The first child born in the Czech Republic in 2026 arrived just minutes into the new year.

A boy named Matyáš was born at 12:07 a.m. on January 1 at Pilsen University Hospital, according to hospital officials.

Hospital spokesperson Gabriela Levorová confirmed that both the newborn and his mother are in good health. Matyáš weighed 3,510 grams at birth. His family, including his three-year-old brother and father, are expected to welcome him home soon.

Births continued across Pilsen in the early hours of New Year’s Day. At Mulač Hospital, two more children were born later that morning.

The first was Denis, who entered the world at 5:41 a.m., also weighing 3,510 grams. He was followed by Amálie, born at 8:30 a.m., with a birth weight of 3,180 grams.

Interestingly, the timing of the first birth mirrors last year’s pattern. On January 1, 2025, the first baby born in the region was also a boy, delivered at exactly seven minutes after midnight. His name was Benjamin.

In Prague, the first baby of the new year was born at Thomayer Hospital shortly after midnight. A boy named Oliver arrived at 12:31 a.m.

Across the Czech Republic, the arrival of the year’s first newborn is often marked by financial gifts from regional authorities. Parents typically receive between 10,000 and 15,000 crowns, along with practical items for the child.

Prague has followed this tradition since the 1960s. In recent years, the city has provided a 15,000-crown gift to parents of all children born on January 1, not only the firstborn.

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