# So who was born on October 5th, the most popular birth date in America? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 5, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689 "2011-10-05T15:20:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/21 "2011-10-06T13:34:40Z")
I was born on the fifth, of may. I know a lot of people born on the fifth of some month… ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/22 "2011-10-06T14:22:12Z")
My son was due to arrive on October 4th. :o He was a few days late, though. Gets that from his dad. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/23 "2011-10-06T14:58:08Z")
One of my sons was born Sept 23rd. …guess we were ‘Home for the Holidays’, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/24 "2011-10-06T15:41:21Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > This sounds like an urban legend. [According to this, the most common U.S. birthday is September 16.](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/19/business/20leonhardt-table.html) October 5 is _about_ 40 weeks after New Year’s Eve, but not everybody stays home and does the nasty on NYE. According to our Parasitologist, the Sept. 16 date _is_ accurate for implantations occurring on the New Year. There’s a bit of wiggle room, but the strict nine months thing is a misnomer. Why did we ask him? We know far beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Dudeling became more than a twinkle in our eyes on New Year’s Day (now _that_ was a cure for a hangover!). I was pretty stoked that he’d have an October birthday (big fans of Halloween), but when the Doc broke it to us that his date was in mid-September, I was crestfallen. Lamest. Birthday month. Ever. (Okay, it probably sucks a bit more to have a December birthday, so maybe it’s second-worst.) I scoured and scoured to find something to give me hope, asking several Parasitologists over time and combing Google, but alas, September it was. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/25 "2011-10-06T15:50:24Z")
My son was born on my birthday. I guess my folks and I have something in common. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/26 "2011-10-06T15:50:30Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > One of my sons was born Sept 23rd. > > …guess we were ‘Home for the Holidays’, huh? Yeah, in addition to the aforementioned son, my daughter was due on September 23, born the 24th. I feel so unoriginal. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/27 "2011-10-06T15:54:43Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > According to our Parasitologist, the Sept. 16 date _is_ accurate for implantations occurring on the New Year. There’s a bit of wiggle room, but the strict nine months thing is a misnomer. > > Why did we ask him? We know far beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Dudeling became more than a twinkle in our eyes on New Year’s Day (now _that_ was a cure for a hangover!). I was pretty stoked that he’d have an October birthday (big fans of Halloween), but when the Doc broke it to us that his date was in mid-September, I was crestfallen. Lamest. Birthday month. Ever. (Okay, it probably sucks a bit more to have a December birthday, so maybe it’s second-worst.) I scoured and scoured to find something to give me hope, asking several Parasitologists over time and combing Google, but alas, September it was. You’re so very, very wrong. September is awesome. First of all, when you go back to school in late August, you’re one of the first to have a birthday in the entire class, so you get to bring a lot of cupcakes and everyone likes you. Second, all your friends have September birthdays, too. So you get a bunch of presents and then get to go to all your friends’ houses for their parties right when the weather is still nice and you’re still excited about school. Worst birthday month? December. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/28 "2011-10-06T16:31:57Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > Your estimated conception date was between Sunday, May 15, 2061 and Sunday, May 22, 2061 > > I knew it … alien time traveling parents. Likewise when I added ‘19’ to the front of ‘59’ it gave a conception date in the year 1969! Something of a post-Y2K problem… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/29 "2011-10-06T16:40:05Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > According to our Parasitologist, the Sept. 16 date _is_ accurate for implantations occurring on the New Year. There’s a bit of wiggle room, but the strict nine months thing is a misnomer. September 16 is about 37 weeks after NYE. I think that’s within the typical range of pregnancies but on the early side. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/30 "2011-10-06T16:40:56Z")
Aha - my conception was during the week of Valentine’s Day! ---
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/31 "2011-10-06T17:18:08Z")
Yeah, I’m December and it really is lame. I have _seven_ friends born on October 4th, and four of them were adopted. Don’t know what that means but I always found it weird. