Charlotte Girl
SHAHR-luht
“free man” · French
#2
Benita
GirlSpanish, Latin· “blessed”
- Meaning
- blessed
- Origin
- Spanish, Latin
- Pronunciation
- buh-NEE-tuh
- Syllables
- 3
- US rank 2025
- #8,953
- US babies 2025
- 11
- Best rank
- #445 (1961)
- Peak year
- 1961
Meaning and origin of Benita
Benita is a Spanish and Latin name that means “blessed”.
Benita is the Spanish feminine of Benito, a short form of Benedicto, from the Latin Benedictus, blessed. Saint Benedict of Nursia, founder of Western monasticism, made the root name widely loved in Catholic countries. Benita has been used in Spain, Italy and Latin America and was fairly common in the US in the early twentieth century. It is said buh-NEE-tuh in English and beh-NEE-tah in Spanish. Bennie and Nita are easy nicknames. Related forms include Benedetta in Italian and Bettina, which developed separately from Elizabeth.
Popularity over time
Benita first appears in US Social Security records in 1889. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 63 different years, starting in 1911. Its best national rank was #445 in 1961, the same year it reached its highest count of 480 babies. In 2025, 11 babies were named Benita, and it ranked #8,953 nationally. That is 50% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #969 in 1920, #606 in 1950, #1,097 in 1980, #4,420 in 2000, #7,262 in 2010, and #8,953 in 2025. Of the 13,669 US girls named Benita since records began, 27% were born in the 1960s, its biggest decade. The 1950s come next, with 2,889 babies. Since 2010, 226 more have been named Benita.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Maryellen, Marybeth, Mitzi, Barb, and Deann.
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Benita is usually pronounced buh-NEE-tuh, with three syllables. It has six letters, starts with B and ends in “-ta”.
Middle names for Benita
A few middle names that flow with Benita: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Benita
Similar names
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Lists that include Benita
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Benita mean?
Benita is a Spanish and Latin name that means “blessed”.
What is the origin of the name Benita?
Benita has Spanish and Latin roots. Benita is the Spanish feminine of Benito, a short form of Benedicto, from the Latin Benedictus, blessed.
Is Benita a popular name?
Not especially. Benita ranked #8,953 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Benita a boy or girl name?
Benita is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Benita?
Benita is usually pronounced buh-NEE-tuh. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings