Fun Facts About Leap Year Day Babies

This Friday is Leap Year Day, also known as "Leap Day." If you're due (or past due) this week, you may end up having a Leap Day/Leap Year Day baby. There are only about 5 million people around the world who share this birthday, but that's not the only reason it's considered a special and unique birthday. 

The leap year and extra day (Leap Day) was instituted officially in 1582 with the Gregorian calendar (though it dates back to ancient Egyptian times) due to the amount of time it takes the earth to go around the sun, and as a measure to help keep the seasons occurring at the same time every year. 

Fun Facts About Being Born on Leap Day

• There is an approximate 1 in 1,461 chance of having a baby on Leap Day -- if you're that lucky, you might as well buy a lottery ticket too!
• If your baby is born on Leap Day, you can now join the Honor Society of Leap Year Day Babies, a fun, free and informative organization that both celebrates and educates others on the fun and some of the challenges of having a Leap Day birthday.
• Apart from "cute," you can also refer to your special baby as a "leaper" or "leapling," which is what Leap Day birthday folks refer to themselves.
• Anthony, Texas is known as the Leap Year Capitol of the World and throws a giant festival every Leap Year where people come from all around the world to celebrate their February 29 birthday. Plan now for your little one's fourth birthday in 2024!
• Because not all technology systems have caught up, leapers may experience hassles and difficulties with recognition of their birth date. Sometimes, drop down menus do not have February 29 as a choice, and birthday loyalty programs may not have a way to recognize Leap Day birthdays in non-Leap Years. Also, some leaplings also are questioned about their birthday, thinking it is a mistake.
• During non-leap years, leaplings celebrate their birthday on February 28 or March 1, or on any day they choose! It's common for leapers to recite their age in "leap year age" (ie, a 16 year-old would say she is only 4).
• If you're looking for a unique name to commemorate your child's rare birthday, consider one of the following suggestions:
  • Julia/Julius - After Julius Caesar, who introduced the leap year
  • Delta - The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the leap year's occurrence every four years
  • Romana/Roman - After the Roman Empire, from which the leap year originated
  • Aurora - Roman goddess of the sunrise, representing the earth's orbit around the sun
  • A translation of the word "leap" - "Salto" in Spanish, "Lele" in Hawaiian, "Ruka" in Swahili

Published: February 24, 2020

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