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Home › Baby Names Directory › Tarita

Tarita

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Tarita

Pronounced tuh-REE-tuh /təˈriː.tə/Medium

Meaning: Best known from the Tahitian actress Tarita; as a US given name it also reads as a coinage on Rita (or Tara). Origin is mixed — a Polynesian personal name plus a Rita-adjacent coinage route.Low

In 30 seconds: Tarita is a graceful three-beat name, known from Tahiti and also read as a Rita-based coinage (said 'tuh-REE-tuh').
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Origin LowEnglish, Polynesian
MeaningBest known from the Tahitian actress Tarita; as a US given name it also reads as a coinage on Rita (or Tara). Origin is mixed — a Polynesian personal name plus a Rita-adjacent coinage route.
U.S. rank (1989)#14337 ↘ Falling
1989 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1963
Total births (all-time)≈ 364

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196319611989

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

Tarita has two threads. It is a Polynesian personal name, carried notably by the Tahitian actress Tarita Teriipaia; and for many US families it reads as a coinage built on Rita (or Tara) with a soft, flowing finish. We keep both routes honestly in view rather than claim one root.

Tarita appeared in small numbers from the early 1960s, with a modest high mid-decade, then faded. It reads as an exotic-feeling name of its era; uncommon throughout and distinctive rather than revived.

Did you know? Tarita is the name of the Tahitian actress who starred opposite Marlon Brando in the 1962 film of 'Mutiny on the Bounty' — a real bearer that lends the name a South Pacific glow.
Overall data confidence 45%
References — Tarita — Polynesian name (Tarita Teriipaia); also Rita/Tara coinage

Variations

TaretaTaritaTaritha

Nicknames

RitaTari

Famous Bearers

  • ★Tarita Teriipaia (1938–present)
    Tahitian actress who appeared in the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty; later married to Marlon Brando.

If you like Tarita…

Rita— a likely coinage base for the US name
Tara— the other likely base, shared Ta- sound
Anita— a like three-beat -ita feminine
Juanita— shares the warm -ita ending and rhythm

Explore names like Tarita

By themeuncertainvintageheritagefeminine

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Tarita mean?

Tarita is best known as a Polynesian name (the Tahitian actress Tarita) and also reads as a US coinage on Rita or Tara; its route is mixed.

How do you pronounce Tarita?

It's said tuh-REE-tuh /təˈriː.tə/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Tarita a boy or girl name?

Tarita is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Tarita?

Tarita has always been rare, given to only a few dozen girls a year around its peak.

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