Born on Sept. 9? You have the most common birthday in the United States
Happy birthday to you — and you and you and you and you!
Sept. 9 is the most common birthday in the United States, research shows, and it’s when George Vassilas, of Smithtown, will turn 11. He will host a party attended by 15 friends.
“I’m gonna invite all my friends over, and we’re gonna get a slide and put it in our backyard and play soccer,” George said last week.
Told he was born in the most common month, on the most common day, George said, “It’s pretty cool!”
Dr. Kim Waller — a perinatal epidemiologist at UTHealth Houston who has published a paper on the frequency of births by day — said the roughly 4 million births in the United States each year tend to peak in July, August and September. Delivery rooms even increase staffing during those times in anticipation of more births.
Waller pointed to an analysis showing that Sept. 9 averages to be the most common, albeit not by much.
During these peak months, she noted, the birthrate goes to about 12,000 births per day from about 11,000 births per day during other months.
“This very likely reflects planned pregnancies and greater sexual activity without contraception during the winter holidays,” said Waller, whose own birthday is Aug. 24.
Most births were on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, she said. Births on Saturdays and Sundays were about 40% to 50% lower than on those days, she said.
The daily birthrate drops on weekends and holidays, she said, because doctors don’t schedule deliveries then.
The day that George — youngest of five and now a sixth-grader at Accompsett Middle School — was born in 2013 was just happenstance, said his mom, Brenna Vassilas. The pregnancy was the only one of hers in which she wasn’t induced.
“The date wasn’t planned,” she said. “It was just one of those things, was the day that he picked.”
Looking back, about 40 weeks prior to Sept. 9 falls between Thanksgiving and Christmastime.
She said it's "the holidays; it’s cold outside, everybody is snuggling and warm and cozy. It’s a happy time."
Robert Nolan, 43, of Sayville, who works at the Suffolk County Board of Elections, found out he had the most common birthday after meeting others also born that day.
“People kept telling me they had the same birthday,” he said. “A friend of my mother’s, people I just met a while ago. I guess it’s a very popular day.”
Twins James and Ava Calandra, Accompsett Elementary School fifth-graders who turn 10 on Sept. 9, were born by cesarean section, and neither knew how common their birthday is until a reporter reached out.
“It’s kind of interesting,” James said, adding: “I look forward to it. I wish every day was my birthday.”
Ava added: “It’s OK having the most popular birthday."
Their mother, Dana, 41, said they will celebrate with a big party that will include an ice cream cake.
Jason Ross, 53, of Cedarhurst, found out he had the most common birthday while Googling which celebrities share his. (Adam Sandler, Hugh Grant, Colonel Sanders, Otis Redding, Michael Bublé and others are on the list.)
His mom, Ellen, 78, of San Antonio, said Jason was due on Labor Day but arrived late.
As a kid, Ross recalls having big parties with ice cream, hot dogs and more.
“Honestly, it was the worst time of year, cause you’re always going back to school, but it was also the best time because camp was over, everyone was back home and you could have your friends at your birthday party.”
But as an adult, he doesn’t make a big deal of his birthday anymore, and the pharmaceutical representative is anticipating the day to be exceptionally unenjoyable this year.
“This year in particular it’s misery because my boss put me on a ride-along with our compliance officer that day, so I told her, 'You owe me.'”
Happy birthday to you — and you and you and you and you!
Sept. 9 is the most common birthday in the United States, research shows, and it’s when George Vassilas, of Smithtown, will turn 11. He will host a party attended by 15 friends.
“I’m gonna invite all my friends over, and we’re gonna get a slide and put it in our backyard and play soccer,” George said last week.
Told he was born in the most common month, on the most common day, George said, “It’s pretty cool!”
Dr. Kim Waller — a perinatal epidemiologist at UTHealth Houston who has published a paper on the frequency of births by day — said the roughly 4 million births in the United States each year tend to peak in July, August and September. Delivery rooms even increase staffing during those times in anticipation of more births.
Waller pointed to an analysis showing that Sept. 9 averages to be the most common, albeit not by much.
During these peak months, she noted, the birthrate goes to about 12,000 births per day from about 11,000 births per day during other months.
“This very likely reflects planned pregnancies and greater sexual activity without contraception during the winter holidays,” said Waller, whose own birthday is Aug. 24.
Most births were on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, she said. Births on Saturdays and Sundays were about 40% to 50% lower than on those days, she said.
The daily birthrate drops on weekends and holidays, she said, because doctors don’t schedule deliveries then.
The day that George — youngest of five and now a sixth-grader at Accompsett Middle School — was born in 2013 was just happenstance, said his mom, Brenna Vassilas. The pregnancy was the only one of hers in which she wasn’t induced.
“The date wasn’t planned,” she said. “It was just one of those things, was the day that he picked.”
Looking back, about 40 weeks prior to Sept. 9 falls between Thanksgiving and Christmastime.
She said it's "the holidays; it’s cold outside, everybody is snuggling and warm and cozy. It’s a happy time."
Robert Nolan, 43, of Sayville, who works at the Suffolk County Board of Elections, found out he had the most common birthday after meeting others also born that day.
“People kept telling me they had the same birthday,” he said. “A friend of my mother’s, people I just met a while ago. I guess it’s a very popular day.”
Smithtown twins James and Ava Calandra will turn 10 on Sept. 9. Credit: Barry Sloan
Twins James and Ava Calandra, Accompsett Elementary School fifth-graders who turn 10 on Sept. 9, were born by cesarean section, and neither knew how common their birthday is until a reporter reached out.
“It’s kind of interesting,” James said, adding: “I look forward to it. I wish every day was my birthday.”
Ava added: “It’s OK having the most popular birthday."
Their mother, Dana, 41, said they will celebrate with a big party that will include an ice cream cake.
Jason Ross, left, celebrates his Sept. 9 birthday as a child with a big party. At right, he is seen last week with his dog. Credit: Family photo; Debbie Egan-Chin
Jason Ross, 53, of Cedarhurst, found out he had the most common birthday while Googling which celebrities share his. (Adam Sandler, Hugh Grant, Colonel Sanders, Otis Redding, Michael Bublé and others are on the list.)
His mom, Ellen, 78, of San Antonio, said Jason was due on Labor Day but arrived late.
As a kid, Ross recalls having big parties with ice cream, hot dogs and more.
“Honestly, it was the worst time of year, cause you’re always going back to school, but it was also the best time because camp was over, everyone was back home and you could have your friends at your birthday party.”
But as an adult, he doesn’t make a big deal of his birthday anymore, and the pharmaceutical representative is anticipating the day to be exceptionally unenjoyable this year.
“This year in particular it’s misery because my boss put me on a ride-along with our compliance officer that day, so I told her, 'You owe me.'”
Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.
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