"I'm thankful to be able to have three and be the best dad that I can be. It's the best title you have in this life.”
Miles and Myles are two very similar — and popular — baby boy names, but it’s not every day that they’re given to two newborns born to two different families in the same hospital just 11 minutes apart.
But that’s exactly what happened on Oct. 27 at the HCA Florida Brandon Hospital in Brandon, FL.
According to the hospital, which shared the news in an article published on Nov. 4, Myles Retzer of Riverview was born at 12:43 p.m., while Miles Bartz of Plant City arrived 11 minutes later at 12:54 p.m..
“Both babies were born handsome, healthy and ready to take on the world,” the hospital wrote.
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It was described as a “heartwarming coincidence” that doesn’t happen often, especially since the parents didn’t know each other — and they certainly didn’t swap ideas during the baby name process.
“This was such a special and unique moment to be part of,” said Dr. Emily Richter, MD, obstetrician at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital.
“In all my years, I can’t recall witnessing two babies with the same name born so close together. Birth stories are always memorable, but this is one these families and our team won’t forget,” she added.
It was such a rare incident that the hospital introduced the two families before being discharged — and they posed for a brief photo-op that was then shared on the hospital’s Facebook page.
“Watching the families meet and seeing the joy and surprise in their faces truly made our day,” Lauren Youngberg, nurse manager for Women’s Services, said, per the hospital.
“It reminds us why we do what we do. This is a moment we will remember and treasure, and who knows, maybe these boys will grow up together or even graduate side-by-side one day,” she added.
Looking at recent baby name data, it’s surprising that stories like this are as rare as they are.
According to the Social Security Administration, Miles — which either means “gracious” and “dear” in Slavic or “soldier” in Latin — was the 35th most popular baby boy name in 2024.
Meanwhile, Myles — the most common variant for Miles — was the 99th most popular baby boy name.
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But while a total of 10,162 baby boys were given the name Miles or Myles in 2024, these two baby boys born in Brandon share a birth story that will connect them for life.
