Firstborn

Recipients of birthrights; heirs to the throne; the parents' practice child, the ones whose baby books are actually filled in; they can be bossy and controlling. Ask any younger sib. Firsts-born become the pace car for their brothers and sisters; they are goal oriented, out for adult approval. Many end up in academia, or as community leaders; 52% of United States presidents were first-born. First (and only) children are often:

• conscientious
• conservative
• legalistic
• loyal
• over-achievers
• reliable
• self-sacrificing
• well organized
  . . . and makers of lists.

Of course, this means they're also nit-picky, have their standards set unbelievably high (for themselves and others), and often over-extended. See type A personality. Also remember:

As important as a child's order of birth may be, it is only an influence, not a final fact of life forever set in cement and unchangeable as far as how that child will turn out...   Birth order information does not give the total psychological picture for anyone.^*

Kelly Woo, "Birth order can say a lot about your family", http://archive.nandotimes.com/links/nandonext/volume5/birth.html 4/28/02; also Dr. Kevin Leman, The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are quoted on the above listed site.
^*Leman, quoted in Woo's article

First"born` (?), a.

First brought forth; first in the order of nativity; eldest; hence, most excellent; most distinguished or exalted.

© Webster 1913.