Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1980

Rainbow

Gender Girl Rank 2025 #6,767
Rank 2025
#6,767
among girls · ↑2,664 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
17
named Rainbow
How common
1 in 94,545
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1980
28 babies
All-time total
606
#10,491 all-time among girls
First recorded
1971
in Social Security records

Rainbow popularity over time

606 babies have been named Rainbow since 1971, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.010.020.0218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1980Girls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s – – – –
1960s – – – –
1970s 112 11 – #3,984
1980s 130 13 +16% #3,114
1990s 48 5 -63% #8,565
2000s 54 5 +13% #9,015
2010s 152 15 +181% #5,108
2020s (to 2025) 110 18 +21% #5,453

The story of Rainbow

Rainbow is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #6,767 in 2025 with 17 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1971, 606 American babies have been named Rainbow. Its peak came in 1980, when 28 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Rainbow stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Rainbow?

The median living Rainbow is about 24 years old; half are between 7 and 44. An estimated 600 people named Rainbow are alive in the United States today.

median 24 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Rainbow year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 17 #6,767
2024 11 #9,431
2023 20 #6,111
2022 18 #6,652
2021 21 #5,902
2020 23 #5,453
2019 25 #5,283
2018 26 #5,108
2017 19 #6,481
2016 15 #7,898
2015 13 #8,840
2014 10 #10,766
2013 16 #7,672
2012 7 #14,652
2011 10 #11,005
2010 11 #10,308
2009 8 #13,407
2008 7 #15,034
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 10 #10,257
2002 7 #13,296
2001 11 #9,216
2000 11 #9,015
1995 7 #11,457
1990 5 #14,635
1985 8 #8,112
1980 28 #3,114
1975 13 #4,778
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Rainbow

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Rainbow Sun Francks Rainbow Sun Francks Canadian actor b. 1979 · Contemporary
  2. 2 Rainbow Rowell Rainbow Rowell American writer b. 1973 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Rainbow, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Rainbow?

The median living Rainbow is about 24 years old. Half of all living Rainbows are between 7 and 44 years old.

How many people named Rainbow are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Rainbow are alive in the United States, based on 606 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Rainbow in 2025?

Rainbow ranked #6,767 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 17 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Rainbow?

606 babies have been named Rainbow in the United States since 1971, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Rainbow most popular?

Rainbow peaked in 1980, when 28 newborns received the name.

Is Rainbow a boy or girl name?

Rainbow is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Rainbow rising or falling?

Rainbow is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Rainbow?

Well-known people named Rainbow include Rainbow Sun Francks (actor), Rainbow Rowell (writer).

Names like Rainbow

Names that sound and feel close to Rainbow: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Rainbow with similar names → More names starting with R →