Sharita
A feminine Hindu name meaning "obedient, well-behaved girl".
Name Census estimates that about 2,450 living Americans carry the first name Sharita. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Sharita today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sharita births was 1985 (165 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sharita. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
2.5K
~ 1 in 139,900 Americans
Peak year
1985
165 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
2013 SSA rank
#18,861
Tracked since 1955
Popularity
Sharita: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sharita from the 1950s through to the 2010s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 1,332 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sharita by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Sharita during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Sharitas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 21 states and territories. Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Sharita, while Wisconsin, Indiana, Louisiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 62 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Sharita
The given name Sharita originates from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that was widely used in the Indian subcontinent. The name Sharita is derived from the Sanskrit word "Sharad," which means autumn or the fall season. It is believed that the name was initially given to children born during the autumn season, signifying the beauty and vibrancy associated with this time of the year.
In ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, the name Sharita is often mentioned in association with various Hindu goddesses, particularly those related to fertility, abundance, and prosperity. The name holds spiritual significance and is believed to bring blessings and good fortune to the bearer.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sharita dates back to the 5th century BCE. In the epic Sanskrit poem Mahabharata, there is a character named Sharita, who is described as a wise and learned woman. This reference suggests that the name has been in use for over two millennia.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Sharita. One of the most famous was Sharita Devi (1853-1920), a renowned Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule.
Another notable figure was Sharita Charan Mukherjee (1877-1943), an Indian scientist and educator who made significant contributions to the field of chemistry and was awarded the prestigious Palit Gold Medal by the Asiatic Society of Bengal.
In the realm of literature, Sharita Srivastava (1923-2004) was a prominent Indian writer and poet who authored several acclaimed works, including the novel "Trishanku" and the poetry collection "Anant Jal."
Sharita Gulati (1944-2021) was an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who was renowned for her expertise in the Kathak dance form. She received numerous awards and accolades for her contributions to the preservation and promotion of Indian classical dance.
Lastly, Sharita Bhatt (born 1962) is a contemporary Indian writer and poet who has published several works of poetry and prose, including the collections "Saat Sookshma Tre" and "The Never-Ending Primordial Journey." Her works explore themes of identity, culture, and the human experience.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Sharita throughout history, highlighting the rich cultural and historical significance of this name.
People
Sharita + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sharita as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Sharita: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sharita?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,450 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sharita going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 139,900 US residents.
Is Sharita a common name?
We classify Sharita as "Rare". It ranks above 94.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,637 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sharita most popular?
The single biggest year for Sharita was 1985, when 165 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sharita is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Sharita a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sharita in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.