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Home › Baby Names Directory › Anitra

Anitra

♀ Girl

Pronounced uh-NEE-truh /əˈniː.trə/Medium

Meaning: A literary coinage: Anitra is the dancing girl in Henrik Ibsen's 1867 play 'Peer Gynt,' set to Grieg's 'Anitra's Dance.' It has no older etymology, being invented for the stage.Medium

In 30 seconds: Anitra is a literary name invented by Ibsen for a dancer in 'Peer Gynt' (said 'uh-NEE-truh').
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Origin MediumLiterary, Norwegian
MeaningA literary coinage: Anitra is the dancing girl in Henrik Ibsen's 1867 play 'Peer Gynt,' set to Grieg's 'Anitra's Dance.' It has no older etymology, being invented for the stage.
U.S. rank (2013)#14767 ↘ Falling
2013 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1976
Total births (all-time)≈ 4,379

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197619232013

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Anitra was invented by Henrik Ibsen for the dancing girl in his 1867 play Peer Gynt, and immortalized in Edvard Grieg's Anitra's Dance. Rather than an ancient root, it is a stage coinage; American use crested around 1976 before fading, giving it a distinctly 1970s vintage flavor.

A few thousand American girls received it in all; Anitra now reads as a lyrical, literary name of the 1970s.

Did you know? Anitra peaked around 1976 — its lilt kept alive by Grieg's famous 'Anitra's Dance' — then faded within a generation.
Overall data confidence 70%
References — Anitra — Ibsen 'Peer Gynt' (1867); Grieg's 'Anitra's Dance'

Variations

AnitriaAnitaAnetra

Nicknames

AniNita

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Anitra…

Anita— a close sound-alike
Juanita— a like -nita name
Anissa— a like melodic An- name
Tamora— shares Anitra's Literary roots
Avonlea— a fellow Literary choice

Explore names like Anitra

By themecoinagevintageliterary1970s

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Anitra mean?

Anitra is a literary invention, the dancer in Ibsen's 'Peer Gynt'; it has no older meaning, being coined for the stage.

How do you pronounce Anitra?

It's said uh-NEE-truh /əˈniː.trə/ — three syllables, stress on the middle.

Is Anitra a boy or girl name?

Anitra is used as a girl's name.

Is Anitra making a comeback?

Not notably — it's a nineteen-seventies favorite that has been uncommon since, a vintage literary name.

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