Rita

♀ Girl

Pronounced REE-tah /ˈriː.tə/Low

Meaning: Pearl, precious jewelLow

In 30 seconds: Rita is a crisp Italian and Spanish short form of Margarita meaning pearl. Associated with Old Hollywood glamour through Rita Hayworth and Rita Moreno, it carries a timeless star quality in just two syllables.

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowSpanish, Greek, Italian

MeaningPearl, precious jewel

U.S. rank (2024)#1404 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births159 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1949

Total births (all-time)≈ 284,274

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Rita is a short form of Margarita, the Spanish and Italian form of Margaret, from the Greek margarites meaning pearl. Saint Rita of Cascia (1381-1457) was an Italian nun known as the patroness of impossible causes.

Rita was a glamorous name in the mid-20th century associated with Rita Hayworth and Rita Moreno. It has vintage Hollywood star appeal and is among short Italian names making a quiet comeback.

Did you know? Rita Moreno is one of the very few people to have won an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) — and her name Rita, a short form of Margarita, became synonymous with multi-talented brilliance and enduring charisma.

Overall data confidence 90%

Behind the Name: Rita

Variations

MargaritaMargaretReta

Nicknames

Famous Bearers

★Rita Hayworth (1918-1987)
American actress and dancer, a leading Hollywood star of the 1940s
★Rita Moreno (b. 1931)
Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer; one of the few performers to achieve EGOT status

If you like Rita…

Margarita— Full form of same name

Anita— Spanish -ita name of same vintage feel

Marta— shares the -ta ending

Delta— shares Rita's Greek roots

Rosetta— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Rita

By themegreek spanish two-syllable vintage italian glamorous pearl

By meaningJewel / Gem

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does Rita mean?

Rita means pearl as a short form of Margarita, from the Greek margarites.

Who are famous people named Rita?

Famous Ritas include actress Rita Hayworth and EGOT winner Rita Moreno.

How do you pronounce Rita?

Rita is pronounced REE-tah with two syllables.

What names are similar to Rita?

Similar names include Margarita, Lita, and Anita.