It’s special to be able to name any baby, but if you’re welcoming a rainbow baby – a baby who is born after the loss of their sibling either through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death – choosing a name for that sweet miracle baby becomes that much more meaningful.
Although the concept of having a rainbow baby is completely bittersweet, these babies represent hope, strength, and joy for their families after they’ve gone through such tragic loss, which can help to inspire significant names. Scroll through for some of the most beautiful name ideas for your rainbow baby.
Related: Mom's Reaction to Holding Her Newborn Rainbow Baby Is So Powerful
Unsplash / Josh Willink
A Name That Starts With Their Sibling's First Initial
Naming your baby with their late sibling in mind is one of the sweetest ways to honor them. Whether you use the first initial of their name to inspire your rainbow baby’s first or middle name, it’s going to be meaningful.
Unsplash / Emma Bauso
Use Their Late Sibling's Name as a Middle Name
Depending on the name you chose and the sex of both babies, you could use the first name you’d given your late child to be a middle name for your rainbow baby.
Unsplash / Ksenia Chernaya
Names That Honor the Joy and Hope a Rainbow Baby Brings
Whether the name you choose is literally something like Joy, Miracle, or Hope or a name that means happiness, joy, miracle, blessed, or something else inspiring, there are so many cute ideas.
Here are a few names we love that have positive meanings:
- Bennett (meaning “blessed”)
- Aliza (meaning “joyful”)
- Asher (meaning “fortunate, blessed, happy one”)
- Beatrix (meaning “she who brings happiness; blessed”)
- Luke (meaning “light giving”)
- Esme (meaning “beloved”)
- Caius (meaning “to rejoice”)
- Priya (meaning “beloved”)
- Felix (meaning “happy, fortunate”)
- Gia (meaning “god’s gracious gift”)
- Theo (meaning “divine gift”)
Related: Fall in Love With 100 of the Most Gorgeous Baby Names and Their Meanings
Unsplash / Truth Enock
Names That Represent or Literally Mean "Rainbow"
There are a few names that relate to a rainbow in some way (like one of its colors!), and they’re all so fitting for a little rainbow baby.
- Iris (meaning “rainbow”)
- Rainbow
- Beau
- Indigo
- Violet
