Fun Facts About the Name Ita
- 659 babies named Ita: U.S. records list 659 babies given the name Ita from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Ita Mean?
Ita is the anglicized form of the Irish name Íte, later also written Íde. It is explained as coming from the Old Irish word for "thirst" (given in older dictionaries as ítu, also cited as íte). The literal sense is therefore simply "thirst." The well-known religious gloss, "thirst for God" or "thirst for holiness," is an interpretation that grew up around Saint Íte of Killeedy rather than a meaning contained in the word itself.
In Frisian and Dutch usage, Ita appears instead as a short, familiar form of women's names such as Ida and Ite. There it is a pet form and has no separate meaning of its own; this line of use is distinct from the Irish name and should not be merged with it. The Latin adverb ita ("thus, so") and the Spanish and Italian affectionate ending -ita, which can produce Ita as a nickname, are likewise unrelated to the Irish name.
Ita Name History & Origins
The name came into written use through Saint Íte, an Irish nun of the sixth century who is usually called Ita or Ide in English. Her traditional life places her birth in the Déisi region, roughly modern County Waterford, and says she founded a monastery at Cill Íde - Killeedy, in County Limerick - where she directed a school for young girls and boys. She is remembered as the foster-mother and teacher of Saint Brendan the Navigator, and Irish tradition calls her the "foster-mother of the saints of Ireland." Her feast day is January 15.
Because the saint was widely venerated, Íte and its later form Íde became established Irish personal names. When Irish names were written in English, Íte was rendered as Ita, alongside forms such as Ide. That anglicized spelling is the one generally seen outside Ireland. In the Netherlands, the name belongs to a separate tradition of short forms, as in the physician Ita Wegman (1876 - 1943). Despite the similar look, the name is not related to the English Ida or to other short names such as Isa.
How Popular is the Name Ita?
Ita has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #1,800 in 1901.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,147 | 25 | 0.0016% |
| 2024 | #8,624 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2023 | #5,824 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2022 | #5,375 | 24 | 0.0015% |
| 2021 | #7,402 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2020 | #7,709 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #6,272 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2018 | #6,915 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2017 | #7,603 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2016 | #8,581 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #7,096 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2014 | #10,459 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #5,382 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2012 | #7,977 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2011 | #7,571 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2010 | #8,431 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2009 | #10,245 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #10,351 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #9,203 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2006 | #9,525 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #9,101 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #7,560 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2003 | #11,732 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #12,712 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #16,302 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #12,293 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #10,720 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #10,164 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #11,009 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #8,368 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #10,902 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #13,986 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #13,126 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #10,855 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #9,145 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #11,586 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #11,290 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #8,484 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #11,113 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #6,029 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1979 | #10,776 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #10,334 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #8,359 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #8,743 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1971 | #8,793 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #6,006 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1968 | #7,426 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1967 | #7,166 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1966 | #6,949 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #7,163 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #5,031 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1961 | #6,955 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1953 | #6,023 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #5,569 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1934 | #4,584 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1933 | #3,943 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1929 | #4,302 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1928 | #4,419 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1925 | #4,207 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1924 | #4,728 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1923 | #3,779 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1921 | #4,754 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1920 | #3,216 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1919 | #4,503 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #3,125 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1917 | #4,323 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1913 | #3,420 | 5 | 0.0008% |
| 1908 | #1,966 | 6 | 0.0018% |
| 1905 | #2,075 | 5 | 0.0017% |
| 1903 | #1,925 | 5 | 0.0019% |
| 1901 | #1,800 | 5 | 0.0021% |
| 1900 | #2,061 | 5 | 0.0017% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Ita Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You like to use the pen or the needle (writing, fashion design etc). You are loving, compassionate, intuitive and humanitarian. Runs of luck, either good or bad, follow you. You are sympathetic, but at times might be touchy and oversensitive. You may have a gift for writing. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Ita's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ita's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.