# 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 media and entertainment
### 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 Shell (1863–1950), British magazine editor
* 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 Mora Castro, Zoe Saldaña’s character in Emilia Pérez
* 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
* Rita Rossweisse, from Honkai Impact 3rd

## In government and politics

* Rita of Armenia (1278–1333), Empress of Byzantium
* Rita Agbo Ayim, Nigerian politician
* Rita Albrecht, public servant
* 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 Assyrian woman and victim of ISIL persecution
* 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