Rita (given name)

Rita is a female name, often a name in its own right, but mostly a shortened version of Margarita. The feast day of Rita is generally celebrated on May 22 in honor of Saint Rita of Cascia.

In film, television and theater

 * Rita Rani Ahuja (born 1978), American actress
 * Rita Avila (born 1964), Filipina actress
 * Rita Azevedo Gomes (born 1952), Portuguese film director
 * Rita Batata (born 1986), Brazilian actress
 * Rita Bell (1893-1992), American singer, entertainer
 * Rita Bhaduri (1955–2018), Indian actress
 * Rita Blanco (born 1963), Portuguese actress
 * Rita Buzzar, Brazilian film producer
 * Rita Calderoni (born 1951), Italian actress
 * Rita Camarneiro (born 1988), Portuguese comedian and TV presenter
 * Rita Carewe (1909–1955), American actress
 * Rita Christiani (1917–2008), Trinidad-born African-American dancer
 * Rita Cléos (1931–1988), Brazilian actress
 * Rita Clermont (1894–1969), German actress
 * Rita Corday (1920–1992), American actress
 * Rita Cortese (born 1949), Argentine actress
 * Rita Dominic (born 1975), Nigerian actress
 * Rita Durão (born 1976), Portuguese actress
 * Rita Dutta Chakraborty, Bengali film and TV actress
 * Rita Edochie, Nigerian actress
 * Rita Flynn (1905–1973), American actress
 * Rita Gam (1927–2016), American actress
 * Rita Gardner (1934–2022), American actress and singer
 * Rita Gould (1890–1981), American actress
 * Rita Guedes (born 1972), Brazilian actress
 * Rita W. Harlan, American actress
 * Rita Hayek (born 1987), Lebanese actress and TV presenter
 * Rita Hayworth (1918–1987), American actress
 * Rita Sririta Jensen (born 1981), Thai model and actress
 * Rita Jolivet (1884–1971), American-British actress
 * Rita Karin (1919–1993), American actress
 * Rita Koiral (1959–2017), Indian actress
 * Rita La Roy (1901–1993), American actress
 * Rita Lafontaine (1939–2016), Canadian actress
 * Rita Livesi (born 1915), Italian film and stage actress
 * Rita Lobo (born 1944), Indian actress and singer
 * Rita Luna (1770–1832), Spanish stage actress
 * Rita Macedo (1925–1993), Mexican actress
 * Rita May (actress) (born 1942), British actress
 * Rita Moreira (born 1944), Brazilian film director
 * Rita Moreno (born 1931), Puerto Rican-born American actress
 * Rita Morley (1927–1997), American actress
 * Rita Nzelu, Nigerian actress
 * Rita Paul (1928–2021), German actress
 * Rita Polster (born 1948), Finnish film actress
 * Rita Quigley (1923–2008), American actress
 * Rita Raave (born 1951), Estonian actress
 * Rita Ramnani (born 1981), British actress and dancer
 * Rita Ratnayake (1934–2006), Sri Lankan Sinhala cinema actress
 * Rita Rätsepp (born 1962), Estonian actress
 * Rita Renoir (1934–2016), French strip-teaser and actress
 * Rita Roland (1914–1998), American film director
 * Rita Romilly Benson (1900–1980), American actress and acting teacher
 * Rita Rudner (born 1956), American comedian and writer
 * Rita Rusić (born 1960), Croatian producer, actress and singer
 * Rita Sacchetto (1880–1959), German dancer, actress and screenwriter
 * Rita Savagnone, Italian film actress
 * Rita Sever (born 1963), American television hostess and actress
 * Rita Simons (born 1977), English actress and singer
 * Rita Taggart (born 1947), American actress
 * Rita Tushingham (born 1942), English actress
 * Rita Verreos (born 1968), Venezuelan TV personality, actress and model
 * Rita Volk (born 1990), American actress
 * Rita Walter (1951–2022), American actress
 * Rita Webb (1904–1981), English actress
 * Rita Wilson (born 1956), American actress, singer, and producer
 * Rita Wolf (born 1960), British actress

