sunita

Sunita is a feminine given name of Indian origin. It is common in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and among the Indian diaspora. The name is derived from the Sanskrit sunitā, meaning “polite,” “well-behaved,” or “virtuous.” Spelling variants include Sunita, Sunitha, and Sunitā, reflecting different language traditions and transliteration practices.

In cultural usage, Sunita is widely used among Hindu and Jain communities and across multiple languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, and Tamil. It does not denote a particular ethnicity beyond broad South Asian naming patterns, and it has also been adopted by people of non-South Asian backgrounds through migration and intercultural exchange.

Notable people with the name include Sunita Williams, an American astronaut and United States Navy officer who has flown on multiple space missions; Sunita Narain, an Indian environmentalist and director of the Centre for Science and Environment in New Delhi; and Sunita Mani, an American actress and musician known for work in television and film.

The name Sunita has also appeared in literature and media as a given name for fictional characters, reflecting its common usage in South Asian communities.