The Best (And Worst) Parts Of Being Born In July, According To Science

The idea of having a summer birthday sounds appealing in theory, but in practice, it’s not all pool parties, hot dogs, and watermelon. July babies are more likely to have asthma, research shows, and more likely to be employed as bricklayers or train conductors than babies born in other months. As aggressively quirky as that may seem, July babies do also seem to have the advantage of being more mentally stable than their peers. Here’s what science says about being born in July.

July Babies Have a Lower Risk for Psychotic Disorders

Individuals born in July are the least likely develop schizophrenia or suffer delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations (and those born in January are the most likely to face such challenges), according to a study of more than 29 million people. And although other research clarifies that seasonality of birth month is certainly not the cause of schizophrenia, there may be something protective about vitamin D exposure in the womb that puts summer babies at lower risk.

…But Babies Born in July Are More Likely To Have Asthma

July babies may have quieter minds, on average, but they make up for it with louder lungs. One study involving 1.75 million people found that adults born in July were more likely to suffer from asthma than the general population. The same study, however, found that July babies were among the least likely to contract any disease. So they huff and they puff, but they remain relatively healthy.

July Babies Are Often Bad Bosses

July babies don’t make the best bosses, research suggests. This may be because academic cut-off dates tend to happen in September, so individuals born in the fall have an edge when it comes to athletic and academic performance. As a result, July babies rarely become leaders. Less than 6% of CEOs were born in July, compared to March babies who took up nearly 13% of corner offices. So summer babies, be nice to spring babies. You’ll probably end up working for them.

But They Might Be Good With Their Hands

People born in July are more likely to become bricklayers, train conductors, and artists, census data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics suggests. So they may not run the business, but they have a creative streak. That, or they have a penchant for occupations that come with cool hats.

July Babies’ Birthday Parties Are Not Crowded

Throwing a birthday party in the middle of the summer is always challenging when people are in and out of town, but that’s not the only reason people don’t show up. July birthday parties are also hard to throw because there are so many of them. Summer is the peak season for giving birth, research shows, and the most popular month has fluctuated between July, August, and September over the years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. But this offers some comfort. July babies, despite their lack of leadership skills and lung capacity, are in good company.

And that’s something worth celebrating — no matter who shows up to the party.