Young, middle-aged, or old – there’s always a reason to celebrate a birthday. But do you know how birthdays came about?
Put your friends and family to the test and see how much they claim they know about the whole concept of a birthday with these birthday trivia questions and answers.
From looking at the various different ways people celebrate birthdays around the world, to celebrity birthday trivia, we’ll cover all the bases in this collection of 67 birthday trivia questions and answers.
Get ready to blow out the candles, and help yourself to a great big slice of birthday trivia!
Let’s go!
Table of Contents
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Related: Father’s Day Trivia
General Birthday Trivia Questions & Answers
Here’s a warm-up that should get the juices flowing. Baffle your friends and family with this selection of general birthday trivia questions and answers.
1. What is a Golden Birthday?
When you turn the same age as the date of your birthday
2. How many birthday cards on average are sent each year in the US?
Over 2 billion
3. What is the most common birthday in the US?
October 5
4. And what is the least common birthday in the US?
May 22
5. What day of the week are the most babies born?
Tuesday
6. And what day of the week are the least amount of babies born?
Sunday
7. What does it mean if you are in your birthday suit?
It means you don’t have any clothes on
8. Everyone knows the melody to ‘Happy Birthday To You. But where did the melody actually come from?
A nursery rhyme called ‘Good Morning To All’
9. How many people around the world are celebrating their birthday right now?
15 million
10. True or false - happy birthday is the most popular song in the world?
True
11. On average, how many birthday cards does someone receive on their birthday?
7
12. How much does ‘Happy Birthday To You’ make every year due to copyrights?
Over $2 million
13. On average, how many babies are born every year?
76,570,430
14. What percentage of cards sold in the US are birthday cards?
58%
15. How much does the average children’s birthday party cost?
$500
16. If your birthday is in August, what is your star sign?
Leo or Virgo
17. If your birthday is on Valentine’s Day, what star sign would you have?
Aquarius
Historical Birthday Trivia Questions & Answers
Let’s step things up a notch and look back at some historical birthday trivia questions and answers. How much do you think you know about the history of the birthday? Time to find out!
1. In 1989 the largest birthday cake ever made was baked. How heavy was it?
123,238lb
2. Where did the tradition of sending birthday cards come from?
England
3. When was the song ‘Happy Birthday To You’ written?
1912
4. Who were the first people to use candles in a birthday cake?
The Ancient Greeks
5. When does the first documented birthday invitation date back to?
100AD
6. True or false - Christmas Day is effectively a birthday party?
True
7. For many years, who were the only people who could celebrate their birthday?
Kings - no one else was thought to be important enough!
8. Who were the first people to celebrate birthdays?
The Ancient Egyptians
9. Who were the first people to give each other birthday presents?
The Romans
10. Which feature of a birthday celebration do we have to thank the Germans for?
The introduction of the birthday cake
11. In 1996, the most expensive birthday party was thrown by the King of Brunei. How much did it cost?
$27 million
12. True or false - it was only after the 17th Century that people had birthday cakes cooked with sugar
True
13. When was the first proper birthday card manufactured?
1902
14. Who celebrated birthdays with a form of birthday balloons?
The Aztecs, who used to inflate the stomachs of sacrificed cats!
15. What date is the Queen of England’s actual birthday?
April 21
Celebrity Birthday Trivia Questions & Answers
Did you know that you share your birthday with at least 2 celebrities? Read on for more fun facts in the form of trivia questions and answers, if you want to know more about celebrity birthdays.
1. What is the most famous rendition of ‘Happy Birthday To You’?
Marilyn Monroe singing to President J.F. Kennedy on his 45th birthday
2. What do Annie Lennox, Justin Trudeau, and the actor Humphrey Bogart all have in common?
They all have birthdays on Christmas Day
3. True or false - the Queen of England has two birthdays
True
4. Who wrote the 1959 children’s book ‘Happy Birthday To You!’?
Dr Suess
5. Which famous blind singer recorded a version of ‘Happy Birthday To You’ in 1981?
Stevie Wonder
6. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on the same day as his birthday. Which month is his birthday?
January
7. Which fictional character from the Lord of the Rings celebrates his ‘eleventy-first’ birthday?
Bilbo Baggins
8. What present Anne Frank given for her 13th birthday?
A diary
9. What happened to William Shakespeare on the day of his 52nd birthday?
He died
10. Paul McCartney (of Beatles fame) had his birth certificate auctioned in 1997, and it became the most expensive birth certificate ever auctioned. How much did it sell for?
$84,146
11. Who played three concerts to celebrate the King of Brunei’s world-record-holding birthday?
Michael Jackson
12. In Toy Story, what does Andy receive as a birthday present?
Buzz Lightyear
13. How many presents did Shirley Temple receive for her 8th birthday?
135,000 presents
Birthday Celebrations Around the World Trivia Questions & Answers
There are lots of different ways that people celebrate their birthday. How many do you reckon you can get right? Try out our birthday celebrations around the world trivia questions and answers to find out!
1. In which country can you not celebrate your birthday on July 8 and December 17?
North Korea - these are the death dates of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il
2. What age do you celebrate your Bah Mitzvah?
On your 13th birthday
3. What do you receive on your 100th birthday in England?
You receive a birthday card from the Queen
4. Which country considers the 100th day and the 60th birthday to be the most important?
South Korea
5. What color wrapping paper do people in the Islamic world wrap their birthday presents in?
Green wrapping paper
6. What are you more likely to celebrate instead of your birthday in France and Italy?
You’re more likely to celebrate your name day
7. Which country likes to use black and white wrapping paper for their birthday presents?
India
8. Why should you never give a Chinese person a clock or a watch for their birthday?
It’s thought to be unlucky
9. Which country is it considered rude to open your presents in front of other people?
Malaysia
10. What do children typically eat on their birthday in China?
Noodles
11. And when celebrating their birthdays, why do children in China slurp their noodles for as long as they can?
For good luck in the year ahead
12. True or false - people in Vietnam have 2 birthdays?
True
13. In the Caribbean, what do you get covered with on your birthday?
Flour
14. Where would you be if you got your earlobes pulled on your birthday?
Hungary
15. What happens to your nose when you celebrate your birthday in Canada?
Your friends will rub it in butter
16. What happens to you on your 1st birthday in India?
Your head is shaved
17. What do children in New Zealand eat instead of birthday cake?
Toast
18. True or false - in Switzerland, parents will hire an evil clown on their children’s birthday?
True
19. Which are the three most important birthdays in Japan?
The 3rd, 5th, and 7th birthdays are the most important
20. When do Eastern churches celebrate Jesus’ birthday (Christmas)?
January 7
21. Seaweed soup is a traditional birthday breakfast in which country?
South Korea
22. What do Mexican children hit at birthday parties until candy falls out?
A pinata
If you’ve enjoyed these birthday trivia questions and answers, and you want to try out some more, then have a look at these:
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- 61 Fun Road Trip Trivia Questions and Answers
- 79 United States Geography Trivia Questions and Answers
Other Birthday Trivia Quiz Games
How did you and your friends get on? Even if you didn’t do very well, we’re sure that you’ll be able to impress lots of people with all your birthday trivia knowledge you now know!
Perfect for whipping out at a birthday party – or just about any occasion really – we hope that you enjoyed these birthday trivia questions and answers.