In journalism and literature

 * Rita de Acosta Lydig (1875–1929), American novelist
 * Rita Akoto Coker, American novelist
 * Rita Banerji, Indian author, photographer and activist
 * Rita Barisse (1917–2001), British journalist, writer and translator
 * Rita Boumi-Pappa (1906–1984), Greek poet, translator and writer
 * Rita Bouvier (born 1950), Métis educator and poet
 * Rita Bradshaw (born 1949), British romance novelist
 * Rita Brantalou (1948–2021), French humorist
 * Rita Braver (born 1948), American journalist
 * Rita Mae Brown (born 1944), American writer and activist
 * Rita Celli (born 1969), Canadian radio journalist
 * Rita Chowdhury, Indian writer
 * Rita Ciresi, American novelist
 * Rita Cosby (born 1964), American journalist
 * Rita Cox (born 1929/1930), librarian and storyteller
 * Rita Demeester (1946–1993), Belgian poet and writer
 * Rita Deverell (born 1945), Canadian journalist
 * Rita Dove (born 1952), American poet
 * Rita Clay Estrada (born 1941), romance novelist
 * Rita Ferro (writer) (born 1955), Portuguese novelist, writer and journalist
 * Rita Gabbai-Simantov, Greek Ladino-language poet and writer
 * Rita Gallagher (1921–2004), American novelist
 * Rita von Gaudecker (1879–1968), German author
 * Rita Golden Gelman (born 1937), American writer
 * Rita Guibert (1916–2007), American author, journalist, editor, researcher and translator
 * Rita Ann Higgins, Irish writer
 * Rita Joe (1932–2007), Mi’kmaq poet
 * Rita Kelly (born 1953), Irish poet
 * Rita Kerr (1925–2017), American author
 * Rita Kogan, Hebrew author and translator
 * Rita Kothari (born 1969), Indian author and translator
 * Rita Kuczynski (born 1944), German author, philosopher and editorialist
 * Rita Marshall (1934–2008), English journalist and editor
 * Rita Mestokosho (born 1966), Canadian Innu writer andpoet
 * Rita Carla Francesca Monticelli (born 1974), Italian author
 * Rita Mulcahy (died 2010), author and public speaker
 * Rita Mulier, Belgian feminist author and economist
 * Rita Panahi, American-Iranian Australian opinion columnist
 * Rita Rait-Kovaleva (1898–1988), Soviet translator and writer
 * Rita Reif (1929–2023), American columnist and author
 * Rita Mae Reese, American poet
 * Rita Sebastian (died 1996), Sri Lankan journalist
 * Rita Tainola (born 1954), Finnish reporter
 * Rita Tornborg (born 1926), Swedish novelist and short story writer
 * Rita Vorperian, Syrian-born American journalist and writer
 * Rita Weiman (1885–1954), American screenwriter
 * Rita Williams-Garcia (born 1957), American writer of novels
 * Rita Wong (born 1968), Canadian poet

