I wonder why they do this?

In 10 years this post will be irrevelent

Lazy programming prolly.

Some parents create email accounts for newborns to "get" the adress before somebody else does and to link the adress to bank accounts, stock accounts, college savings plans etc.

Because newborns are on the internet now kids.

Nasa trying to. Catch time travellers

So true

By the time the kids are old enough to set their own email address, all the normal ones will be taken. Besides, I wouldn't entrust a kid with setting up their own address. Not if I wanted it to get a sensible one.