When do children receive their numbers in The Giver?

In Jonas's highly structured, regulated society, only fifty children are born and added to the population each year. There are an equal number of males and females added to the population, and each newborn receives a number at birth (1–50). In the novel, Jonas's number is nineteen because he was the nineteenth newchild born his year. During the annual ceremonies, Jonas is always the nineteenth person to take the stage. It is also interesting to note that each child's birth number is rarely used and that sometimes parents refer to their children by using their numbers whenever the child misbehaves. During the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes extremely anxious and afraid when the Chief Elder skips his number and calls on Pierre, who is number twenty. Fortunately, the Chief Elder did not make a mistake. The Elder explains to the community that Jonas was specially selected to be the next Receiver of Memory.

When the children are born, one boy and one girl to each couple is all that are allowed, they are called new-children.  On page 11 the narrator reveals, "Each December, all the new-children born in the previous year turned one.  One at a time-there were always fifty in each year's group, if none had been released- they had been brought to the stage by the Nurturers who had cared for them since birth.  Some were already walking, wobbly on their unsteady legs; others were no more than a few days old, wrapped in blankets, held by their Nurtures."

When the children turned one year old they were assigned a number so there was always a group called, "ones," "twos" and so on until they reached 12.  At the age of twelve there was another ceremony and the 12's were given their life assignments for the group.

In "The Giver," what do the numbers assigned to Jonas and Lily represent?

In Jonas's highly structured, organized society, which is founded on the concept of Sameness, the annual birthrate is determined by the Committee of Elders and strictly regulated. Each year, only fifty newchildren are born and added to the society's population. The entire group of fifty children added to the community in the same year are identified as the same age group. In Jonas's community, age is only calculated up to twelve, which is the year adolescents enter adulthood and are given their assignments. Lily being a Seven and Jonas being a Twelve simply identifies their age and indicates what stage of development they are in according to the community. Each year, annual ceremonies are held, which celebrate each age group maturing. As the children get older, the community gives them more independence and gradually prepares them for adulthood. At the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas is given the unique assignment of being the community's next Receiver of Memory.

These numbers correspond to their ages. The numbers also represent what stage of development they are in according to the community.

Lily is only a seven, so at her Ceremony of Sevens she received a front buttoned jacket, indicating she was now old enough to button up her coat on her own. At her next ceremony, the Ceremony of Eights, she will receive a coat with pockets, which indicates she will be old enough to carry her own small things. It indicates burgeoning responsibility.

Jonas is almost done with being a child, as he is eleven, and adulthood in the community begins at twelve. At his Ceremony of Elevens he received some new clothes and a calculator. At the Ceremony of Twelves, though, he will receive his job assignment as the Receiver of Memories.

Note that even their birthdays are celebrated as community events—everyone has the same birthday—and each person is a number; rather than saying "I am seven," one would say, "I am a seven," indicating they are part of a larger group and not an individual.

What do the numbers assigned to each child in "The Giver" signify?

In the community depicted in The Giver, each child is assigned his or her own unique number at birth, a number that is based on the order in which they are born.

Only fifty newchildren, as they are called, are born each year and added to the society's population. This is a measure introduced and enforced by the Committee of Elders in order to ensure that the annual birthrate is strictly moderated. Sameness is the governing idea in this society, and so the birth rate needs to be monitored closely to ensure that the general population can be more effectively managed and controlled in order to conform.

For the first twelve years of their life, everyone's number equates to their age. So, for instance, Jonas is a Twelve, whereas Lily is a Seven. As a Twelve, Jonas is expected to show more maturity and responsibility than younger children such as Lily. After the age of twelve is reached, however, numbers become irrelevant as children enter into adult society and accept the roles and responsibilities they've been given. This takes place at the annual Ceremony of Twelve, and in this year's ceremony, Jonas is officially given the very important role of the community's next Receiver of Memory.