In music

 * Rita (Indian singer) (born 1984), stage name of Rita Thyagarajan, an Indian playback singer
 * Rita (Israeli singer) (born 1962), stage name of Rita Yahan-Farouz Kleinstein, Persian-born Israeli singer and actress
 * Rita (Japanese singer), Japanese voice actress, singer, and lyricist
 * Rita Abatzi (1914–1969), Greek singer
 * Rita Abrams (born 1943), American musical artist
 * Rita Bouboulidi (1926–2014), Greek pianist
 * Rita Brondi (1889–1941), Italian composer
 * Rita la Cantaora (1859–1937), Spanish singer
 * Rita Carpio (born 1965), Hong Kong Cantopop singer
 * Rita Chiarelli, Canadian blues singer
 * Rita Comisi (born 1985), Italian singer
 * Rita Connolly, Irish musical artist
 * Rita Coolidge (born 1945), American singer
 * Rita Damásio (born 1978), Portuguese singer
 * Rita Daniela (born 1995), Filipina singer, actress and television host
 * Rita Deneve (1944–2018), Belgian singer
 * Rita Dev, Hindustani classical singer
 * Rita Engedalen (born 1971), Norwegian musician and songwriter
 * Rita Eriksen (born 1966), Norwegian singer
 * Rita Fornia (1878–1922), American soprano
 * Rita Gabussi (1810–1891), Italian opera singer
 * Rita Ganguly, Indian classical arts
 * Rita Gorr (1926–2012), Belgian operatic mezzo-soprano
 * Rita Guerra (born 1967), Portuguese singer
 * Rita Guerrero (1964–2011), Mexican artist
 * Rita Hosking (born 1969), American singer-songwriter
 * Rita Hunter (1933–2001), British operatic dramatic soprano
 * Rita Indiana (born 1977), Dominican writer and singer-songwriter
 * Rita Johns, Canadian pop and rhythm and blues singer
 * Rita Kapfhammer, German opera, operetta, concert and Lieder mezzo-soprano
 * Rita Kassabian, Armenian composer
 * Rita Keane (1922–2009), Irish singer and accordionist
 * Rita Kinka (born 1962), Serbian pianist
 * Rita Lawrence (1911–2001), British pianist and singer
 * Rita Lee (1947–2023), Brazilian musician
 * Rita Lynch, English singer-songwriter
 * Rita MacNeil (1944–2013), Canadian country and folk singer
 * Rita Marcotulli (born 1959), Italian jazz pianist and composer
 * Rita Marley (born 1946), Jamaican singer and widow of Bob Marley
 * Rita Mills (1935–2004), Australian musical artist
 * Rita Montaner (1900–1958), Cuban musician
 * Rita Montero (1927–2013), Argentine musical artist
 * Rita Moss (1918–2015), American jazz musician
 * Rita Ora (born 1990), British singer-songwriter
 * Rita Orlandi-Malaspina (1937–2017), Italian operatic soprano
 * Rita Pavone (born 1945), Italian singer
 * Rita Payés (born 1999), Spanish jazz musician
 * Rita Porfiris (born 1969), American violinist and arranger
 * Rita Redshoes (born 1981), Portuguese singer-songwriter
 * Rita Reys (1924–2013), Dutch jazz singer
 * Rita Rose (born 1947), Indian singer and actress
 * Rita Sakellariou (1934–1999), Greek singer
 * Rita Shane (1936–2014), American soprano
 * Rita Simons (born 1977), English actress and singer
 * Rita Springer (born 1967), American Christian musician
 * Rita Steblin (1951–2019), Canadian musicologist
 * Rita Streich (1920–1987), operatic soprano
 * Rita Strohl (1865–1941), French musical artist
 * Rita Thyagarajan (born 1984), Indian singer
 * Rita Vidaurri (1924–2019), American rehabs singer
 * Rita Wolfensberger (1928–2020), Swiss classical pianist

In visual arts

 * Rita Ackermann (born 1968), Hungarian-American artist
 * Rita Angus (1908–1970), New Zealand painter
 * Rita Asfour (1933–2021), American modern artist
 * Rita Blitt (born 1931), American artist
 * Rita Boley Bolaffio (1898–1995), Italian artist
 * Rita Briansky (born 1925), Canadian painter
 * Rita Carvalho, Portuguese artist
 * Rita Deanin Abbey, American artist and educator
 * Rita Donagh (born 1939), British artist
 * Rita Duffy, Northern Ireland artist
 * Rita Genet, American-born artist
 * Rita Grosse-Ruyken (born 1948), German artist
 * Rita Keegan, American-British artist and archivist
 * Rita Kernn-Larsen (1904–1998), Danish surrealist painter
 * Rita Kersting, German art historian and curator
 * Rita Letendre (1928–2021), Canadian artist
 * Rita Longa (1912–2000), Cuban sculptor
 * Rita McBride (born 1960), American artist and sculptor
 * Rita McKeough, Canadian interdisciplinary artist
 * Rita Mount (1885–1967), Canadian painter
 * Rita Myers, American artist
 * Rita Phillips, British sculptor and artist
 * Rita Rohlfing, German painter, photographer and installation artist
 * Rita Winkler (artist), Canadian artist

