These 3 Birth Months Are Linked To Higher Intelligence, According To Research
Now you can definitively say, "Yup, I was born this way."
StockLite | Shutterstock If you've been living your life feeling like you have a leg up on your peers when it comes to brainpower, don't dismiss the possibility that you were born that way. Whether you put stock in astrology or not, most of us don't argue with straight, researched facts. And the research says that there's a real connection between when you're born and how smart you are.
Yes, people born in three specific birth months have been scientifically proven to be naturally gifted in the intellectual department, but that doesn't mean coasting through life without working for it. The same goes for anyone born during the other nine months of the year. Being smart is a lifelong pursuit of learning and knowledge, but if you were lucky enough to be born during these three months, you might just have an advantage.
Research has found that people born in these 3 months may have higher cognitive abilities:
1. October
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Back in 2006, researchers out of Harvard published a study that followed the development of 21,000 kids from birth to age 7. What they found was that babies born in October tested higher on IQ and cognitive development tests than their peers. In fact, it wasn't just October-born babies, it was kids born in November and December as well.
So, what gives? Although there wasn't definitive proof why these winter babies performed higher on intelligence tests, the researchers theorized that nuanced factors like seasonal variations in everything from a pregnant mom's diet to exposure to vitamin D during pregnancy impacted the kids.
A secondary study out of Japan in 2023 offered more interesting insight, however. Obviously not discounting how the time of year a woman is pregnant could impact her baby, researchers found an interesting link between kids who were born right before the school year age cut-off and increased intelligence. Kids who start school on the younger side inevitably struggle more than their peers, and as a result, researchers found that these students not only work harder but also end up studying more.
Looking at both studies together makes a strong case for a best of both worlds scenario where October-born babies are impacted by seasonal benefits from when mom was pregnant, and when they started school. There's even evidence, thanks to a 2001 study out of Germany, that these kids are healthier and live longer, but that's a whole other topic. Suffice it to say, if you were born in October, you should definitely not squander the opportunity to flex your brain and utilize your gifts.
2. November
If you're a November baby, much like your October neighbors, you're likely to have an academic advantage, mostly because of your mother's health during pregnancy. This is specifically linked to a mom's intake of vitamin D.
As the Harvard study noted, babies born in November spend their third trimester, which happens to be the one most critical for brain development, during the cooler months. That means they’re less likely to be exposed to extreme heat, viruses, or environmental stressors that can subtly affect fetal development.
During that integral third trimester, a baby's brain almost triples in weight, and according to Johns Hopkins, they develop sight and hearing. Having the optimal environment for mom during that pivotal time in brain development is essential when talking about intelligence.
What's really interesting is that November babies are not only smart, but they are incredibly athletic as well. A study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that November babies had a huge advantage over their peers when it came to athletic pursuits. Study participants born in November actually performed 10 to 15% better than kids born in the other 11 months! Basically, November babies are the whole package.
3. December
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December might be the month most often associated with holidays and chaos, but it’s also the quiet powerhouse on this list. Like October and November babies, December-born children experience critical stages of brain development during months with fewer environmental stressors, which, as we've learned, means better brain development and smarter babies.
In fact, December babies are so smart that they are more likely to become doctors, specifically dentists, when they choose a career path. Research out of the UK's Office for National Statistics, reported on by News Medical Life Sciences, found that December babies are more likely to enter the medical field and become practicing dentists.
Russell Foster, an Oxford University neuroscientist, said the results of this study were small, but they are very, very clear.” He added, as most academic researchers would, “I am not giving voice to astrology — it’s nonsense — but we are not immune to seasonal interference…It seems absurd the month in which you are born can affect life chances, but how long you live, how tall you are, how well you do at school, your body mass index as an adult, your morning-versus-evening preference and how likely you are to develop a range of diseases are all correlated to some extent with the time of year in which you emerge from the womb.”
While research has shown a link between birth month and higher intelligence, it's not the determining factor in how smart a person is.
Just like with all the spectacularly unique characteristics that make you, you, your birth month isn’t a destiny. While the research is super interesting, intelligence is complex. Your environment, parental involvement, nutrition, education, and mental health all play bigger roles in shaping who you are. And don't forget, your brain is a muscle that requires exercise. You've got to use it to make it work to its highest potential.
Being born in a particular month is an advantage, but it's not an excuse to coast by. If you weren’t born in October, November, or December, don’t sweat it. The smartest people truly nurture their love of learning, and they let themselves be challenged, and most importantly, they never stop being curious.
So, yes, October, November, and December babies have a slight academic advantage early on, thanks to a mix of school start age, prenatal timing, and seasonal conditions. But at the end of the day, you determine the path your life takes.
Micki Spollen is YourTango’s Editorial Director. Micki has her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism & Media Studies from Rutgers University and over 10 years of experience as a writer and editor covering astrology, spirituality, and human interest topics.
