A Double Rainbow Isn't As Rare as You Think, but Does It Have a Special Meaning?
There is a specific time of day when you can see a double rainbow.
Published Oct. 21 2025, 11:19 a.m. ET
A double rainbow might seem even more special than spotting a single traditional rainbow in the wild. And for some people, it is. But what does a double rainbow mean? For older millennials, it goes back to a beloved viral video of a man filming a double rainbow in absolute awe. For others, it means the potential for a double pot of gold at the end of it. OK, just kidding on that last part.
Depending on who you ask, a double rainbow could have a special meaning and more importance than a singular rainbow. In either case, young kids might appreciate spotting one more than those of us who have seen plenty in our lives. But it's hard not to wonder what the hidden meaning or even spiritual meaning behind a double rainbow could be.
What does a double rainbow mean?
In a spiritual sense, according to Soul Inner, a double rainbow can symbolize transformation and connection to Heaven or a higher power. It can also be seen as a divine message of sorts. Some also see a double rainbow as a sign of good fortune, likely because of the pot of gold myth involving rainbows in general. Given the natural way rainbows are formed, it's hard not to see a little magic or wonder in them, even for adults.
A double rainbow can also be a sign of a new beginning or of hope. Per Fox News, when a double rainbow appeared over the scene of the 9/11 attacks more than 20 years after they happened, people took the image as a sign of hope, like a rainbow or sun after a storm. Scientifically speaking, though, a double rainbow means something else.
According to the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), a rainbow is formed when light, or sunlight, is reflected in water droplets. Then, wavelengths of light shine out of the droplets to create color in the form of rainbows. This is why people tend to see rainbows after storms or in the middle of a rainstorm when the sun comes out.
A double rainbow happens when the light is reflected twice. So, outside of a spiritual or emotional meaning about what a double rainbow means, its existence means that water droplets and sunlight connected more than once.
When can you see a double rainbow?
The best time to spot a double rainbow is at sunrise or sunset. Per Sky-Lights.org, it's all about having the sun behind you and the rain in front of you. It also helps to have a darker sky so that the contrast of the color of the double rainbow is brighter and easier to see. The outer rainbow in a double rainbow might also be a little harder to see, but there are plenty of examples of people spotting double rainbows on social media.
Luckily, everyone is free to interpret rainbows and double rainbows however they want. Some might see them as beautiful natural phenomena and nothing more. Others may prefer the deeper meaning behind them.