Fictional characters

 * Rita, a female cat in the show Animaniacs
 * Rita, in the franchise Jungledyret Hugo
 * Rita, a Saluki dog in Disney film Oliver & Company
 * Rita Bennett, in the TV series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay on which the series is based
 * Rita Desjardin, from the book Carrie
 * Rita Foster, in the film Cypher
 * Rita Hanson, in the film Groundhog Day (as well as the musical of the same name)
 * Rita Kaniska (aka Papillon Ohger), a character in Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger
 * Rita Loud, in the TV series The Loud House
 * Rita Malone, a female rat in the film Flushed Away
 * Rita Mordio, in Tales of Vesperia
 * Rita Repulsa, a villain in the TV series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
 * Rita Skeeter, in the Harry Potter franchise
 * Rita Stapleton, in the TV series The Guiding Light
 * Rita Sullivan, in the British soap opera Coronation Street
 * Rita or Susan White, in Educating Rita
 * Rita, a.k.a Rika Sasaki, from the Japanese anime series Cardcaptor Sakura/Cardcaptors
 * Rita Torres, in the TV series Exosquad
 * Rita, a little girl in the series Jelly Jamm
 * Rita, the head girl in the first books of the series The Naughtiest Girl

In government and politics

 * Rita of Armenia (1278–1333), Empress of Byzantium
 * Rita Agbo Ayim, Nigerian politician
 * Rita Ali, mayor of Peoria, Illinois
 * Rita Allison (born 1940), American politician
 * Rita Aragon (born 1947), United States Air Force general
 * Rita Atukwasa, Ugandan politician
 * Rita Bahuguna Joshi (born 1949), Indian politician and member of parliament
 * Rita Baranwal, Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Energy, USA
 * Rita Barberá (1948–2016), Spanish politician and mayor of Valencia
 * Rita Bellens (born 1962), Belgian politician
 * Rita Benson LeBlanc (born 1977), former Vice Chairman of the Board of the New Orleans Saints
 * Rita Bernardini (born 1952), Italian politician
 * Rita Borsellino (1945–2018), Italian politician
 * Rita Bosaho (born 1965), Spanish politician
 * Rita Camata (born 1961), Brazilian politician
 * Rita Campbell, American politician
 * Rita dalla Chiesa (born 1947), Italian politician
 * Rita Choudhary, Indian politician
 * Rita Clark (1915–2008), American politician
 * Rita Crocker Clements (1931–2018), First Lady of Texas
 * Rita Crundwell (born 1953), American city comptroller convicted of fraud
 * Rita C. Davidson (1928–1984), American judge
 * Rita De Bont (born 1954), Belgian politician
 * Rita Derrick Hayes, American politician
 * Rita Dionne-Marsolais (born 1947), Canadian politician
 * Rita Donaghy, Baroness Donaghy (born 1944), labor politician and life peer
 * Rita Ellis (politician), first woman mayor of Delray Beach, Florida
 * Rita María Esquivel Reyes (born 1946), Mexican politician
 * Rita Fan (born 1945), Hong Kong politician
 * Rita Fleming, American politician
 * Rita Fromm (politician) (born 1944), German politician
 * Rita Garman (born 1943), American judge
 * Rita Hagl-Kehl (born 1970), German politician
 * Rita Harris (politician), American politician and activist
 * Rita Hart (born 1956), American politician
 * Rita Haugerud (1919–2014), Norwegian politician
 * Rita Hauser (born 1934), American lawyer
 * Rita Heard Days (born 1950), American politician
 * Rita Incerti (born 1961), Australian judge
 * Rita Inos (1954–2009), Northern Mariana politician
 * Rita Johnston (born 1935), Canadian politician
 * Rita Joseph, American politician and educator
 * Rita Júdice, Portuguese lawyer and politician
 * Rita Kieber-Beck (born 1958), Deputy Prime Minister of Lichtenstein from 2001 to 2005
 * Rita Korankye Ankrah (born 1962), Ghanaian counselor and minister
 * Rita Lau (born 1953), retired Hong Kong senior government official
 * Rita Lavelle, American political official and consultant
 * Rita Law, Maltese politician
 * Rita F. Lin (born 1978), American judge
 * Rita Madeira, Portuguese politician
 * Rita Maestre (born 1988), Spanish politician
 * Rita Marko (1920–2018), Albanian politician
 * Rita Martinson (born 1937), American politician
 * Rita Matias, Portuguese politician
 * Rita Mayfield, American politician
 * Rita Mendes, American state legislator
 * Rita Meyer, American politician
 * Rita D. Millar, American politician
 * Rita Montagnana (1895–1979), Italian politician
 * Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Ghanaian politician
 * Rita O'Hare (died 2023), Northern Irish politician
 * Rita Ottervik (born 1966), Norwegian politician
 * Rita Potts Parks (born 1962), American politician
 * Rita Rae, Lady Rae (born 1950), Scottish judge
 * Rita Rato (born 1983), Portuguese politician
 * Rita H. Roaldsen (born 1956), Norwegian politician
 * Rita Saffioti (born 1972), Australian politician
 * Rita Sahu (born 1971), Indian politician
 * Rita Sanders, American politician
 * Rita Sargsyan (1962–2020), First Lady of Armenia
 * Rita Sarimah Patrick Insol, Malaysian politician
 * Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter (born 1962), German politician
 * Rita Sinon (1943–1989), Kenya-born Seychellois politician
 * Rita Skjærvik (born 1974), Norwegian politician
 * Rita Sletner, Norwegian politician
 * Rita Smart (born 1948), American politician
 * Rita Süssmuth (born 1937), German politician
 * Rita Tamašunienė (born 1973), Lithuanian politician
 * Rita Tani Iddi (born 1949), Ghanaian politician
 * Rita Tarai, Indian politician
 * Rita Tveiten (born 1954), Norwegian politician
 * Rita Verdonk (born 1955), Dutch politician
 * Rita Verma (born 1953), Indian politician
 * Rita Walters (1930–2020), American politician

