A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)

 

Several UAE families welcomed new arrivals into their homes as people across the world ushered in the New Year at the stroke of midnight on December 31.

 

At Burjeel Medical City in Abu Dhabi, 2026 began on a particularly meaningful note with the birth of baby boy Saeed Saif Al Rumaithi, who entered the world exactly at 12am, becoming the hospital’s first baby of the New Year.

Born to Emirati parents Saif Al Rumaithi and Mrs Al Rumaithi, baby Saeed weighed 3.302 kilogrammes and is the couple’s first child, making the occasion especially memorable for the family.

Sharing their joy, the parents said the timing of the birth added to the significance of the moment. The father chose to name his son after his own father as a gesture of love and appreciation, while the mother said the name perfectly reflected the happiness of beginning a new year with their child’s arrival.

 

The family named the baby Saeed, which means “happy,” expressing their hope that 2026 will be filled with positivity and joy. “We chose the name Saeed because we hope our baby will always be happy and bring joy to our family in the New Year,” the mother said.

 

Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr Srividya Venugopal, congratulated the family and said it was a privilege to be part of such a moment. “Helping a family welcome their child at the dawn of a brand-new year is a heartwarming experience. We extend our best wishes to the parents and their little one as they embark on this wonderful journey together,” she said.

 

Just a minute later, at 12:01 am, the second baby of the New Year was born at Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi. The baby boy, weighing 2.470 kilogrammes, was named Hamdan and welcomed by his parents, Salem Hasan Salem Mohamed Al Hosani and Salma Malalla Ali Alhosani, amid celebrations by hospital staff.

 

“We are happy that our son was born on New Year’s Day, which is an auspicious occasion and represents a new beginning for people across the world,” the father said.

 

Elsewhere in the UAE, even as much of the country and the world settled into rest after New Year celebrations and fireworks, a UAE-based Indian couple welcomed their own bundle of joy. Abdul Shereef and Shalda Abdul Shereef celebrated the birth of a baby boy at Aster Hospital, Mankhool, Bur Dubai, at 7.42am on January 1.

 

The baby was delivered normally, the hospital said. Thanking the medical team for their care and support, Abdul Shereef, said, “We will always remember your kindness.”

 

Babies born in 2026 belong to what is being described as Generation Beta, a cohort expected to grow up in an era shaped by artificial intelligence and advanced digital systems. Their arrival at the very start of the year symbolises not just new beginnings for families, but the emergence of a generation shaped by rapid technological change. They follow Generation Alpha, raised in a hyper-digital world, while earlier generations such as Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X were shaped by the rise of smartphones, the internet and the analogue-to-digital transition.