Did you know
In the 2010 season, he won Super Bowl XLV over the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching a touchdown pass in the game
Famous Birthdays on May 31
179 people
1462 – 2001
May 31 has seen 179 notable people enter the world across recorded history — from 1462 – 2001. Below are the most significant names born on this date.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
1985 — Jordy Nelson
American football player
Did you know
As of September 2025, Nelson holds the Packers franchise record for the most Lambeau Leaps performed by a player (27).
Did you know
Jordy Ray Nelson is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers
Did you know
Nelson was raised in Riley County, Kansas and played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats, receiving consensus All-American honors in 2007
Did you know
He was selected by the Packers in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft
Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg (died 1504)
Philipp II of Hanau-Lichtenberg ruled the County of Hanau-Lichtenberg from 1480 until his death.
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1462
Manuel I, known as the Fortunate, was King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A member of the House of Aviz, Manuel was Duke of Beja and Viseu prior to succeeding his cousin, John II of Portugal, as monarch. Manuel ruled…
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1469
Italian painter (died 1607)
Alessandro di Cristofano di Lorenzo del Bronzino Allori was an Italian painter of the late Mannerist Florentine school.
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1535
Catholic cardinal (died 1600)
Prince Jerzy Radziwiłł was a Polish–Lithuanian magnate and Imperial Reichsfürst from the Radziwiłł family. He was ordained a Catholic priest and later rose through the ranks as Bishop of Vilnius eventually becoming a…
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1556
1577
Elector of Saxony (died 1680)
Johann George II was the Elector of Saxony from 1656 to 1680. He belonged to the Albertine branch of the House of Wettin.
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1613
King of Poland (died 1673)
Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, also known as Michał Tomasz Wiśniowiecki, and under a regal name Michael, was the ruler of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 29 September…
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1640
Dositheus II Notaras of Jerusalem was the Patriarch of Jerusalem between 1669 and 1707 and a theologian of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He was known for standing against influences of the Roman Catholic and Protestant…
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1641
Queen of the Malwa Kingdom under the Maratha Empire (died 1795)
Ahilyabai Holkar, also spelled Ahalya Bai, was the Rajamata and later the ruling queen of Indore within the Maratha Empire. She established Maheshwar as the seat of the Holkar Dynasty.
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1725
Austrian archbishop (died 1812)
Hieronymus Joseph Franz de Paula Graf Colloredo von Wallsee und Melz was Prince-Bishop of Gurk from 1761 to 1772 and Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg from 1772 until 1803, when the prince-archbishopric was secularized.…
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1732
French lawyer and politician (died 1793)
Pierre Victurnien Vergniaud was a French lawyer and statesman, a figure of the French Revolution. A deputy to the Assembly from Bordeaux, Vergniaud was an eloquent orator. He was a supporter of Jacques Pierre Brissot…
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1753
Italian painter and educator (died 1817)
Andrea Appiani was an Italian neoclassical painter. He is known as "the elder", to distinguish him from his great-nephew Andrea Appiani, a historical painter in Rome.
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1754
German poet, author, and critic (died 1853)
Johann Ludwig Tieck was a German poet, fiction writer, translator, and critic. He was one of the founding fathers of the Romantic movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
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1773
Swiss philologist and scholar (died 1887)
Johann Georg Baiter was a Swiss philologist and textual critic.
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1801
Irish-Australian politician, 3rd Premier of South Australia (died 1884)
Sir Robert Richard Torrens,, also known as Robert Richard Chute Torrens, was an Irish-born parliamentarian, writer, and land reformer. After a move to London in 1836, he became prominent in the early years of the Colony…
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1812
English-Australian cricketer and politician, 15th Premier of Tasmania (died 1906)
Sir Adye Douglas was an Australian lawyer and politician, and first class cricket player, who played one match for Tasmania. He was Premier of Tasmania from 15 August 1884 to 8 March 1886.
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1815
American lawyer and politician, 25th Governor of Massachusetts (died 1867)
John Albion Andrew was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts. He was elected in 1860 as the 25th Governor of Massachusetts, serving between 1861 and 1866, and led the state's contributions to the Union…
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1818
American poet, essayist, and journalist (died 1892)
Walter Whitman Jr. was an American poet, essayist, and journalist; he also wrote two novels. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature and world literature. Whitman incorporated both…
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1819
first Japanese female doctor of Western medicine (died 1903)
Kusumoto Ine was a Japanese physician. She was the first female doctor of Western medicine in Japan.
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1827
Japanese commander (died 1869)
Hijikata Toshizō was a Japanese swordsman of the Bakumatsu period and Vice-Commander of the Shinsengumi. As Vice-Commander, he served the Tokugawa Shogunate and co-led his group in its resistance against the imperial…
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1835
English economist and philosopher (died 1900)
Henry Sidgwick was an English utilitarian philosopher and economist and is best known in philosophy for his utilitarian treatise The Methods of Ethics. His work in economics has also had a lasting influence.
