What name was given to the first baby born in the United States on July 4, 1976?

The first baby born in the United States on July 4, 1976, was popularly called the Bicentennial Baby.

Karen Steele was born 12 seconds after midnight in New Jersey, making her arrival especially notable because it occurred on the exact day of the United States Bicentennial. Newspapers and television programs highlighted her as a symbolic child of the anniversary.

Steele appeared on The Today Show and Good Morning America, and she received commemorative attention from President Gerald Ford and New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne. Her story became one of the more personal and lighthearted episodes associated with the nationwide celebrations.

The title was an informal media nickname rather than a constitutional or official national office. It should not be confused with children born during other anniversary celebrations, including the 1976 “Bicentennial Baby” promotions that used the phrase more broadly.