Harlem Hospital Welcomed New York City's First Baby of 2026 Just as Midnight Struck
A baby girl, who remains unnamed until her parents' cultural traditions dictate, made history by being born in Harlem just after midnight. According to officials from NYC Health+Hospitals, the child was welcomed into the world at precisely 12 a.m. on Thursday morning, marking the start of a new year for New York City.
The proud parents, Oumy and Amadou Niang, who hail from Senegal, welcomed their fifth child into the family after migrating to the United States in 2006. Now residing in Harlem, they expressed relief that their newborn daughter is healthy and weighing just over seven pounds at birth.
Oumy explained that according to her cultural traditions, it's customary to keep a child's name hidden for an entire week before announcing it in celebration. "In my culture," she said, "you have to hide the name for one week." This custom adds a unique layer of excitement and anticipation to the naming ceremony.
In related news, NYC Health+Hospitals announced that Queens was also welcoming its first baby of 2026 at Elmhurst location, where Liam Steven Bunay Marcatoma was born just before 3:30 a.m. The newborn weighed nearly nine pounds six ounces.
A baby girl, who remains unnamed until her parents' cultural traditions dictate, made history by being born in Harlem just after midnight. According to officials from NYC Health+Hospitals, the child was welcomed into the world at precisely 12 a.m. on Thursday morning, marking the start of a new year for New York City.
The proud parents, Oumy and Amadou Niang, who hail from Senegal, welcomed their fifth child into the family after migrating to the United States in 2006. Now residing in Harlem, they expressed relief that their newborn daughter is healthy and weighing just over seven pounds at birth.
Oumy explained that according to her cultural traditions, it's customary to keep a child's name hidden for an entire week before announcing it in celebration. "In my culture," she said, "you have to hide the name for one week." This custom adds a unique layer of excitement and anticipation to the naming ceremony.
In related news, NYC Health+Hospitals announced that Queens was also welcoming its first baby of 2026 at Elmhurst location, where Liam Steven Bunay Marcatoma was born just before 3:30 a.m. The newborn weighed nearly nine pounds six ounces.
Oh man, can you even? 
A new year and a new baby girl to start it off! 
I'm so happy for Oumy and Amadou Niang, they must be over the moon 
! Seven pounds at birth is already adorable 
. And that naming ceremony tradition sounds like so much fun 
! Keeping secrets until after midnight makes the reveal even more special 
. Can't wait to meet this little cutie pie soon 
. I'm curious though, have any of us ever thought about the whole 'name reveal' thing in our own families? Like, are we hiding names until a certain occasion or just kinda keeping it under wraps for family only? And what's with all these first babies being born at night, is NYC just a sleep-deprived town or something 
. I wonder if Elmhurst and Harlem have any secret deals on baby bundles or something...
. I mean, what are the chances that two babies from different parts of the city get born right at the stroke of midnight? It sounds like a marketing ploy to get people talking about NYC Health+Hospitals 
. And what's with all the fuss about the parents' cultural traditions? Is this really breaking news or just a way to fill up social media feeds 
? I need more info before I start celebrating 
And it's not just any baby, it's a girl who gets to keep her name hidden for a whole week before sharing it with the world. That's so much fun! 
Can't wait to see what other crazy, amazing babies come this year!
. and two babies so close together?! gotta be super tired fam 
what do you guys think about this custom?
just think about it, another new life is born in the city that never sleeps, it's like the energy of nyc is spreading through every single soul 
. and to think these little bundles of joy are already changing their parents lives in ways they never thought possible 
. meanwhile, i wonder if anyone thinks about all the tiny humans being born into a world with so many problems... anywayz back to the niangs, ain't it cool how they got to celebrate their culture like that? 
when I read about the new arrival in Harlem Hospital! Born just as midnight struck 
. Also, congrats to Liam in Queens 
But seriously, congrats to Oumy and Amadou on their new bundle of joy! And I'm loving the NYC Health+Hospitals' timing – first baby of 2026 at midnight, that's like setting a timer for awesomeness! 