41 Meaningful Rainbow Baby Names for Hope and Healing

Pregnancy after loss can bring hope, grief, excitement, and anxiety at the same time. Some families use the term “rainbow baby” for a child born after pregnancy or infant loss, while others may not connect with the term. There is no single way to feel about or describe this experience.

For parents who want a name connected to this experience, the 41 ideas below draw from meaningful dates and seasons, rainbows and the sky, hopeful word names, and names associated with joy or blessing. The list includes choices traditionally used for girls and boys, along with gender-neutral options.

Related: What is a Rainbow Baby?

10 Rainbow Baby Names Inspired by Months and Seasons

A month or season can mark a due date, birth date, anniversary, or another time that matters to your family. The reason behind the choice can remain private.

1. January

2. March

3. April

4. May

5. June

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6. August

7. Winter

8. Autumn

9. Spring

10. Summer

8 Names That Mean Rainbow or Connect to the Sky

Iris and Keshet directly mean “rainbow.” Rain, Celeste, Alya, Sky, Heaven, and Noah connect through weather, the sky, the heavens, or biblical symbolism.

1. Rain — An English word name connected to the weather that creates a rainbow.

2. Iris — A Greek name meaning “rainbow.”

3. Keshet — A Hebrew name meaning “rainbow.”

4. Celeste — A name derived from Latin and meaning “heavenly.”

5. Alya — An Arabic name meaning “sky” or “heaven.”

6. Sky — An English word name inspired by the sky.

7. Heaven — An English word name associated with the sky and the spiritual realm.

8. Noah — A Hebrew name meaning “rest.” The name also connects to the rainbow through the biblical story of Noah.

Related: Nature Names for Girls and Boys

15 Hopeful Word Names for Rainbow Babies

Hope, Joy, Peace, and the other word names below express qualities or feelings directly. Some are established virtue names, while others are modern word-name choices.

1. Faith

2. Hope

3. Joy

4. Patience

5. Peace

6. Felicity

7. Blythe

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8. Grace

9. Serenity

10. Love

11. Dream

12. Cherish

13. Reverie

14. Bliss

15. Blessing

8 Rainbow Baby Boy Names with Hopeful Meanings

The names below have meanings connected to happiness, blessing, peace, a pledge, prayer, or a gift.

1. Felix — A Latin name meaning “lucky” or “successful.”

2. Asher — A Hebrew name meaning “happy” or “blessed.”

3. Bennett — An English form of Benedict, a name derived from Latin and meaning “blessed.”

4. Gilbert — A Germanic name meaning “bright pledge.”

5. Pax — A Latin name meaning “peace.”

6. Jonathan — A Hebrew name meaning “Yahweh has given.”

7. Saul — A Hebrew name meaning “asked for” or “prayed for.”

8. Theodore — A Greek name meaning “gift of God.”

Choosing a name after loss is personal. A name may honor an important season, a source of strength, a cherished memory, or simply the child who will carry it.

You may also want to read our lists of summer names, names that mean love, gender-neutral names, and elegant names for girls and boys. Our baby names hub includes the full collection.