🌈 Rainbow Baby Names : Gentle Ideas Of Hope, Light, And Healing

A rainbow baby is a child born after a previous loss. That loss might have been a miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic or molar pregnancy, medical termination, or the death of a baby in infancy. The rainbow image is a symbol of hope and colour after a brutal storm.

For many parents, this next pregnancy carries a strange mix of fear, relief, guilt and deep joy. The name can feel heavier than it did the first time. It is not just a label. It can become a bridge between grief and new life.

On the internet, parents talk about this openly. They share stories of multiple losses and ask for ideas that capture hope, strength or “good news” without feeling like a memorial carved into their child’s birth certificate.

Here is the key thing:

You do not owe anyone a “perfect” rainbow baby name. You deserve one that feels kind to your history and kind to your child.

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Do You Need A Special Rainbow Baby Name At All?

Some parents want a direct reference to rainbows, storms or miracles. Others prefer a name that simply feels joyful with no obvious connection to loss.

In the parental community, you see both camps:

• One group loves literal choices such as Iris, which means “rainbow” in Greek.
• Another group chooses names that mean hope, blessed, or beloved, like Amal, Nadia, Beatrix, Asher or Felix.
• Some parents skip meaning entirely and choose a long‑time favourite that simply makes them smile.

There is no rule. You can:

• Pick a name that directly nods to the storm you passed through.
• Choose a name that centres your child’s identity, not the grief.
• Add a middle name that holds the symbolic meaning while the first name stays simple.

Your comfort level and your story matter more than any list on the internet.

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How To Choose A Rainbow Baby Name You Both Love

Naming after loss can stir up old feelings and new disagreements. Here is a simple framework that echoes what real parents say works for them.

1. Talk about meaning before you talk about letters

Sit with your partner and answer a few questions together:

• Do we want the meaning to reflect hope, healing, joy, faith, strength or something else?
• Are we open to names that reference rainbows, light, sky or storms?
• Do we want to honour our previous baby by meaning, by initials, or by sharing a middle name?

Agreeing on meaning first narrows the field quickly and keeps the talk from becoming “I hate that name” on repeat.

2. Decide how close you want the name to your grief

Some parents feel comforted by a strong link to their loss. Others worry that the child will feel like “the rainbow baby” forever.

You might:

• Keep the reference subtle, like a name that means dawn, light, peace or new life.
• Use a middle name that directly honours your angel baby.
• Choose a first name that stands alone, then remember your previous baby in other ways, like tattoos, jewellery, or rituals.

Reading through posts on r/babyloss can help you see how different families walk this line and remind you that your choice can be deeply personal.

3. Test the sound with siblings and surnames

If you already have children, say all the names out loud together. Parents naming “double rainbow babies” often talk about wanting a set that sounds balanced, not like one name carries all the symbolism while the others are very plain.

Try:

• First plus last name.
• First plus middle plus last name.
• Sibling group roll call.

If you feel yourself smile when you say the set, that is a good sign.

4. Use a shortlist and a small circle

Instead of asking a huge group chat, “What should we name our rainbow baby?”, try more structure.

You can:

• Build a shortlist of 5 to 10 names.
• Ask a few trusted people to rank them or vote.
• Keep comments focused on “which feels most like this baby” rather than “which names do you hate”.

A simple way to do this is with a quick online poll. Create your poll, add your top names with meanings, then share the link with a small group of family or friends. Guests can vote without making an account, and you see results in one place. That keeps control in your hands while still letting people feel included.

If you want the poll to live alongside your name lists and pregnancy tools, you can sign up for a free account on a naming platform and keep everything in one dashboard. That kind of gentle step is usually enough to nudge people from reader to registered user.

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Rainbow Baby Names By Theme And Meaning

Below is a curated set of ideas, not a mega list. You can treat this as a starting point, then expand with your own culture, language and style.

I’ll mix girl, boy and neutral options in each group.

Names that literally tie to rainbows and sky

Parents on the internet often suggest names that connect directly to rainbows, weather and sky:

• Iris – Greek myth name meaning “rainbow”, tied to the messenger who links heaven and earth.
• Iridiana – Elaborate spin related to iris, used in some rainbow‑name lists.
• Skye / Sky / Skylar – Sky reference that can fit any gender.
• Ayla – Often linked to meanings like “moonlight” or “halo of light” depending on origin.
• Arcus – Inspired by arcus iris, Latin root behind the word rainbow.
• Walken – Listed in some parenting articles as a rare boy name linked to the idea of rainbow.

You can also choose soft nature colour names like Hazel, Violet, Indigo or Sage if you enjoy a quiet rainbow palette rather than a direct “rainbow” meaning.

Names that mean hope, faith and new beginnings

Hope is a huge theme in rainbow baby threads. One r/namenerds poster said they wanted a name that meant “hope or strength” because you need both to keep going through infertility.

• Amal – “Hope” in Arabic, used for any gender.
• Asha – Means “hope” in several South Asian contexts.
• Nadia – Often interpreted as “hope,” used in multiple languages.
• Kit – Short form linked to meanings like “bearing Christ” and used in rainbow baby lists under “hopeful” choices.
• Esperanza / Esme – Names tied to hope and beloved people.
• Nova – Latin for “new,” often chosen for the sense of a new chapter.

If your family has a specific faith tradition, you can look for names in that language that connect to hope, promise or covenant.