In sport

 * Rita Achkina (born 1938), Belarusian cross-country skier
 * Rita Akaffou (born 1986), Ivorian professional footballer
 * Rita Akarekor (born 2001), Nigerian footballer
 * Rita Atik (born 1997), Moroccan tennis player
 * Rita Behrend, East German canoeist
 * Rita Bentley (1931–2016), British tennis player
 * Rita Blankenburg (born 1942), German speed skater
 * Rita Bludau (born 1942), German rower
 * Rita Blumenberg (born 1936), German figure skater
 * Rita Borbás (born 1980), Hungarian handball player
 * Rita Borók, Hungarian handball player
 * Rita Borralho (born 1954), Portuguese long-distance runner
 * Rita Bottiglieri (born 1953), Italian sprinter and pentathlete
 * Rita Bove, Brazilian footballer
 * Rita Briggs (1929–1994), American baseball player
 * Rita Chałubińska, Polish figure skater
 * Rita Chatterton, American professional wrestling referee
 * Rita Chikwelu (born 1988), Nigerian footballer
 * Rita Corrigan, American baseball player
 * Rita Crockett (born 1957), American volleyball player
 * Rita Czech-Blasl (1932–2023), German cross-country skier
 * Rita Dal Monte (born 1961), Italian wheelchair curler and Paralympic
 * Rita Davar (born 1935), Indian tennis player
 * Rita Debbarma (born 1995), Indian cricketer
 * Rita Defauw (born 1963), Belgian rower
 * Rita Deli (born 1972), Hungarian handball player
 * Rita Dey, Indian cricketer
 * Rita Drávucz (born 1980), Hungarian water polo player
 * Rita Easterling, American basketball player
 * Rita Fatialofa-Paloto, New Zealand netball and softball player
 * Rita Fontemanha (born 1993), Portuguese footballer
 * Rita Gani (born 1977), Malaysian association football referee
 * Rita Garay (born 1971), Puerto Rican swimmer
 * Rita Gildemeister (born 1947), German high jumper
 * Rita Good (born 1951), Swiss alpine skier
 * Rita Gramignani (born 1943), Italian chess player
 * Rita Grande (born 1975), Italian tennis player
 * Rita Grigorian (born 2000), American-Armenian footballer
 * Rita Guarino (born 1971), Italian footballer and manager
 * Rita Hendricks (born 1956), U.S.V.I. sprinter
 * Rita Hernández (born 1969), Spanish handball player
 * Rita Holmes, English snooker player and dancing teacher
 * Rita Horky (1937–1987), American basketball player and coach
 * Rita Hrbacek, Austrian ice hockey administrator
 * Rita Ináncsi (born 1971), Hungarian heptathlete
 * Rita Jarvis, British tennis player
 * Rita Jeptoo (born 1981), Kenyan marathon runner
 * Rita Jones, Welsh lawn and indoor bowler
 * Rita de Jong (born 1965), Dutch rower
 * Rita Kas (born 1956), Hungarian and German chess player
 * Rita Keller (1933–2005), American baseball player
 * Rita Keszthelyi (born 1991), Hungarian water polo player
