firstborn

/ˈfɜː(ɹ)stˌbɔː(ɹ)n/

//ˈfɜː(ɹ)stˌbɔː(ɹ)n// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"firstborn" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“firstborn” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #33,652. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#33,652
frequency rank, English
18,613
“F” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The first child to be born to a parent or family.

Key facts for firstborn
PropertyValue
Headwordfirstborn
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfɜː(ɹ)stˌbɔː(ɹ)n/
Letters9
Frequency rank#33,652
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “firstborn” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). firstborn lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around firstborn (IPA /ˈfɜː(ɹ)stˌbɔː(ɹ)n/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #33,652 among 18,613 “F” headwords. Dominant gloss: "The first child to be born to a parent or family.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for firstborn, with forms such as "ffirstborn", "firrstborn", and "firsbtorn". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English first borne. By surface analysis, first (adverb) + born. The correct English form is firstborn, spelled F-I-R-S-T-B-O-R-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The first child to be born to a parent or family.

Etymology

From Middle English first borne. By surface analysis, first (adverb) + born.

Antonyms

lastborn

This word in other languages

primogénito(Español)premier-né(Français)Erstgeborene(Deutsch)primogénito(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffirstborn
  • firrstborn
  • firsbtorn
  • firsstborn
  • firstbborn
  • firstbonr
  • firstbornn
  • firstborrn
  • firstbron
  • firstobrn
  • firsttborn
  • firtsborn
  • fisrtborn
  • fristborn
  • ifrstborn

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of firstborn - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ffirstborn1firrstborn1firsbtorn2firsstborn1firstbborn1firstbonr2firstbornn1firstborrn1
Edit distance from "firstborn"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "firstborn"?
"firstborn" is spelled F-I-R-S-T-B-O-R-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɜː(ɹ)stˌbɔː(ɹ)n/.
What does "firstborn" mean?
As a noun, "firstborn" means: The first child to be born to a parent or family.
What are common misspellings of "firstborn"?
Common misspellings include "ffirstborn", "firrstborn", "firsbtorn", "firsstborn", "firstbborn". The correct spelling is "firstborn".
How do you pronounce "firstborn"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "firstborn" is /ˈfɜː(ɹ)stˌbɔː(ɹ)n/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "firstborn"?
From Middle English first borne. By surface analysis, first (adverb) + born. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “firstborn”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-I-R-S-T-B-O-R-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfɜː(ɹ)stˌbɔː(ɹ)n/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list