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1838
Australian politician, 15th Premier of South Australia (died 1894)
Sir John Cox Bray was a prominent South Australian politician and the first native-born Premier of South Australia (1881–1884).
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1842
1st Viscount Pirrie, Canadian-Irish businessman and politician, Lord Mayor of Belfast (died 1924)
William James Pirrie, 1st Viscount Pirrie was a leading British shipbuilder and businessman. He was chairman of Harland & Wolff, shipbuilders, between 1895 and 1924, and also served as Lord Mayor of Belfast between 1896…
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1847
Argentinian explorer and academic (died 1919)
Francisco Pascasio Moreno was a prominent explorer and academic in Argentina, where he is usually referred to as Perito Moreno. Perito Moreno has been credited as one of the most influential figures in the Argentine…
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1852
German microbiologist, invented the Petri dish (died 1921)
Julius Richard Petri was a German microbiologist who is generally credited with inventing the device known as the Petri dish, which is named after him, while working as assistant to bacteriologist Robert Koch.
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1852
Pope Pius XI was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 until his death in February 1939. He was also the first sovereign of Vatican City upon its creation on 11 February 1929.
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1857
English socialist, social psychologist, and educationalist (died 1932)
Graham Wallas was an English socialist, social psychologist, educationalist, a leader of the Fabian Society and a co-founder of the London School of Economics.
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1858
English painter (died 1942)
Walter Richard Sickert was a German-born British painter and printmaker who was a member of the Camden Town Group of Post-Impressionist artists in early 20th-century London. He was an important influence on…
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1860
Indian-English captain and explorer (died 1942)
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband, was a British Army officer, explorer and spiritual writer. He is remembered for his travels in the Far East and Central Asia; especially the 1904 British expedition to…
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1863
American entrepreneur; one of the founders of the Ringling Brothers Circus (died 1936)
John Nicholas Ringling was an American entrepreneur who is the best known of the seven Ringling brothers, five of whom merged the Barnum & Bailey Circus with their own Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows to create a…
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1866
British suffragette and women's rights activist (died 1953)
Rosa May Billinghurst was a British suffragette and women's rights activist. She was known popularly as the "cripple suffragette" as she campaigned in a tricycle.
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1875
New Zealand-Australian soprano (died 1952)
Frances Davis Alda was a New Zealand-born, Australian-raised operatic lyric soprano. She achieved fame during the first three decades of the 20th century due to her outstanding singing voice, fine technique and…
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1879
Hungarian politician, Hungarian Minister of War (died 1956)
Count Sándor Ágost Dénes Festetics de Tolna was a Hungarian nobleman and cabinet minister who later became an advocate of Nazism in Hungary.
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1882
Finnish politician, 2nd President of Finland (died 1942)
Lauri Kristian Relander was the president of Finland (1925–1931). A prominent member of the Agrarian League, he served as a member of Parliament, and as Speaker, before his election as president.
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1883
Australian politician, 32nd Premier of South Australia (died 1967)
Robert Stanley Richards was an Australian politician. He served as premier of South Australia for two months in 1933, leading the Parliamentary Labor faction of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in the aftermath of a…
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1885
French poet and diplomat, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1975)
Alexis Leger, better known by his pseudonym Saint-John Perse, was a French poet, writer and diplomat, awarded the 1960 Nobel Prize in Literature "for the soaring flight and the evocative imagery of his poetry which in a…
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1887
Belarusian-French painter (died 1968)
Michel Kikoïne was a Lithuanian Jewish-French painter who belonged to the Ecole de Paris art movement.
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1892
German lieutenant and politician (died 1951)
Erich Neumann was a German lawyer and civil servant, a member of the Nazi party and an SS-Oberführer. Neumann was a participant in the Wannsee Conference that determined the implementation of the Final Solution. He was…
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1892
Russian poet and author (died 1968)
Konstantin Georgiyevich Paustovsky was a Soviet writer nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1968.
