Yes, your date of birth tends to make the numbers more noticeable. What is in one's attention is likely to be noticed more often. Like when a person buys a new car, suddenly the person sees the same model more often than before.

The number 9 is a holistic number and a number of completions. Its focus is on the welfare of humanity as much as or more than on its own welfare.

The number 17 is a number of initiating big projects that benefit society and seeing the projects through to completion. It generally has talents related to company leadership, team organization, and finance.

The number 17's meaning is very similar to the meaning of your life path number 8, by the way. A little less of the sole project initiator vibe and more of taking on projects developed by talking with others. But otherwise, so close to identical it would be an effort to notice differences.