Delivering a baby on Leap Day is something special—in fact, it’s the rarest birthday a person can have! Since February 29 only comes around every four years, many people born on this day emphasize celebration (and rightly so).
But what is a leap day anyway? Here's a science lesson: It takes Earth a little more than 365 days (365.25 days, to be exact) to orbit the sun. Approximately every four years, we make up that extra time with a "leap day." If we didn’t add this additional day into our calendars, the seasons would start to shift over time, leading to complications with farming, school schedules, and more.
The concept of a leap day has been around for millennia, but having a February 29 birthday is just as special as ever. Read on for 10 fun facts about leap year birthdays.
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1. It’s the rarest birthday of them all.
Only about5 millionpeopleworldwide were born on February 29. You have a1 in 1,461 chanceof giving birth on Leap Day.
2. People born on Leap Day are called "leaplings" or "leapers."
While other parents call their little ones "cutie" or "sweetie pie," you can call your February 29 baby a "leaper" or a "leapling" (how adorable is that?). Your child can connect with other leaplings through the Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies on social media.
3. Leapers choose when to celebrate their birthday.
So when do people born on February 29 celebrate their birthday in a year with 365 days? They often choose either February 28 or March 1. Some leapers are loyal to February, while others argue that they can’t celebrate one day before they existed and go with March 1.
4. Your February 29 baby has some famous company.
Did you know that Supermanwas born on Leap Day? He may be a fictional character, but it’s easy to see why this superhero would also have the most unique birthday. Other celebrities born on February 29 include rapper Ja Rule, Mark Foster of the band Foster the People, motivational speaker Tony Robbins, and soap opera star Antonio Sabato Jr.
5. Anthony, Texas is the self-proclaimed "Leap Year Capital of the World."
This town in Texas hosts a Quadrennial Leap Year Festival, which was started by resident Mary Ann Brown. People come from all around to enjoy live music, attractions for kids, local eats, craft vendors, and more.
6. Leap Day is sometimes synonymous with “ladies’ choice.”
On February 29, also known as Bachelor’s Day (or Ladies’ Privilege Day), there’s an Irish tradition of women initiating dances or proposing marriage to men. According to legend, it stems from a deal St. Brigid struck with St. Patrick when she asked for women to have the right to propose.
7. Leap Day is considered unlucky in some cultures.
In Scotland, it’s said that being born on a leap day will lead to a life of bad luck. The Greeks deem a leap year an unlucky time to get married, as the union is doomed to end in divorce. Not every culture shares these superstitions though. Indeed, many people think February 29 brings good fortune!
8. Your leapling can say they’re 8 years old when they’re really 32.
Most leapers think about their "actual" age as well as their quadrennial age. So while they may be 32 years old, they’ve only had eight actual birthdays, making them technically 8 years old!
9. There’s a special leap year co*cktail for parents to enjoy.
Created by Harry Craddock for February 29 festivities at London's Savoy Hotel in 1928, this concoction contains gin, sweet vermouth, Grand Marnier, and lemon juice. If you like it, you don’t actually have to wait four years to enjoy it again.
10. Many leapers go "all out" with celebrations.
If your little one is turning 4, 8, 12, or 16, it’s time to do it up! Even adult leapers have carte blanche to go wild—can you blame them since they only get a "real" birthday every four years? The next leap years will be in 2028, 2032, and 2036 which are a long way away, so that’s definitely cause to celebrate this February 29!
FAQs
People born on leap day are often called "leaplings" or "leapers." Most of them don't wait every four years to celebrate their birthdays, but instead blow out the candles on Feb. 28 or March 1. According to History.com, about 4.1 million people around the world have been born on Feb.
What are some facts about people born on leap day? ›
People born on leap day are often called "leaplings" or "leapers." Most of them don't wait every four years to celebrate their birthdays, but instead blow out the candles on Feb. 28 or March 1. According to History.com, about 4.1 million people around the world have been born on Feb.
What happens to babies born on leap day? ›
When it comes to legal documents, such as obtaining a passport or driver's license, the date February 29th is recognized as the official birthday for leaplings in most countries. However, some states in the U.S. allow the leapling to celebrate their birthday on either February 28th or March 1st on non-leap years.
What are leap day babies called? ›
(WPVI) -- Of the approximately eight billion people on earth, an estimated five million share a Leap Day birthday. They are known as leaplings.
Who is the most famous person born on Leap Day? ›
As Leap day is a pretty rare occurrence (the odds of being born in it are 1 in 1,461, according to PEOPLE) there are few celebrities that were born this day. These include Ja Rule, Mark Foster, Antonio Sabato, Tony Robbins, Dinah Shore, and Dennis Farina.
What is the rarest birthday? ›
What are the rarest birthdays? February 29th: February 29th (Leap Day during Leap Year) is the rarest birthday with only a one in roughly 1,460 chance of being born on this date. February is one of the least popular months for new births.
What happens if you are born on February 29 legally? ›
If you're born in a leap year, when can you legally drink, vote, or drive? Legality in terms of drinking and voting is not impacted by leap years, even if someone is "technically" not 18 or 21. If you're born on February 29, your birthday would be observed after 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 28 — or March 1 — on non-leap years.
How rare is it to be born on a leap year? ›
“It makes the day a lot more special.” There is only a 1 in 1,461 chance of giving birth on the leap day holiday, making it the most rare birthday a person can have.
What are the 3 rules for leap years? ›
Every year that is exactly divisible by four is a leap year, except for years that are exactly divisible by 100, but these centurial years are leap years if they are exactly divisible by 400. For example, the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 are not leap years, but the years 1600 and 2000 are.
Is there a day no one was born? ›
Is there a day when no one was born? Almost certainly not, at least not in terms of modern humans. For that to be a plausible possibility, the population would would have to be very small, say 20,000 - 40,000 individuals. A population that small is in danger of extinction.
February 29 is a horological abnormality, appearing only once every four years. Every other year, the calendar goes straight from February 28 to March 1. My mom told me that the hospital staff not merely offered, but urged her to change my birthdate to March 1.
Did you know facts about leap day? ›
Without leap day, our calendar would be off by about 24 days every century, or every 100 years! The first leap year was introduced in 46 BCE by Julius Caesar of Rome. People born on a Leap Day are sometimes called leaplings. More than 4 million people around the world are leaplings.
Who created leap day? ›
While many calendars throughout history show evidence of leap year-like adjustments, the modern leap day is credited to Julius Caesar, according to the BBC.
What do people born on leap day do? ›
Those born on that day don't always get to celebrate their actual birthday — since that date occurs only every four years. Someone born on Leap Day typically celebrates birthdays on Feb. 28 or March 1.
What if someone's birthday is on a Leap Day? ›
If you're born on February 29, your birthday would be observed after 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 28 — or March 1 — on non-leap years.
How old are leap year babies legally? ›
His legal thinking is that February 29 is the day after February 28, so a person born on February 29 is legally considered to have aged one year on the day after February 28. In non-leap years, that day is March 1.
How rare is Leap Day birthday? ›
According to the Associated Press, there are about 5 million people worldwide who share the Leap Day birthday out of about 8 billion people on the planet. It's the rarest birth date on the planet with only a 1 in roughly 1,460 chance of being born on this date.
What are the characteristics of people born on leap year? ›
People who are born on February 29th have a variety of characteristics that are both individual and grounded in reality. However, despite the fact that they are frequently seen as unique and exciting, they possess the calming energy of the number 4. In general, leap year babies are well-balanced, steady, and resilient.