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1892
German lieutenant and politician (died 1934)
Gregor Strasser was a German politician and early leader of the Nazi Party. Along with his younger brother Otto, he was a leading member of the party's left-wing faction, which brought them into conflict with the…
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1892
American comedian, radio host, game show panelist, and author (died 1956)
John Florence Sullivan, known professionally as Fred Allen, was an American comedian. His absurdist, topically pointed radio program The Fred Allen Show (1932–1949) made him one of the most popular and forward-looking…
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1894
American minister and author (died 1993)
Norman Vincent Peale was an American Protestant clergyman, and an author best known for popularizing the concept of positive thinking, especially through his best-selling book The Power of Positive Thinking (1952). He…
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1898
American athlete (died 1981)
Lucile Ellerbe Godbold was an American track and field athlete. She competed in the long jump and several running and throwing events at the 1922 Women's World Games, also known as the First International Games for…
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1900
Italian-American conductor and composer (died 1983)
Alfredo Antonini was a leading Italian-American symphony conductor and composer who was active on the international concert stage as well as on the CBS radio and television networks from the 1930s through the early…
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1901
American actor (died 1993)
Don Ameche was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, repertory theatre, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 1930s, which led to the offer of a movie contract…
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1908
Canadian-American ice hockey player (died 2000)
Arthur Edmund Coulter was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks in the National Hockey League.
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1909
French economist and physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2010)
Maurice Félix Charles Allais was a French physicist and economist, the 1988 winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences "for his pioneering contributions to the theory of markets and efficient utilization of…
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1911
Chinese-American experimental physicist (died 1997)
Chien-Shiung Wu was a Chinese-American particle and experimental physicist who made significant contributions in the fields of nuclear and particle physics. Wu worked on the Manhattan Project, where she helped develop…
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1912
Japanese composer and educator (died 2006)
Akira Ifukube was a Japanese composer. He is best known for composing several entries in the Godzilla franchise as well as developing the titular monster's roar.
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1914
Dutch director, producer, and screenwriter (died 1997)
Albert Haanstra was a Dutch director of films and documentaries. His documentary Glass (1958) won the Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject in 1959. His feature film Fanfare (1958) was the most visited Dutch film…
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1916
American actor (died 2001)[better source needed]
Robert Osterloh was an American actor. In a career spanning 20 years, he appeared in films such as The Dark Past (1948), The Wild One (1953), I Bury the Living (1958), and Young Dillinger (1965).
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1918
African American chemist (died 1982)
Lloyd Albert Quarterman was an American chemist working mainly with fluorine. During the Second World War, he was one of the first six African American scientists and technicians on the Manhattan Project.
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1918
American editor, novelist and critic (died 1995)
Robie Mayhew Macauley was an American editor, novelist and critic whose literary career spanned more than 50 years.
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1919
1921
Anglo-Italian jewellery designer (died 2007)
Andrew Grima was an Anglo-Italian jewellery designer.
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1921
American radio and television announcer (died 2008)
Howard Reig was an American radio and television announcer. His last name was pronounced "reeg."
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1921
Austrian-Italian actress and singer (died 2006)
Baroness Alida Maria Laura Altenburger von Marckenstein-Frauenberg, better known by her stage name Alida Valli, or simply Valli, was an Italian actress who appeared in more than 100 films in a 70-year career, spanning…
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1921
English-Spanish actor (died 1992)
Denholm Mitchell Elliott was an English actor. He appeared in numerous productions on stage and screen, receiving BAFTA awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Trading Places (1983), A Private Function (1984) and…
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1922
American painter and sculptor (died 2015)
Ellsworth Kelly was an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker associated with hard-edge painting, Color field painting and minimalism. His works demonstrate unassuming techniques emphasizing line, color and form,…
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1923
Prince of Monaco (died 2005)
Rainier III was Prince of Monaco from 1949 to his death in 2005. Rainier ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years.
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1923
Italian football player (died 2003)
Claudio Matteini was an Italian professional football player.
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1923
American actor and director (died 1986)
Julian Beck was an American actor, stage director, poet, and painter. He is best known for co-founding and directing the Living Theatre, as well as his posthumous role as Reverend Henry Kane, the malevolent preacher in…
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1925
English admiral (died 2018)
Admiral Sir James Henry Fuller Eberle, was a senior officer in the Royal Navy who served as Commander-in-Chief Fleet from 1979 until 1981.
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1927
Baron Sandberg, English lieutenant and banker (died 2017)
Michael Graham Ruddock Sandberg, Baron Sandberg, CBE was executive chairman of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation from 1977 to 1986.
