Newborns Vie for Title of Being First Baby Born in 2016

There appears to be a tie -- and not just for cuteness.

ByABC News
January 1, 2016, 11:41 AM
The City's public health system welcomed its first baby of 2016, a baby boy named Zayden Noel, weighing in at 7lbs. 1oz., at exactly midnight at NYC Health and Hospitals in Coney Island, New York.
The City's public health system welcomed its first baby of 2016, a baby boy named Zayden Noel, weighing in at 7lbs. 1oz., at exactly midnight at NYC Health and Hospitals in Coney Island, New York.
NYC Health and Hospitals Corp.

— -- The first competition of the New Year has already come and gone with two winners and some super cute runners-up.

The first baby born in America in 2016 is a coveted title, and with that comes competition.

Two hospitals in New York have both announced that the first New Year baby was born on their premises.

Zayden Noel, weighing 7 pounds, 1 ounce, was born to Stephanie Diaz "at exactly midnight" according to New York City Health + Hospitals/Coney Island. LIJ Medical Center in Queens also announced the birth of a baby boy at the "stroke of midnight." That baby, born to parents Daniella and Eli Malakov, will not be named until the baby's bris next week, according to the hospital's press release.

PHOTO: A second baby boy was born at Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, N.Y. at the stroke of midnight, to parents Daniella and Eli Malakov, of Forest Hills, N.Y.
A second baby boy was born at Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, N.Y. at the stroke of midnight, to parents Daniella and Eli Malakov, of Forest Hills, N.Y.

While it is unclear if the boys will share the honor, this distinction is also special for the hospitals and medical staff.

This is the second year in a row that the Coney Island hospital had the first-born baby in the city's public health system. Last year baby Maxim Olenyukh was born there.

"We are elated to be part of such a special moment for this family," the hospital's executive director Robert Hughes said in a press release about Zayden's birth.

There were some other adorable contenders from other parts of the country, but they all arrived just after the two infant New Yorkers.

PHOTO: Jaylanie Rodriguez was the first child born in the Chicago area to mother Aliyah, at 12:01 a.m. at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in 2016.
Jaylanie Rodriguez was the first child born in the Chicago area to mother Aliyah, at 12:01 a.m. at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in 2016.

In Chicago, Jaylanie Rodriguez was born at 12:01 a.m. at Advocate Luteran General Hospital in Park Ridge. ABC owned station WLS reported that Jaylanie is her mother Aliyah's first child and weighed 5 pounds and 10 ounces.

PHOTO: UMass Medical Center in Worcester, Mass. announced the first birth of 2016, Carmelita Skaza, weighing 4 pounds, 8 ounces when she was born at 12:02 a.m, to her proud parents, Vanessa Skaza and RJ Skaza.
UMass Medical Center in Worcester, Mass. announced the first birth of 2016, Carmelita Skaza, weighing 4 pounds, 8 ounces when she was born at 12:02 a.m, to her proud parents, Vanessa Skaza and RJ Skaza.

In Massachusetts, Carmelita Skaza was born at 12:02 a.m. at UMass Medical Center in Worcester, making her the hospital's first birth of the new year.

And in Houston, Key'Asia Adams was the first born at Memorial Hermann hospital. The exact timing of her arrival has not been released.