International Left-Handers Day Report
The Southpaw Index 2026: Where Left-Handers Show Up Most in Public Life
A data-journalism report from IsLeftHanded built from our structured profile dataset of public figures, categories, confidence levels, and handedness evidence.
Last generated: July 20, 2026 8:16 pm
9,720Profiles analyzed
5,060Marked left-handed
9,455Known yes/no answers
53.5%Left-handed among known
Key findings
- The Southpaw Index currently analyzes 9720 published public-figure profiles.
- Among profiles with a known yes/no answer, 53.5% are marked left-handed.
- The report uses a confidence-aware dataset so journalists can separate verified evidence from unknowns and low-confidence claims.
Left-handedness by category
| Category | Total | Lefties | Unknown | Mixed | Known lefty rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athletes & Sports Figures | 5,010 | 2,374 | 112 | 4 | 48.5% |
| Actors & Performers | 1,172 | 559 | 32 | 1 | 49.1% |
| Media & Entertainment | 726 | 431 | 17 | 1 | 60.9% |
| Musicians | 630 | 349 | 16 | 1 | 56.9% |
| Politicians & Public Officials | 529 | 280 | 20 | 0 | 55% |
| Business Leaders | 332 | 194 | 9 | 0 | 60.1% |
| Socialites & Influencers | 158 | 112 | 9 | 0 | 75.2% |
| Criminals & Victims | 130 | 77 | 8 | 0 | 63.1% |
| Tech & Innovation | 124 | 90 | 2 | 0 | 73.8% |
| Writers & Authors | 103 | 66 | 4 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Fashion & Modeling | 96 | 49 | 3 | 0 | 52.7% |
| Scientists & Academics | 88 | 58 | 5 | 1 | 70.7% |
| Fictional Characters | 84 | 63 | 4 | 0 | 78.8% |
| Artists & Creatives | 80 | 54 | 3 | 0 | 70.1% |
| Filmmakers | 78 | 45 | 2 | 0 | 59.2% |
| Unknown | 73 | 62 | 1 | 0 | 86.1% |
| Activists & Advocates | 72 | 45 | 3 | 0 | 65.2% |
| Undetermined | 49 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 73.5% |
| Royalty & Historical Figures | 46 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 52.4% |
| Chefs & Culinary Arts | 38 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 67.6% |
Methodology
The Southpaw Index is based on published IsLeftHanded profile records. Handedness is classified as Yes, No, or Unknown using available public evidence and editorial review. High-confidence records rely on reliable public sources such as official bios, interviews, reputable reporting, or clear video/photo evidence. Unknown records are excluded from rate calculations unless explicitly noted. This report should be read as a public-figure dataset, not a population study.