Enneadecaphobia

Enneadecaphobia, also known as nonadecaphobia , is the fear of number 19.

There is history of 19 as the potential fear number. 19 was the unlucky number in the ancient times before the advent of 13. Some say that the fear of 19 is triggered due to the belief of being 19 is an awkward age, while others even claim that the thought of two World Wars happening in the 1900s or the new disease called COVID-19 triggered this fear.

In Japan, the number 19 is sometimes considered an unlucky number, since it can be pronounced jū ku, meaning "intense suffering."

Sufferers of enneadecaphobia would avoid writing 19, especially years in the 20th century. For example, they would tend to write 1999 as 1899 or just 99. Many enneadecaphobes would not want to be called themselves 19 years old when actually 19, but they would continue to be called 18 years old and turn 20 on their next birthday, skipping 19. Sufferers whose birthdays fall on the 19th would celebrate birthdays on the 18th.