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/32 "2011-10-06T17:29:59Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > So is there an ap to count backward? I’m feeling lazy. > [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Sure is. Oh, great. Now I know how my parents celebrated Valentine’s Day in 1959 and the summer solstice in 1960, and how they consoled themselves upon hearing of the death of [Grandma Moses](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandma_moses) in 1961. Triple ewww… ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/33 "2011-10-06T17:30:31Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > September 16 is about 37 weeks after NYE. I think that’s within the typical range of pregnancies but on the early side. I was following the quote. The Dudeling’s original date was the 26th, but there are certain pre-holiday biological factors that go into setting the expected date. That is, it’s not _x_ weeks from conception per se, but _x_ weeks from the end of the Trying Times. > [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > You’re so very, very wrong. September is awesome. First of all, when you go back to school in late August, you’re one of the first to have a birthday in the entire class, so you get to bring a lot of cupcakes and everyone likes you. Second, all your friends have September birthdays, too. So you get a bunch of presents and then get to go to all your friends’ houses for their parties right when the weather is still nice and you’re still excited about school. Yeah, that’s what I’m going to have to spin it to the Dudeling as he grows up. Mrs. Devil won’t let me move his birthday into October. I hope it helps. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/34 "2011-10-06T17:32:59Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It isn’t. > **[Oct. 5: America’s Most Common Birthday](https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2011/10/oct-5-americas-most-common-birthday/)** > > Get breaking national and world news, broadcast video coverage, and exclusive interviews. Find the top news online at ABC news. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/35 "2011-10-06T18:24:28Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > [Oct. 5: America’s Most Common Birthday - ABC News](http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2011/10/oct-5-americas-most-common-birthday/) I don’t mean to be combative about this, but the cite in the Times story is a survey of 25 years of birth data by a Harvard researcher, and the cite in that story is a web survey. People born on September 16 or October 5 could be conceived on New Years’ Eve, but ‘October 5 is the most common birthday in the U.S. because it’s nine months after NYE’ has the whiff of urban legend about it. Regardless, happy birthday to all the 10/5ers out there. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/36 "2011-10-06T18:31:07Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I don’t mean to be combative about this, but the cite in the Times story is a survey of 25 years of birth data by a Harvard researcher, and the cite in that story is a web survey. People born on September 16 or October 5 could be conceived on New Years’ Eve, but ‘October 5 is the most common birthday in the U.S. because it’s nine months after NYE’ has the whiff of urban legend about it. Regardless, happy birthday to all the 10/5ers out there. Actually, I agree with your on all points, especially the NYE part. It was all over the web yesterday so I was just providing the link. ETA: Which I now see was already done upthread. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/37 "2011-10-06T19:15:54Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > According to our Parasitologist, the Sept. 16 date _is_ accurate for implantations occurring on the New Year. There’s a bit of wiggle room, but the strict nine months thing is a misnomer. > > Why did we ask him? We know far beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Dudeling became more than a twinkle in our eyes on New Year’s Day (now _that_ was a cure for a hangover!). I was pretty stoked that he’d have an October birthday (big fans of Halloween), but when the Doc broke it to us that his date was in mid-September, I was crestfallen. Lamest. Birthday month. Ever. (Okay, it probably sucks a bit more to have a December birthday, so maybe it’s second-worst.) I scoured and scoured to find something to give me hope, asking several Parasitologists over time and combing Google, but alas, September it was. What! September is a great birth month. Great birthstone, beautuful weather, and Labor Day always falls right around my birthday (Sept 10). What’s wrong with September? You mean anti-Septemberite \>:[ ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/38 "2011-10-06T19:17:20Z")
Coworker’s sister had a baby yesterday, go Oct 5! ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/39 "2011-10-07T02:36:10Z")
Hippy Jr.'s birthday was yesterday, October 5. I have heard this fact before but thus far he has been the only October 5 birthday in his class after two years in different schools. 🙂 Oddly, because of his mom’s, er, meticulous calendar keeping, I can tell exactly when he was conceived. Kind of weird to look back and say, “Yup, that was the one.” FTR, it was January 7. He showed up a week early, to the day. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689/40 "2011-10-07T03:29:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I don’t mean to be combative about this, but the cite in the Times story is a survey of 25 years of birth data by a Harvard researcher, and the cite in that story is a web survey. People born on September 16 or October 5 could be conceived on New Years’ Eve, but ‘October 5 is the most common birthday in the U.S. because it’s nine months after NYE’ has the whiff of urban legend about it. Regardless, happy birthday to all the 10/5ers out there. Not to pour further shit on the story, but I like how, in an article about “America’s Most Common Birthday”, the first two names mentioned are noted non-Americans Kate Winslet and Julie Andrews. :o And who the hell is Nicky Hilton? 😕 My sister’s birthday is today (the 6th), my daughter’s birthday is Monday (10th). Sucky thing about my sister is that she also buried both of her parents on her birthday (mom when she was 8, dad when she was 47). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-who-was-born-on-october-5th-the-most-popular-birth-date-in-america/598689.md?page=1)