 * Rita Kirst (born 1950), German high jumper
 * Rita Kőbán (born 1965), Hungarian canoeist
 * Rita König (born 1977), German fencer
 * Rita Köster (born 1960), German handball Kogler
 * Rita Kovács (born 1970), Hungarian swimmer
 * Rita Kuti-Kis (born 1978), Hungarian tennis player
 * Rita Lakatos (born 1999), Hungarian handball player
 * Rita Larsen (born 1935), Danish swimmer
 * Rita Leite (born 1997), Luxembourgish footballer
 * Rita Liliom (born 1986), Hungarian volleyball player
 * Rita de Luna (1929–1996), Guatemalan equestrian
 * Rita Marchisio (born 1950), Italian long-distance runner
 * Rita Mažukelytė (born 1985), Lithuanian footballer
 * Rita Medrano (born 1990), Mexican swimmer
 * Rita Méry (born 1984), Hungarian footballer
 * Rita Meyer (baseball) (1927–1992), American baseball player
 * Rita Musamali (born 1999), Ugandan cricketer
 * Rita Nemes (born 1989), Hungarian athlete
 * Rita Nwadike (born 1974), Nigerian footballer
 * Rita Oraá (born 1963), Spanish volleyball player
 * Rita Patel (born 1970), Indian cricketer
 * Rita Peri (born 1957), Italian gymnast
 * Rita Pfister (born 1952), Swiss discus thrower
 * Rita Pichardo (born 1970), Cuban professional tennis player
 * Rita Pogosova (died 1948), Soviet table tennis player
 * Rita Pulido (born 1945), Spanish swimmer
 * Rita Ramanauskaitė (born 1970), Lithuanian javelin thrower
 * Rita Razmaitė (born 1967), Lithuanian cyclist
 * Rita Récsei (born 1996), Hungarian race walker
 * Rita Ridley (1946–2013), English runner
 * Rita Sanz-Agero (born 1991), Guatemalan modern pentathlete
 * Rita Saraiva, Congolese handball player
 * Rita Schönenberger (born 1962), Swiss heptathlete
 * Rita Schumacher (born 1937), German swimmer
 * Rita Scott, Jamaican cricketer
 * Rita Seamon, American bridge player
 * Rita Sen, Indian sprinter
 * Rita Shugart, American bridge player
 * Rita Tamašauskaitė (born 1941), Lithuanian rower
 * Rita Teixeira (born 1960), Brazilian volleyball player
 * Rita Thijs (born 1958), Belgian sprinter
 * Rita Todorova (born 1958), Bulgarian rower
 * Rita Tower (born 1971), American soccer player
 * Rita Trapanese (1951–2000), Italian figure skater
 * Rita Van De Velde (born 1941), Belgian gymnast
 * Rita Varnienė (born 1973), Lithuanian chess player
 * Rita Vilaça (born 1993), Portuguese tennis player
 * Rita Vittadini (1914–2000), Italian athlete
 * Rita Wilden (born 1947), German sprinter
 * Rita Williams (born 1976), American basketball player
 * Rita Williams (footballer) (born 1979), Namibian footballer
 * Rita Windbrake (born 1945), German athlete
 * Rita Yeboah (born 1976), Ghanaian footballer
 * Rita Zeqiri (born 1995), Kosovan swimmer

