Rita
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Every Rita since 1880 — 285,230 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rita
Rita is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,287 in 2025 with 174 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 285,230 American babies have been named Rita. Its peak came in 1949, when 6,669 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
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 Rita stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rita year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 174 | #1,287 | — | — |
| 2024 | 161 | #1,397 | — | — |
| 2023 | 164 | #1,376 | — | — |
| 2022 | 178 | #1,323 | — | — |
| 2021 | 150 | #1,437 | — | — |
| 2020 | 185 | #1,234 | — | — |
| 2019 | 169 | #1,348 | — | — |
| 2018 | 185 | #1,254 | — | — |
| 2017 | 207 | #1,186 | — | — |
| 2016 | 210 | #1,190 | — | — |
| 2015 | 190 | #1,283 | — | — |
| 2014 | 171 | #1,367 | — | — |
| 2013 | 182 | #1,291 | — | — |
| 2012 | 169 | #1,382 | — | — |
| 2011 | 169 | #1,368 | — | — |
| 2010 | 176 | #1,341 | — | — |
| 2009 | 166 | #1,419 | — | — |
| 2008 | 186 | #1,328 | — | — |
| 2007 | 210 | #1,202 | — | — |
| 2006 | 207 | #1,180 | — | — |
| 2005 | 220 | #1,083 | — | — |
| 2004 | 216 | #1,072 | — | — |
| 2003 | 199 | #1,111 | — | — |
| 2002 | 244 | #918 | — | — |
| 2001 | 270 | #849 | — | — |
| 2000 | 251 | #881 | — | — |
| 1995 | 296 | #708 | — | — |
| 1990 | 434 | #545 | — | — |
| 1985 | 588 | #386 | — | — |
| 1980 | 840 | #297 | 9 | #4,423 |
| 1975 | 883 | #273 | — | — |
| 1970 | 1,590 | #203 | 11 | #3,030 |
| 1965 | 3,067 | #126 | 7 | #3,487 |
| 1960 | 5,027 | #96 | 15 | #2,187 |
| 1955 | 6,094 | #72 | 17 | #1,960 |
| 1950 | 6,424 | #56 | 14 | #2,097 |
| 1945 | 4,282 | #59 | 9 | #2,546 |
| 1940 | 3,442 | #70 | 14 | #1,970 |
| 1935 | 3,579 | #63 | 12 | #2,221 |
| 1930 | 5,470 | #42 | 21 | #1,641 |
| 1925 | 5,323 | #48 | 16 | #2,069 |
| 1920 | 4,979 | #52 | 13 | #2,430 |
| 1915 | 3,063 | #71 | 8 | #3,017 |
| 1910 | 333 | #198 | — | — |
| 1905 | 188 | #229 | — | — |
| 1900 | 162 | #256 | — | — |
| 1895 | 105 | #275 | — | — |
| 1890 | 54 | #349 | — | — |
| 1885 | 31 | #372 | — | — |
| 1880 | 19 | #385 | — | — |
Famous people named Rita
- Rita of Cascia Religious figure · 1381–1457
- Rita Hayworth Actor · 1918–1987
- Rita Levi-Montalcini Physician · 1909–2012
- Rita Moreno Actor · b. 1931
- Rita Pavone Singer · b. 1945
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rita mean?
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How popular is the name Rita in 2025?
Rita ranked #1,287 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 174 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rita?
285,230 babies have been named Rita in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rita most popular?
Rita peaked in 1949, when 6,669 newborns received the name.
Is Rita a boy or girl name?
Rita is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Rita rising or falling?
Rita has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Rita?
Well-known people named Rita include Rita of Cascia (religious figure), Rita Hayworth (actor), Rita Levi-Montalcini (physician).