William Shakespeare’s exact birth date is unsure because records from that time were not as detailed or meticulously kept as they are today. The only concrete record we have is his baptism date, which was on April 26, 1564. It was common practice in Elizabethan England to baptize infants a few days after their birth, so scholars estimate that Shakespeare was born on or around April 23, 1564.
Another reason for the uncertainty is the lack of standardized record-keeping during the 16th century. Birth certificates, as we know them today, did not exist. Parish registers, which recorded baptisms, marriages, and burials, were the primary source of such information, and they often lacked precise details.
Despite the uncertainty, April 23 is widely celebrated as Shakespeare’s birthday, coinciding with St. George’s Day, the patron saint of England. This date has become a symbolic and convenient choice for commemorating the birth of one of the greatest writers in the English language.