British Toddler Becomes Youngest-Ever Mensa Member

A British toddler has achieved a rare milestone by becoming the youngest member of Mensa, the global high-IQ society.
Joseph Harris-Birtill, born on November 23, 2021, was officially admitted to Mensa at just 2 years and 182 days old,
according to Guinness World Records and BBC News, both published on May 28, 2025.

His mother, Rose Harris-Birtill, shared that her son began demonstrating exceptional abilities in infancy.
“He rolled over at five weeks, said his first word at seven months, and by one year and nine months, he was reading entire books out loud,” she told Guinness World Records.

Joseph’s intellectual interests go far beyond early literacy. He is learning Morse code, knows the Greek alphabet, and recently became fascinated by the periodic table.
Both of his parents are affiliated with the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and they turned to Mensa in hopes of finding additional educational resources and a community for their son.

“We were looking for environments that would understand and support highly able learners like Joseph,” Rose explained. “This is a unique accolade, and we’re proud of him.”

Joseph has surpassed the record set by American Isla McNabb in 2022 and British child prodigy Teddy Hobbs in 2023, becoming not only the youngest boy to join Mensa globally but also the youngest British member in history.

Rose Harris-Birtill emphasized that gifted children often require specific support that’s different from traditional education paths.
“There’s a misconception that life is easy for gifted kids. But when their unique learning needs aren’t met, they can lose motivation or feel out of place,” she said.
Joseph currently attends a nursery school that nurtures his development and studies music with a specialized teacher.

With Mensa’s support, Joseph’s family hopes he will have access to intellectual peers and the right guidance to help his talents flourish further.