Rainbow baby

First of all, I am very, very sorry for your loss.

Secondly, Grant, as a name, has nothing to do with the verb 'grant' = 'to give'. It's a Scottish surname probably derived from the French 'grand', meaning big.

Thirdly, in spite of what previous poster says, and backing up what another poster suggests, Cassius is an ancient Roman family name en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassia_gens It is not certain, but the name might refer to a pre-Roman Etruscan word meaning 'metal helmet' (which would of course be hollow). In any case, it almost certainly pre-dates the widespread introduction of Cassia (the spice) into the Roman world iwp.uiowa.edu/silkroutes/cassia-cinnamon The similarity of sound is just coincidental.

But, very, very gently OP, why notgive your new baby their own special first name? Remembering, with love, other family members - past or present - is surely what middle names are for.

I’m so sorry for you loss and I hope you’re doing OK. But I agree with previous posts- please don’t do it.
Please seek therapy if you feel like you need some help processing this but please don’t burden your new baby with this loss:( he is a brand new person with a whole brand new life ahead of him- please give him his very own name.

@AuntDympna my understanding is that the Latin origin does involve associations with 'hollow'/'vain'. But like many words and names it has a number of associations. For example, it's also the name of a purple pigment used in stained glass and porcelain. And like you say there's a link with cinnamon. I think the Latin root also is associated with 'cassis', which refers to a helmet (hollowed out on the inside).

I quite like it as a name, actually, as I like the classical connection and the colour purple.

Cassius, like the feminine Cassia, is almost certainly related to the sweet spice (it's often sold as "cinnamon" in the UK, but sometimes as cassia.)

Some of these etymologies are actively satirical, others are just wooden-headed. BTW I am SeanChailleach, I just changed my user name so people stopped thinking I was a bloke called Seán.

I’m a rainbow baby myself (not that that was a term then). I wasn’t given a name related to that fact, but I’ve always known what I came from, that it took something special for my parents to get me and the joy I brought them. It’s never been a case of being saddled, or burdened in any way. It’s a lovely feeling. If I’d happened to have a name that had some vague connection to that that no-one else knew (I’d avoid actually going with “Rainbow”)

I was originally going to say I wouldn’t dream of giving my rainbow baby their lost sibling’s name as a middle, but then I was thinking about a friend of mine who’s child’s middle name is the name of their sibling who died of cot death and it’s not actually any different to that when I really think about it.

Honestly, pay tribute to whoever you want, give your child whatever name meaning you want.

I really dislike the term Rainbow Baby.

Every baby is precious.

It does saddle them a bit.

Also Cassius means empty, hollow, vain depending on the translation. It's not a name I'd give any baby let alone a rainbow.

My rainbow baby has a vaguely appropriate name.

It’s a name we loved which happened to have a meaning that was very fitting of how special and precious they are and a celebration, which reflected the mood. Most people have no idea of the meaning. I don’t think it’s saddled them at all and it would be overthinking it to worry about it.

What @AliceinBorderland said.

What you are doing is like telling the baby that he is a substitute

Poor Daddy. I hope he doesn't know you blame him.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your baby in April, my rainbow baby boy is due in January and we will be calling him Lucas which means bringer of light Luke and Luca have the same meaning. His middle name is Owen which means young warrior. Other names I think work well for a rainbow boy are Felix which means happy, Theodore which means gift and Ethan which means Enduring strength.

I lost and had my rainbow baby and I was thinking of all these names that meant something special, when really I didn't even like them but wanted that connection.
We didn't go with any of them and I'm glad we didn't.

Name the baby you sadly lost.

I am so sorry you didn't get to meet that little one but this baby is a new life, his own person. Please don't burden him with living a life for the baby that didn't make it. I lost my first and last babies, they can't be replaced and the one's in between are loved for being them not for being the baby that came afterwards.

I'm afraid I don't like 'grant-Ed a new life' - this baby is not a reincarnation of your lost baby, he is his own person.

As much as i empathise with your struggle, I have to agree with this.

Your baby is not a replacement, not God fixing a mistake, they are their own person, separate from the story of the babies that came before.

Don't use this baby as a commemorative plate for his sibling. Don't saddle him with the psychological reminder of being "the one who lived".

I agree with naming the baby you lost, rather than giving this baby a name based on it's meaning in that way. They're all individuals.

That said, a large proportion of names could fit your wishes in this way, as all babies are a special gift/a ray of light; Bodhi, Theodore, Asher, Mateo, Elio, Asa, etc etc. You could likely just choose the name you like and find a way to explain the connection.

My friend did use the name of the baby she lost as a middle name later on, which I guess is no different to people using parents' and grandparents' names - not very controversial!

Firstly, I'm so sorry for your loss. I also lost a baby earlier this year and my partner and I was utterly devastated.

What we found helped was naming our lost baby as she now has her own identity and we can refer to her as a name rather than as a tragic incident that happened.

I'm now currently pregnant again and touch wood everything seems to be going well so far. We're currently deciding on baby names but we won't be using any of the names to allude to our lost child as she has her own name if that makes sense?

I just feel all of my children should have their own identities. That said, it'd be lovely if you could have a bear made for your newborn to commemorate the baby you lost (maybe a bear in rainbow colours?) so that they have some physical connection to them right there in their cot? We're thinking of doing something similar.

Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy xx

Don't make this baby a tribute to the one you lost. It's not fair. Pick a name you love for itself.

Also, are you getting any sort of help to deal with your grief? You say 'daddy bought Covid into the house' rather than 'I caught Covid', which suggests a degree of blame.

I’m so sorry, I misread that! I read it as “someone told me” not something. Ignore me.

I’m so sorry, I misread that! I read it as “someone told me” not something. Ignore me.

I’m so sorry, I totally misread that! I read it as “someone told me”. Ignore me

Nathaniel. Grant and Beau aren’t nice names. I also don’t think it’s fair to make your new baby bear the weight of a memorial name for your child who died.

So something told me after deciding the middle name that his middle should represent rainbow baby somehow.

They said this after you’d already decided on a full name? If you had already settled on a name that you like, don’t feel like you have to change it. There is no “should” about his name having to represent something.
But for what it’s worth, Nathaniel would be my favourite.