Peaceful and powerful, this unisex nature name is simple and not too weird for a child of either gender born today to bear. Potentially a name for your son or daughter on the way, this punchy little name could be the best for your new addition to the family. But does Rain’s rarity make the name simply too exotic or gloomy for a child? Or does Rain’s imagery keep the name a peaceful and natural choice for a baby or adult? Today, I’m taking a good look at the name Rain, including analyzing the good, the bad, and of course, the popularity and origin. If you’re hoping to get my opinion on the name Rain, I would suggest sticking around to the end. So with that, readers, let’s begin.
Pros
People often cite the rain as being relaxing. Sleep tracks, those aesthetically pleasing instagram “inspirational” quotes, and 1 hour YouTube calm song mixes all often use rain as a backdrop to their content because of its calming qualities. For many, Rain has an aspect of tranquility, both the name and the weather, making it an ideal baby name already. The right vibes are always key in choosing a lovely name for a child, and Rain has the loveliest relaxing effect. The imagery of raindrops slowly dripping down a window, the sounds of the rain pattering against the glass rhythmically, and the image of raindrops rolling down the sides of an umbrella slowly all come bundled up in this name for me, and it’s honestly very soothing. But this name doesn’t just feel calm and steady. There’s also plenty of fun associated with the rain. Little rain boots splashing in muddy puddles as it pours also comes to mind, adventurous little ones who adore playing in the water. With both calm and tranquil vibes and energetic and adventurous characteristics, Rain is a delightful name for any personality.
And, as is obviously detailed above, Rain is very much an evident nature name. No “it means ‘tree’”, just a flat-out, evident nature name. Nature names are in lately with both boys and girls, but Rain belongs to a smaller subcategory of nature names related to weather. Windy, Stormi, Autumn, Skye, Summer, Sunny etc. all belong to this category, and these names do tend to be fairly popular. They’re not incredibly on-trend, ensuring that your Rain will most definitely not be one of many, but Rain belongs to a hot enough group that Winter and Dawn’s parents won’t gawk when they hear your little one’s name hollered out at graduation. And sound wise, Rain certainly isn’t lagging behind the trends either. As a girl name, she sounds a bit like a condensed version of #102 Reagan, and #113 Raelynn. As a boy name, Rain has the masculine sound of #258 Lane or #54 Ryan. Overall, Rain has a sound that feels similar enough to hang with the trends, but not quite similar enough that a teacher will call on your little Rain and Rayen, Ren, Ray, and Wraym (hypothetically all Top 100 names) will all begin to speak.
In addition, Rain has that wonderful one syllable magic that already lends to a brilliantly successful middle name for both boys and girls, a powerful ending to a tame classic or a slim, trim, nature-y twist to a long and extravagant choice. Rain’s not necessarily the next Marie or James in terms of the middle names everyone loves, but it’s a name just common enough to feel familiar and just rare enough to add an unexpected punch to any combo. Rain is versatile and can be paired with both an uncommon or mainstream choice due to its flexibility.
Cons
“Rain, rain, go away!” I mean, imagine the potential teasing. As children, most of us heard this song a few times, and for a little girl or boy called Rain in a kindergarten class where the teacher likes to play or sing nursery rhymes, this could possibly be embarrassing. Even the offhanded jokes from close friends surrounding this song may be annoying, particularly given the frequency with which Rains hear this joke. In addition, many would be shocked to discover that the names Rain or Raine have never appeared in the top 1000. I was stunned when I discovered this, but it’s true. And there must be good reason for parents to dodge giving their child this weather name, particularly given that even the alternative spelling Raine, which potentially feels more name-like, doesn’t rank, either. If a name has never charted, there’s probably some pretty good reasons behind that, particularly given the uptick in nature names and out-of the box word names lately. And I may have some answers to the question of Rain’s chronic unpopularity (#1504 for girls, #3383 for boys). First off, Rain suffers from no nicknames. Something I always look for, particularly in uncommon names, is a commonplace nickname to fall back on, something endearing and sweet. There’s always Rainie, which rhymes with cute nicknames Janie and Lanie, but that excludes the boys with the name and doubles the original name’s syllable count, which is exactly what a nickname is not supposed to do. That also opens the door for more unwanted jokes and references like “Rainy day” etc. Other than that less than ideal option, Rain is just plain and slim without any sweet personalization options from family to family. In addition, I’ve seen several comments on this name referring to it as a bit too hippy, as many uncommon nature names are. Rain is quite a statement in the first spot, and there are some hippy connotations attached to that. I’ve also seen “too stripper” as a thought on Rain, again, due to the nature name being such a rarity. In fact, much of Rain’s rarity is due to her uncommon aspect. Rain is just too weird, too associated to the precipitation, and too connected to naming stereotypes to really hit it off with the general public and win the hearts of many new parents. Finally, one would think that choosing such a short and simple name as Rain would guarantee no confusion with spelling. But in fact, the only Rain variation that ranks in the top 1000 is the girl name Rayne at #739, so you’re pretty much doomed to get spelling questions no matter the spelling or gender you do choose for your little one.
Combos
Lila Rain
Rain Josephine
Ellis Rain
Rain Francis
Predictions For Rain:
I doubt that Rain will be among the highest risers of next year. But I do think that there will be a slight uptick in little Rains/Raines. Rayne, the more popular alternative spelling, is climbing, and the sound is fresh and current enough to warrant a couple more children bearing the name in coming years. I personally find Rain a fresh and calming baby name, a name at it’s best when used as a middle name for a lovely little boy. Thank you so much for reading, Name Warehouse, and have a wonderful rest of your day!
Sincerely,
-Delphina Moon
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