Anita

Anita originated as a Spanish and Portuguese diminutive of Ana, itself the Latin and Greek form of the Hebrew name Hannah, meaning grace or favor. The name spread widely across Europe and into South Asia, where it is independently used in Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, and Tamil traditions, also generally associated with the concept of grace. It gained broad international popularity through the twentieth century, carried by figures such as Swedish actress Anita Ekberg and appearing memorably as a character in the musical West Side Story. Related forms include Ana, Anna, Hannah, and Anita's Scandinavian and Slavic variants, which share the same diminutive origin.