The name Sanita started appearing in the U.S. baby name data in the late 1950s:
- 1961: unlisted
- 1960: 7 baby girls named Sanita
- 1959: 6 baby girls named Sanita
- 1958: 10 baby girls named Sanita
- 1957: 11 baby girls named Sanita [debut]
- 1956: unlisted
Why?
Because of beauty queen Sanita Pelkey, who represented New York at the Miss USA pageant in Long Beach, California, in 1957. She finished twelfth in the contest.
Notably, in 1957, two scandals rocked the pageant world: Miss USA winner Leona Gage was found to be married, and Miss Universe winner Gladys Zender (of Peru) was found to be underage. (Leona was stripped of her title, but Gladys was not.)
Getting back to Sanita Pelkey…she went on to appear in a handful of movies, and on an episode of the popular comedy quiz show You Bet Your Life in April of 1958. She was also briefly married to memorably-named actor Rex Reason in the early 1960s.
What are your thoughts on the name Sanita?
Sources: Sanita Pelkey – Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen, Miss New York USA – Wikipedia, SSA
Image: Clipping from Parade magazine (25 Aug. 1957)