# How many Feb. 29s have you seen? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 13, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177 "2013-02-13T14:38:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/1 "2013-02-13T14:38:58Z")
As a variation on the “how old are you?” threads in progress, this one won’t need updating for three years, Just pick the poll option that has the **earliest** Leap Year you were alive for. Here’s the list for everybody under 100 – which ought to catch the large majority of us. This poll will let others see where you “voted” in case you prefer to be funny. 2012 - 1 2008 - 2 2004 - 3 2000 - 4 1996 - 5 1992 - 6 1988 - 7 1984 - 8 1980 - 9 1976 - 10 1972 - 11 1968 - 12 1964 - 13 1960 - 14 1956 - 15 1952 - 16 1948 - 17 1944 - 18 1940 - 19 1936 - 20 1932 - 21 1928 - 22 1924 - 23 1920 - 24 1916 - 25 1912 - 26 ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/2 "2013-02-13T14:53:16Z")
My twins came very close to being born on 29 Feb 2000, which was a one-in-400 date. My wife even went into false labor that morning. But they held on another two weeks… (Leap Day is inserted every four years, except in years ending in 00 - omitted once a century - except-except when the year is also evenly divisible by 400.) ---
**Author:** ![the\_apples\_fell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@the\_apples\_fell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_apples_fell)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/3 "2013-02-13T14:54:06Z")
1. I was born in 1992. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/4 "2013-02-13T15:05:12Z")
10 - 1975. ---
**Author:** ![jools](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@jools](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jools)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/5 "2013-02-13T15:14:39Z")
12 - I was born in August 64, so in Feb I was not yet “alive” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/6 "2013-02-13T15:16:07Z")
> [@jools](#): > > 12 - I was born in August 64, so in Feb I was not yet “alive” There are those who would argue that! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/7 "2013-02-13T16:51:35Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > … 29 Feb 2000, which was a one-in-400 date… That’s the day that I completed everything for my PhD. While talking with a co-worker at my former job, it turned out that she also completed her PhD on that day. She got her degree in the Netherlands, while mine is in the USA. Just an odd coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/8 "2013-02-13T17:37:48Z")
Seventeen. There are others here who have seen more. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/9 "2013-02-13T17:39:54Z")
Wow, **Vinyl Turnip** , I always pictured you a lot older. In elementary school, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Inter\_Alia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@Inter\_Alia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inter_Alia)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/10 "2013-02-13T18:02:22Z")
I was born on February 28 of a Leap Year. It’s amazing how many people think Feb. 28 is Leap Day. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/11 "2013-02-13T18:04:35Z")
> [@Inter\_Alia](#): > > I was born on February 28 of a Leap Year. It’s amazing how many people think Feb. 28 is Leap Day. That’s an interesting variation on the notion of a “cusp.” ---
**Author:** ![thatguyjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6de8d8/32.png) [@thatguyjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thatguyjeff)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/12 "2013-02-13T18:40:49Z")
Your list is flawed. There was no Feb 29th in 2000. Although it follows the standard 4 year cycle, there is a little known exception for the millennium year. And actually, that might even be every 100th year. I would have to double check. I was born in '72. I have seen 10 Feb 29ths. Edit - I was wrong. Your list is correct. The exception is 100th years unless that year is divisible by 400. So there was a Feb 29th in 2000. But there will not be one in 2100. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/13 "2013-02-13T18:46:25Z")
> [@thatguyjeff](#): > > Your list is flawed. There was no Feb 29th in 2000. Although it follows the standard 4 year cycle, there is a little known exception for the millennium year. > > I was born in '72. I have seen 10 Feb 29ths. Check your source(s). The year 2000 was a Leap Year. The non-Leap-Year century years were 1900, 1800 and 1700. They were not divisible by 400. But 2000 was. See [Calendar 2000](http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/?year=2000) Also see [Why will 2100 not be a leap year? - Answers](http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_2000_is_not_a_leap_year) ETA: I see your correction. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/14 "2013-02-13T19:24:04Z")
Two of my mom’s brothers married ladies with February 29th birthdays. One was born in 1952, the other in 1956. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/15 "2013-02-13T21:54:38Z")
Another one who was born in a Leap Year but after Feb 29th. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/16 "2013-02-13T22:28:24Z")
14, assuming Leap Yeats occur only in Leap Years. ETA: Hah! My wife has seen 15 Feb. 29s because of her birthday earlier in the year. Have to remind her about that. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/17 "2013-02-14T00:14:12Z")
> [@thatguyjeff](#): > > The exception is 100th years unless that year is divisible by 400. That’s what I said. We have fun every year calculating how old the twins would be had they nailed the February 29th date. They’ll be 0.0325 years old this year. (Yes, I know, it’s ridiculous, but I know a number of Feb 29 babies who consider themselves only, say, 10.) ---
**Author:** ![RickG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rickg/32/5174_2.png) [@RickG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickG)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/18 "2013-02-14T00:19:45Z")
Born in '64, but after 2/29, so my first leap day was in 1968 (12). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/19 "2013-02-14T14:35:16Z")
I’m hoping it’s just because this is early in the “voting” time, but there’s something I have been noticing for quite a while now: ```auto 2000 - 4 0 0% 1996 - 5 1 1.33% 1992 - 6 1 1.33% 1988 - 7 5 6.67% 1984 - 8 9 12.00% 1980 - 9 7 9.33% 1976 - 10 10 13.33% 1972 - 11 5 6.67% <=== 1968 - 12 7 9.33% <=== 1964 - 13 9 12.00% 1960 - 14 8 10.67% 1956 - 15 6 8.00% 1952 - 16 1 1.33% 1948 - 17 4 5.33% 1944 - 18 1 1.33% 1940 - 19 0 0% Voters: 75 ``` Those “\<===” points should be better represented unless we have some weird demographics either at SDMB or in voters in ths poll. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177/20 "2013-03-26T14:09:04Z")
What with the “how many presidents?” thread getting all sorts of action lately, I thought I’d give this one a bump in case it hadn’t been seen before by those interested in such trivia. It could be interesting to compare people’s numbers on both threads, since the typical presidential stay is about a Leap Year’s worth. ETA: For reference I have seen 13 presidents and 18 Leap Years. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-feb-29s-have-you-seen/650177.md?page=2)