In other fields

 * Rita of Cascia (1381–1457), Italian Augustinian saint
 * Rita Aciro, Ugandan activist
 * Rita de Acosta Lydig (1875–1929), American socialite
 * Rita Akosua Dickson (born 1970), Ghanaian chemist
 * Rita Akpan (born 1944), Nigerian teacher
 * Rita Almeida, Portuguese economist
 * Rita Arditti (1934–2009), Argentine biologist, educator, activist and writer
 * Rita Arnould, member of the Red Orchestra resistance group
 * Rita Atria (1974–1992), Italian anti-Mafia witness
 * Rita Baga (born 1987), Canadian drag queen from Québec
 * Rita Bake (born 1952), German economic of social historian
 * Rita Barcelo y Pages (1843–1904), Spanish religious sister
 * Rita Pitka Blumenstein (1936–2021), Alaska Native healer
 * Rita Brara Mukhopadhyay, Indian sociologist
 * Rita Nakashima Brock (born 1950), American scholar and Protestant theologian
 * Rita Burak (born 1946), Canadian civil servant
 * Rita Buxton (1896–1982), Australian community worker, activist, racehorse owner and philanthropist
 * Rita Calvo Sanz (born 1960), Spanish Roman Catholic nun
 * Rita Carmo, Portuguese photographer
 * Rita Casadio, professor of biochemistry
 * Rita Cetina Gutiérrez (1846–1908), Mexican teacher, poet and feminist
 * Rita Charon, American physician
 * Rita Childers (1915–2010), Irish press attaché, wife of President Erskine Childers
 * Rita R. Colwell (born 1934), environmental microbiologist
 * Rita Nealon Cooley (1919–2006), American political scientist
 * Rita Cucchiara (born 1965), Italian electrical and computer engineer
 * Rita Deverell (born 1945), Canadian TV broadcaster and social activist
 * Rita van Driel (born 1961), Dutch Paralympic board executive
 * Rita El Khayat, Moroccan physician and writer
 * Rita Elissaiou Komodiki, Greek Cypriot physician and politician
 * Rita Fahy, Irish American expert in evacuation modeling and human behavior in fire
 * Rita Famos (born 1966), Swiss theologian
 * Rita Felski, American academic
 * Rita Fernández Queimadelos (1911–2008), Spanish architect
 * Rita Ferro (born 1953), Portuguese diplomat
 * Rita Forst (born 1955), German automotive engineer and executive
 * Rita Gardner (geographer) (born 1955), British geographer and academic
 * Rita Geier, American civil rights activist
 * Rita Gerle, American textile worker
 * Rita Gluzman, Ukrainian-born activist and murderer
 * Rita K. Gollin (1928–2022), American literature scholar
 * Rita Gonzalez, American curator, writer and media artist
 * Rita Goold, British psychic and spiritualist medium
 * Rita Goulet, American racing driver and police sergeant
 * Rita Gross (1943–2015), American Buddhist feminist scholar
 * Rita Gunther McGrath (born 1959), American strategic management scholar
 * Rita Habib, Iraqi Christian woman
 * Rita Harradence (1915–2012), Australian biochemist
 * Rita May Wilson Harris (1888–1975), Australian community worker
 * Rita Hazan (born 1974), American hair colorist
 * Rita Hinden (1909–1971), South African social democratic activist
 * Rita Horvath, Hungarian neurologist and researcher
 * Rita Houston (1961–2020), American radio broadcaster
 * Rita Huggins (1922–1996), Australian indigenous activist
 * Rita Humphries-Lewin, Jamaican stockbroker and businesswoman
 * Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, Hungarian diplomat
 * Rita Jackson Samuels (1945–2018), American women’s and civil rights activist
 * Rita Jaima Paru, Papuan New Guinean food entrepreneur
 * Rita Jenrette (born 1949), former wife of U.S. Representative John Jenrette
 * Rita Jordan, autism researcher
 * Rita Katz, anti-terrorism activist
