Leap Year Babies Celebrate Unique Birthdays as Next Leap Day Approaches

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — As Leap Year enthusiasts prepare for another unique birthday celebration, those born on February 29 are embracing their rare status. The next Leap Day won’t occur until 2028, leaving leaplings with a unique opportunity to reflect on their unusual birthday.

Since Leap Year only occurs every four years, individuals born on February 29 age differently than their peers. For example, John Dunbar, executive editor of the USA TODAY Network-Florida, joked about his birthday, which he celebrated on February 29, 2024, noting he turned “15 in Leap Day years.”

“People always ask me what day I celebrate my birthday on. When I was a kid, it was February 28 because I wanted my birthday present. When I grew up, I switched to March 1 because it seemed more honest,” Dunbar said.

Dunbar reminisced about his past parties, saying, “It’s always a special day to have an actual birthday. I used to have big blowout parties, but I’m pretty mellow about it these days.”

For those curious about their Leap Day age, the mathematics can be enlightening. A person born on Leap Day in 1924, for instance, is technically 100 years old but only 25 in Leap Day years. According to Leap Year rules, the year must be evenly divisible by four to qualify as a Leap Year. However, years that can be evenly divided by 100 are not Leap Years unless they are also divisible by 400. This means that while 2000 was a Leap Year, 1900 was not.

As the countdown to February 29, 2028 begins, leaplings can join in the fun of calculating their ages. A guide provided by USA TODAY allows leaplings to see their age in both Leap Day years and traditional years. For example, as of February 28, 2025, someone born on February 29, 1960, would be 65 years old in human years but remain 16 in Leap Day years.

Notable figures who share this rare birthday add to the intrigue of Leap Day. Among them is Aileen Wuornos, born on February 29, 1956, the infamous serial killer convicted for murders in Florida. Another noteworthy leapling is Richard Ramirez, the “Night Stalker,” who was born on February 29, 1960, and convicted of multiple homicides.

As the next Leap Year approaches, leaplings can take comfort in knowing that their birthdays remain distinct and celebrated, even if only every four years. It’s a unique aspect of their identity that few others can claim.

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