Names that mean joy, happiness, and light

These names show up again and again in rainbow baby lists online:

• Beatrix / Beatrice – Often interpreted as “bringer of joy” or “she who brings happiness.”
• Felicity – Linked to good fortune and deep happiness.
• Asher – Hebrew name often glossed as “happy” or “fortunate.”
• Felix – Latin for “happy” or “lucky.”
• Orlo – Mentioned in a Reddit thread as “bringer of light,” used by a parent of a rainbow baby boy.
• Eleni – Greek name related to “sun ray,” suggested in discussions of miracle babies.
• Lux / Lucia / Lucas – Names tied to “light.”

These are great if you want the focus on the happiness this child brings rather than on the past storm.

Names that carry blessing, gift, and miracle

Parents who call their child a miracle often search for names that say exactly that. Parenting and name‑site listicles lean heavily into this group:

• Dorothea / Theodora / Theodore – Variants that mean “gift of God.”
• Matthew / Matthias / Mattea – Names linked to “gift of God.”
• Benedict / Bennett / Benita – From a Latin root meaning “blessed.”
• Mira / Mirabel / Milagros – Names associated with “miracle” in different languages.
• Nessa – Sometimes interpreted as “miracle” or “pure.”

You can also borrow the middle‑name idea from the internet. One grieving parent picked a middle name that meant “lucky” after several losses and felt deeply comforted by that choice.

Names that whisper calm, peace, and healing

Some families want a sense of calm more than high‑energy joy. Names in this lane feel like a deep breath:

• Paloma – Means “dove,” used by one Redditor as a favourite rainbow‑baby option because of the peace imagery.
• Serena / Serenity – Names linked to calm and peacefulness.
• Gaia – One parent in r/namenerds chose this for a rainbow baby and described it as “the one who brings her parents joy.”
• Shiloh – Often connected to peace in religious contexts.
• Dove – Suggested more than once as a perfect middle name for a double rainbow baby.

If your grief feels raw, a softer peaceful name can feel more grounding than a fireworks‑style “miracle” name.

Nature names with rainbow energy

If literal rainbow or miracle names feel too intense, nature can give you plenty of gentle references. From suggestions and popular rainbow lists, you often see:

• River
• Sage
• Aspen
• Willow
• Aurora – Means “dawn,” used by some parents to symbolize a new day.
• Skye
• Storm / Stormi

You can also play with the idea of colour: think Ruby, Jade, Pearl, Coral, Goldie, Azure.

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Real Parent Strategies

If you read through a dozen rainbow baby posts, patterns start to appear. Here are some approaches real parents share:

• Split the decision.
  One parent chooses the first name, the other chooses the middle, or you divide by gender.

• Honour the previous baby in the middle name only.
  For example, a first name like Aurora paired with a middle that shares initials or meaning with the baby you lost.

• Use initials as a link.
  Keeping the same initials can feel meaningful without repeating the old name.

• Wait to “meet” the baby.
  Quite a few rainbow parents say they kept a shortlist and made the final choice after birth.

• Limit the audience.
  Many people decide to keep the name private from extended family until the birth to avoid painful comments. Some still invite a few very close friends to vote in a private poll instead.

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FAQ: Rainbow Baby Naming Questions

Q1. Do I have to choose a name that literally means rainbow?

No. Many parents prefer meanings like hope, joy, blessing or light rather than the exact word “rainbow.” Threads on r/namenerds are full of names such as Iris, Asher, Felix, Beatrix, Paloma and Aurora that aim for the feeling, not the literal translation.

Q2. Is it okay if my rainbow baby’s name has nothing to do with loss?

Yes. Your child is not a symbol. If a simple, long‑loved name feels right, you can choose that and remember your angel baby through photos, rituals, or keepsakes instead. Plenty of posts on the internet come from parents who ended up picking a favourite name they liked even before loss.

Q3. How can I honour my baby who died without putting that weight on this child?

Ideas that parents often share:

• Reuse a letter or initials in a subtle way.
• Choose a middle name tied to your previous baby’s name, birth month flower, or meaning.
• Pick a name meaning peace, dawn, or light that nods to healing more than grief.

Q4. What if my partner and I keep clashing on rainbow baby names?

Treat it as a process, not a fight. Set a time when you both bring 5 to 10 names and explain why each matters to you. Then:

• Star any overlaps.
• Create a shared short poll to rank them.
• Agree that both of you must at least like the final first name.

Couples often use rules like “two yes, one no,” where either partner can veto but both must agree for a name to stay.

A shared swiping tool or list‑builder that syncs between partners can help here. That is exactly the space your NominoSwipe concept fills.

Q5. Is it insensitive to call attention to the rainbow part on social media?

Grief communities tend to say: tell your story in the way that helps you heal, and remember that not everyone in your audience shares the same triggers.

You can:

• Share context for your rainbow if you feel safe doing so.
• Skip details and simply use the name and baby photo.
• Use private posts, close‑friends lists or password‑protected reveal pages if you want more control.

Q6. What is a “double rainbow baby name”?

Parents sometimes use “double rainbow baby” when there have been repeated losses before this pregnancy. Internet discussions show people looking for extra‑strong meanings here, such as names tied to victory, endurance, or doves.

Names like Victoria, Dove, Paloma or Eleni often pop up in that context.