Rainbow
A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a continuous spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The rainbow takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows caused by sunlight always appear in the section of sky directly opposite the sun. Rainbows can be caused by many forms of airborne water.
Meaning & Origin of Rainbow
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a continuous spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The rainbow takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows caused by sunlight always appear in the section of sky directly opposite the sun. Rainbows can be caused by many forms of airborne water.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Rainbow
Rainbow first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1971, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1980, when 28 Rainbows were born — ranking #3,069 that year. As of 2026, Rainbow ranks #8,558 for baby girls with 11 births, falling sharply (-36%). In total, more than 611 Rainbows have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Rainbow
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rainbow is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rainbow
What does the name Rainbow mean?
How popular is Rainbow in 2026?
When was Rainbow most popular?
In which U.S. states is Rainbow most popular?
Is Rainbow a unisex name?
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About the name Rainbow
Rainbow is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 611 births in the dataset. Rainbow's peak popularity came in 1980 when it ranked #3,069. Use the chart and map above to compare Rainbow's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1980 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.