Rainbows have long been a source of inspiration for humans, so it’s no surprise that we’ve created a number of names that reference these lovely, post-rain ribbons in the sky. You may even be surprised to learn that these names that mean rainbow are for both boys and girls.
First, there’s Iris and its cousin Iridiana. Iris was the ancient Greek messenger of the gods who is also a personification of the rainbow. It’s popular in a number of European countries but also broke into the top 100 baby names in the United States in 2024. Iridiana, on the other hand, is also Greek in origin and has the same meaning of ‘rainbow.’ However, only 65 baby girls born between 1880 and 2024 received the name, making it an alluring and unconventional name choice today.
For baby boys, there’s Walken. While most people think of beloved actor Christopher Walken when they hear this name, it has some surprisingly interesting roots. The name itself comes from the aboriginal Noongar culture in Australia, and is one of the few masculine names that mean ‘rainbow.’ Given the current surname-as-a-given-name trend here in the U.S., it could be the perfect pick for your little bundle of joy.
We’ve got more of these names that mean rainbow on our list below, so keep reading to learn more about them.
Amitola
Meaning: A beautiful rainbow
Origin: Native American
Gender: Girl
Arcus
Meaning: The Goddess of rainbow
Origin: Jamaican
Gender: Girl
Avilion
Meaning: A golden rainbow
Origin: English
Gender: Boy
Caihong
Meaning: A rainbow in the sky
Origin: Chinese
Gender: Girl
Chitrachap
Meaning: Rainbow
Origin: Indian
Gender: Boy
Cozamalotl
Meaning: Rainbow
Origin: Aztec
Gender: Girl
Eirisse
Meaning: Rainbow
Origin: Gothic
Gender: Girl
Enfys
Meaning: Rainbow
Origin: Welsh
Gender: Girl
Haricapa
Meaning: Rainbow
Origin: Indian
Gender: Boy
Iria
Meaning: Colorful or rainbow
Origin: Spanish
Gender: Girl
Iridiana
Meaning: Rainbow
Origin: Greek
Gender: Girl
Iris
Meaning: Rainbow
Origin: Greek
Gender: Girl
Isa
Meaning: Rainbow
Origin: German
Gender: Girl
Itzayana
Meaning: Rainbow lady
Origin: Spanish
Gender: Girl
Kahli
Meaning: Rainbow part
Origin: Hawaiian
Gender: Unisex
Kahukura
Meaning: Rainbow
Origin: Maori
Gender: Girl
Neelkamal
Meaning: One of the rainbow colors
Origin: Indian
Gender: Girl
Ngan
Meaning: Range of the rainbow
Origin: Australian
Gender: Girl
Rainbow
Meaning: A natural phenomenon, a rainbow
Origin: United States
Gender: Girl
Sabrang
Meaning: Rainbow
Origin: Indian
Gender: Unisex
Walken
Meaning: Rainbow
Origin: Australian Aboriginal
Gender: Boy