 * Rita Kavashe, Kenyan businesswoman and corporate executive
 * Rita Klímová (1931–1993), Czech diplomat and economist
 * Rita Kogler Carver (born 1963), American lighting designer, artist director and teacher
 * Rita Krishnamurthi, New Zealand epidemiologist
 * Rita Lakin (1930–2023), American dramatist
 * Rita Leistner, Canadian cinematographer and photographer
 * Rita Lejeune (1906–2009), Belgian philologist
 * Rita Lenihan (1914–1989), United States Navy officer
 * Rita G. Lerner, American physicist and librarian
 * Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909–2012), Italian-American neurologist
 * Rita Lobato (1866–1954), Brazilian physician
 * Rita Lopes de Almeida (1848–1913), Portuguese nun
 * Rita López de Llergo y Seoane (1904–1979), Mexican geographer
 * Rita Mae Kelly (1939–2001), American political scientist
 * Rita Mahato, Nepali women’s rights activist
 * Rita Maiburg (1952–1977), German aviator
 * Rita Giuliana Mannella, Italian diplomat
 * Rita Manzini, linguist
 * Rita Marcalo, Portuguese dancer, choreographer and artistic director
 * Rita Martin (1875–1958), English photographer
 * Rita Martinez (1955–2020), American activist
 * Rita McGhee (born 1964), American costume designer for film and television
 * Rita Menu, New Zealand drag performer
 * Rita Miljo (1931–2012), South African conservationist
 * Rita Nasirumbi, Ugandan commercial pilot
 * Rita Ndzanga (1933–2022), South African activist
 * Rita Ng, American beauty pageant titleholder and cardiologist
 * Rita Nieves, American public health administrator
 * Rita Nyampinga, Zimbabwean women prisoner campaigner
 * Rita Orji, Nigerian computer scientist
 * Rita Ostrovskaya, Ukrainian photographer
 * Rita Panahi (born 1976), Australian columnist and commentator
 * Rita Panicker, Indian social worker and writer
 * Rita Jaima Paru, Papua New Guinean food entrepreneur
 * Rita Paulsen (born 1977), Tanzanian TV personality
 * Rita Pérez de Moreno (1779–1861), Mexican insurgent and war heroine
 * Rita Rapp (1928–1989), American physiologist
 * Rita F. Redberg, American cardiologist
 * Rita Reed, American photojournalist and professor
 * Rita Richey, professor of instructional design
 * Rita Riggs (1930–2017), American costume designer
 * Rita Ryack, American costume designer
 * Rita M. Sambruna, Italian astrophysicist
 * Rita Sanchez (born 1937), American Chicano studies academic
 * Rita Sangalli (1849–1909), Italian ballet dancer
 * Rita Sapiro Finkler (1888–1968), Ukrainian-American physician
 * Rita Schober (1918–2012), German scholar of Romance studies and literature
 * Rita Schwerner Bender, civil rights activist and lawyer
 * Rita Laura Segato (born 1951), Argentine-Brazilian academic
 * Rita Smith (1912–1993), New Zealand communist and political activist
 * Rita Smith-Wade-El (1948–2018), American sociologist
 * Rita Stang (1894–1978), Australian public health doctor
 * Rita Stephen (1925–2020), British trade unionist
 * Rita Subowo, Indonesian sport executive
 * Rita Taketsuru (1896–1961), Scottish-Japanese businesswoman
 * Rita Tateel (born c. 1951), American businesswoman
 * Rita Lizzi Testa, Italian late antique historian
 * Rita Tewari, molecular parasitologist
 * Rita Thomson (1934–2019), Scottish nurse
 * Rita Vinieris (born 1964), Canadian fashion designer
 * Rita Winkler, Canadian hydrologist
 * Rita Zemach (1926–2015), American statistician
 * Rita Zucca (1912–1998), World War II propagandist

Disambiguation

 * Rita Cadillac, multiple people
 * Rita Johnson (disambiguation), multiple people
 * Rita Pereira, multiple people
 * Rita Schmidt, multiple people
 * Rita Wright, multiple people