Coney Island Hospital Welcomes America’s First Baby Of 2016

New York City’s first baby of 2016 was born exactly midnight on January 1, at Coney Island Hospital — earning the tiny boy the title of first American baby of the year, reports ABC News.

Zayden Noel, born to mother Stephanie Diaz, weighed a healthy 7 pounds, 1 ounce and he is the second child Diaz has had at Coney Island, according to a hospital press release. Mother and baby are doing well.

“Coney Island Hospital is thrilled to have the first NYC Health + Hospitals baby born in 2016,” said Coney Island Hospital Executive Director Robert Hughes. “We are elated to be part of such a special moment for this family.”

Competition for the title of first U.S. baby was fierce this year, and ABC News reports little Zayden will be sharing it with a second boy, also a New Yorker, born “at the “stroke of midnight” at LIJ Medical Center in Queens. That baby, born to parents Daniella and Eli Malakov, will be named at the baby’s bris next week, reports the outlet.

Coney Island Hospital also had the first baby in the public health system last year, when Baby Maxim was born to Olena and Vasyl Olenyukh of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.

Editor’s note: Coney Island Hospital has recently been rebranded NYC Health + Hospitals Coney Island.