Benita
A female given name from Spanish.
Every Benita since 1889 — 13,669 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Benita
Benita is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #8,953 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1889, 13,669 American babies have been named Benita. Its peak came in 1961, when 480 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Benita stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Benita year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | #8,953 |
| 2024 | 8 | #11,278 |
| 2023 | 15 | #7,306 |
| 2022 | 12 | #8,620 |
| 2021 | 20 | #5,986 |
| 2020 | 11 | #9,047 |
| 2019 | 13 | #8,207 |
| 2018 | 11 | #9,253 |
| 2017 | 12 | #8,882 |
| 2016 | 14 | #8,062 |
| 2015 | 22 | #5,866 |
| 2014 | 15 | #7,723 |
| 2013 | 11 | #9,711 |
| 2012 | 23 | #5,734 |
| 2011 | 11 | #9,827 |
| 2010 | 17 | #7,262 |
| 2009 | 22 | #6,134 |
| 2008 | 18 | #7,120 |
| 2007 | 25 | #5,557 |
| 2006 | 20 | #6,398 |
| 2005 | 21 | #5,833 |
| 2004 | 21 | #5,781 |
| 2003 | 16 | #6,934 |
| 2002 | 28 | #4,396 |
| 2001 | 23 | #5,034 |
| 2000 | 27 | #4,420 |
| 1995 | 46 | #2,653 |
| 1990 | 62 | #2,103 |
| 1985 | 93 | #1,382 |
| 1980 | 126 | #1,097 |
| 1975 | 161 | #833 |
| 1970 | 286 | #606 |
| 1965 | 377 | #487 |
| 1960 | 475 | #447 |
| 1955 | 315 | #521 |
| 1950 | 190 | #606 |
| 1945 | 88 | #804 |
| 1940 | 79 | #797 |
| 1935 | 124 | #578 |
| 1930 | 78 | #801 |
| 1925 | 56 | #996 |
| 1920 | 57 | #969 |
| 1915 | 49 | #946 |
| 1910 | 19 | #1,001 |
| 1905 | 14 | #1,019 |
| 1900 | 9 | #1,330 |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | 6 | #1,225 |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Benita
- Benita Ferrero-Waldner Politician · b. 1948
- Benita Fitzgerald-Brown Athlete · b. 1961
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Benita mean?
A female given name from Spanish.
How popular is the name Benita in 2025?
Benita ranked #8,953 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 11 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Benita?
13,669 babies have been named Benita in the United States since 1889, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Benita most popular?
Benita peaked in 1961, when 480 newborns received the name.
Is Benita a boy or girl name?
Benita is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Benita rising or falling?
Benita is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Benita?
Well-known people named Benita include Benita Ferrero-Waldner (politician), Benita Fitzgerald-Brown (athlete).