Ask not what these U.S. presidents' baby photos can do for you. Instead, can you recognize these presidents from their baby photos?
Can You Recognize These Baby Photos of American Presidents?
Updated on Jul. 11, 2025
Who’s this little president?
Hint: He can eat hard foods now, but he has had some trouble with pretzels.
It’s George W. Bush! (1946– )
This 1947 photo of baby Bush was taken while his father, George H.W. Bush, was a student at Yale. Though he was famous for being a Texan, George Jr. was actually born in New Haven, Connecticut. He was 55 years old when he took office in 2001, and he still had that baby face when he was sworn in.
Who’s this little president?
Hint: That gown he’s wearing is the real Deal.
It’s Franklin D. Roosevelt! (1882–1945)
This 1884 baby photo is a time capsule of Gilded Age style, when boys wore dresses until they were 6 or 7 years old. Fun fact: This is also the age they often received their first haircut.
Who’s this little president?
Hint: He oozed charm and charisma, even as a toddler.
It’s Bill Clinton! (1946– )
This 1950 photo captures the future president when he was still William Jefferson Blythe III. He wouldn’t formally take the name Clinton until 1962, long after his mother remarried, and even then, he kept his middle name.
Who’s this little president?
Hint: The flower might be for his longtime love, Barbara.
It’s George H.W. Bush! (1924–2018)
This 1925 shot captures little H.W.’s first steps at his grandfather’s house in Kennebunkport, Maine. Ever classy, Bush left a note for Bill Clinton (who had defeated him to become the next president) stating: “… don’t let the critics discourage you or push you off course. … Your success is now our country’s success. I am rooting for you.”
Who’s this little president?
Hint: Though he ditched the cowboy hat, this president still did plenty of honky-tonkin’.
It’s Lyndon Johnson! (1908–1973)
LBJ was born in a farmhouse some 15 miles from this porch in Johnson City, Texas—a town named after his cousin James Polk Johnson. Did you know that LBJ was the first president sworn in by a woman?
Who’s this little president?
Hint: This one is Tricky.
It’s Richard Nixon! (1913–1994)
This 1916 family photo was the future president’s first appearance in a newspaper. “My mother gave us a nickel each to put in a collection basket for war orphans, and a photographer snapped our picture,” Nixon explained in his memoirs about this U.S. president baby photo. Little-known fact about Nixon: He was a music aficionado who could play five different instruments.
Who’s this little president?
Hint: He never lived down that Dutch boy haircut.
It’s Ronald Reagan! (1911–2004)
According to Reagan’s biographies, his father gave him the nickname “Dutch” because he resembled a “fat little Dutchman” when he was a baby. The cute but quirky bowl cut probably didn’t help.
Why trust us
At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
