norway	female	#11	480	High	Verified
1961	Norway	female	#11	464	High	Verified
1960	Norway	female	#11	431	High	Verified
1959	Norway	female	#15	395	High	Verified
1958	Norway	female	#20	329	High	Verified
1957	Norway	female	#17	332	High	Verified
1956	Norway	female	#36	265	High	Verified
1955	Norway	female	#52	178	High	Verified
1954	Norway	female	#63	122	High	Verified
1953	Norway	female	#70	91	High	Verified
1952	Norway	female	#90	62	High	Verified
1951	Norway	female	#86	68	High	Verified
1950	Norway	female	#109	50	High	Verified
1949	Norway	female	#108	51	High	Verified
1948	Norway	female	#131	38	High	Verified
1947	Norway	female	#136	36	High	Verified
1946	Norway	female	#152	31	High	Verified
1945	Norway	female	#162	28	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	female	#905	3	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	female	#734	4	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	female	#868	3	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	female	#751	4	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	female	#540	7	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	female	#414	11	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	female	#695	5	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	female	#539	7	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	female	#665	5	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	female	#705	4	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	female	#550	5	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	female	#523	5	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	female	#317	10	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	female	#294	11	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	female	#267	13	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	female	#254	13	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	female	#413	5	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	female	#227	14	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	female	#380	5	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	female	#185	25	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	female	#241	15	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	female	#173	25	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	female	#198	20	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	female	#163	28	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	female	#203	20	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	female	#129	41	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	female	#124	43	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	female	#132	39	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	female	#136	41	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	female	#105	65	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	female	#85	84	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	female	#87	83	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	female	#107	65	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	female	#99	76	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	female	#86	97	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	female	#88	93	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	female	#106	76	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	female	#88	94	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	female	#105	81	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	female	#83	99	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	female	#74	118	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	female	#81	102	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	female	#89	95	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	female	#82	108	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	female	#85	97	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	female	#75	120	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	female	#94	84	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	female	#103	71	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	female	#124	45	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	female	#127	43	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	female	#130	39	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	female	#148	29	High	Verified
1964	Republic of Ireland	female	#130	38	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New South Wales, Australia hub — collected by NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Norway hub — collected by Statistics Norway (SSB)
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 6 registrars between 1945 and 2025, ranked in 81 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #4, first reached in 1963.

It held a top-100 place in 40 years, 40 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 665 births, registered in Norway in 1970.

1 registrar ranked it inside their own top 10.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1964, and 56 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Anisia · #883, 15y
Anissa · #1372, 29y
Aniya · #802, 24y
Aniyah · #337, 22y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 6 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Ann · #4, 81y
Judith · #4, 81y
Nina · #3, 81y
Sandra · #3, 77y

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1940 and 1949.

Ann · #4, 81y
Elin · #4, 81y
Henry · #4, 81y
Isak · #4, 66y

Comparisons involving Anita

Existing comparison pages where Anita and another name were ranked in the same published list, in the same years, on the same scale. Each has its own evidence; none of them says the names are alike.

Longest shared records

Names ranked alongside Anita in the same published list across at least 25 years.

Laura vs Anita
In 1964 they stood at #131 and #130 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2022 they were #91 and #905.
Laura · Anita · 53 shared years, 1964–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2022 Republic of Ireland ranking
Anita vs Stephanie
In 1964 they stood at #130 and #140 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 10 places apart; by 2022 they were #905 and #502.
Anita · Stephanie · 53 shared years, 1964–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2022 Republic of Ireland ranking
Anita vs Tone
Anita and Tone changed places 21 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2023, ending at #379 and #535.
Anita · Tone · 74 shared years, 1945–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2023 Norway ranking

Order changes

Pairs where Anita and another name exchanged position in a published list, taken as the final meaningful change.

Bente vs Anita
In 1966, Anita moved ahead of Bente in Norway · Girls — #5 and #6 the year before became #5 and #4.
Bente · Anita · 61 shared years, 1945–2011 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1966 Norway ranking
Anita vs Tove
In 1963, Anita moved ahead of Tove in Norway · Girls — #11 and #9 the year before became #4 and #12.
Anita · Tove · 67 shared years, 1945–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1963 Norway ranking
Camilla vs Anita
In 1976, Camilla moved ahead of Anita in Norway · Girls — #15 and #9 the year before became #5 and #14.
Camilla · Anita · 67 shared years, 1949–2025 · One moved ahead of the other
See the 1976 Norway ranking

Compared inside Norway lists

Pairs involving Anita measured in Norway's own published lists — the registrar that recorded Anita at its highest position.

Ann vs Anita
Ann and Anita changed places 15 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2023, ending at #404 and #379.
Ann · Anita · 74 shared years, 1945–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2023 Norway ranking
Linda vs Anita
Linda and Anita changed places 13 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2023, ending at #355 and #379.
Linda · Anita · 76 shared years, 1945–2023 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2023 Norway ranking
Anita vs Mona
Anita and Mona changed places 12 times in Norway · Girls between 1945 and 2025, ending at #459 and #413.
Anita · Mona · 78 shared years, 1945–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
See the 2025 Norway ranking

Norway overview→

Anita was ranked #4 in Norway · Girls in 1963. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Anita and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,577 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Anita without appearing here.

Anita moved ahead of

Gemma Compare
In 2024 they stood at #1743 and #1541 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2025 that had become #2278 and #4867.
Sinead Compare
In 2023 they stood at #2063 and #1705 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2024 that had become #1743 and #3695.
Tayla Compare
In 2023 they stood at #2063 and #1774 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2024 that had become #1743 and #3318.
Jodie Compare
In 2024 they stood at #1743 and #1743 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2025 that had become #2278 and #3035.

Moved ahead of Anita

Clodagh Compare
In 2022 they stood at #1215 and #1282 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2023 that had become #2063 and #1135.
Judith Compare
In 2024 they stood at #1743 and #2115 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2025 that had become #2278 and #1362.
Linda Compare
In 2022 they stood at #1215 and #1621 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2023 that had become #2063 and #1206.
Ingrid Compare
In 2022 they stood at #1215 and #1326 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2023 that had become #2063 and #1255.

Moved the opposite way to Anita

Elise Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Anita went from #162 to #459 while Elise went from #223 to #63.
Ella Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Anita went from #162 to #459 while Ella went from #137 to #4.
Ellinor Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Anita went from #162 to #459 while Ellinor went from #102 to #7.
Emma Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Anita went from #162 to #459 while Emma went from #342 to #1.

Moved the same way as Anita

Åse Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Anita went from #162 to #459 and Åse from #25 to #93.
Aud Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Anita went from #162 to #459 and Aud from #13 to #427.
Bjørg Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Anita went from #162 to #459 and Bjørg from #6 to #369.
Eileen Compare
Between 1945 and 2025 in Norway · Girls, Anita went from #162 to #459 and Eileen from #324 to #501.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 6 regions, from 1945 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #4 in Norway in 1970. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Anita

Anita at a glance

What stands out in Anita's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Anita across 6 official records

Anita by decade in Norway · Girls

Anita appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Comparisons involving Anita

Longest shared records

Order changes

Compared inside Norway lists

Names published alongside Anita

Anita and the names beside it

Anita moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Anita

Moved the opposite way to Anita

Moved the same way as Anita

Anita at a glance

What stands out in Anita's record

Anita across 6 official records

Anita by decade in Norway · Girls

Anita appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1940s

Comparisons involving Anita

Longest shared records

Order changes

Compared inside Norway lists

Names published alongside Anita

Anita and the names beside it

Anita moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Anita

Moved the opposite way to Anita

Moved the same way as Anita