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1927
Indian cricketer (died 2001)
Pankaj Roy was an Indian cricketer who played in 43 Test matches, including once as captain. He was a right-handed opening batsman, perhaps best known for establishing the world record opening partnership in Test…
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1928
Israeli director and producer (died 2014)
Menahem Golan was an Israeli film producer, screenwriter, and director. He co-owned The Cannon Group with his cousin Yoram Globus. Cannon specialized in producing low-to-mid-budget American films, primarily genre films,…
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1929
American actor, director, musician, and producer
Clinton Eastwood Jr. is an American actor, filmmaker and musician. After achieving success in the Western TV series Rawhide, Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's…
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1930
1930
American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2019)
John Robert Schrieffer was an American physicist who, with John Bardeen and Leon Cooper, was a recipient of the 1972 Nobel Prize in Physics for developing the BCS theory, the first successful quantum theory of…
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1931
American soprano and actress (died 2010)
Shirley Verrett was an American operatic mezzo-soprano who successfully transitioned into soprano roles making her a Soprano sfogato. Verrett enjoyed great fame from the late 1960s through the 1990s; she was…
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1931
Brazilian pianist, bassist, and composer (died 2012)
Ed Lincoln was a Brazilian musician, composer and arranger known for a wide variety of styles. As a bassist, he was present at the earliest moments of bossa nova and as a Hammond organ player, he was foundational in…
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1932
1932
American religious leader, educator, and author
Henry Bennion Eyring is an American religious leader and former educational administrator serving as the first counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As the church's second…
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1933
American actor (died 1979)
Dana Scott James Hutton was an American actor in film and television best remembered for his role as Ellery Queen in the 1970s TV series of the same name, and his screen partnership with Paula Prentiss in four films,…
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1934
New Zealand businessman and politician, 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand (died 2025)
James Brendan Bolger was a New Zealand politician of the National Party who was the 35th prime minister of New Zealand, serving from 1990 to 1997.
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1935
American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2003)
Johnny Paycheck was an American country music singer and songwriter. He is a notable figure in the outlaw movement in country music.
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1938
British sailor and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died 2024)
John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott was a British politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and as First Secretary of State from 2001 to 2007.
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1938
American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (died 2025)
Peter Yarrow was an American singer and songwriter who found fame as a member of the 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary along with Paul Stookey and Mary Travers.
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1938
English humanitarian and author
Sir Terence Hardy Waite is a British human rights activist and author.
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1939
Ukrainian hammer thrower and coach (died 2025)
Anatoliy Pavlovych Bondarchuk was a Ukrainian hammer thrower who competed for the Soviet Union. An Olympic gold medallist, he is regarded as one of the most accomplished hammer throw coaches of all time. He was the…
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1940
American musician and singer-songwriter
August Edmond George Meyer Jr., known professionally as Augie Meyers, was an American musician, songwriter, studio musician, record producer and record label owner. He is perhaps best known as a founding member of the…
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1940
American illustrator
Gilbert Shelton is an American cartoonist and a key member of the underground comix movement. He is the creator of the iconic underground characters The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Fat Freddy's Cat, and Wonder…
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1940
Welsh nurse and educator
Dame Margaret June Clark, FAAN FLSW was a British nurse and academic who was Professor Emeritus of Community Nursing, at Swansea University in Wales.
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1941
American pharmacologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
Louis Joseph Ignarro is an American pharmacologist. For demonstrating the signaling properties of nitric oxide, he was co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Robert F. Furchgott and Ferid…
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1941
American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
William Dawbney Nordhaus is an American economist. He was a Sterling Professor of Economics at Yale University, best known for his work in economic modeling and climate change, and a co-recipient of the 2018 Nobel…
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1941
American actress
Sharon Marguerite Gless is an American actress known for her television roles. She portrayed Maggie Philbin on Switch (1975–1978), Sgt. Christine Cagney in the police procedural drama series Cagney & Lacey (1982–1988),…
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1943
American football player, sportscaster, and actor
Joseph William Namath is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the New York Jets.…
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1943
German actor, director, and screenwriter (died 1982)
Rainer Werner Fassbinder, sometimes credited as R. W. Fassbinder, was a German filmmaker, dramatist and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the major figures and catalysts of the New German Cinema movement. He…
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1945
Ivorian academic and politician, 4th President of Côte d'Ivoire
Koudou Laurent Gbagbo is an Ivorian politician who was the president of Côte d'Ivoire from 2000 until his arrest in April 2011. He was the first president in the history of the country that was a centre-left politician.…
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1945
American journalist and author
Bernard Richard Goldberg is an American author, journalist, and political pundit. Goldberg has won fourteen Emmy Awards and was a producer, reporter and correspondent for CBS News for twenty-eight years (1972–2000) and…
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1945
1946
Jamaican cricketer and umpire
Stephen Anthony Bucknor, OJ is a Jamaican former international cricket umpire.
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1946
Estonian journalist, politician, and diplomat (died 2009)
Krista Kilvet was an Estonian radio journalist, politician and diplomat.
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1946
English model and businesswoman
Debbie Moore OBE is an English retired model and businesswoman who founded the Pineapple Dance Studios and its associated clothing brand. She was the first woman to float a company on the London Stock Exchange and in…
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1946
Scottish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
Junior Campbell is a Scottish composer, songwriter and musician. He was a founding member, lead guitarist, pianist, and singer with the Scottish band Marmalade and co-wrote and produced some of their biggest successes,…
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1947
German discus thrower
Gabriele Hinzmann is a German former track and field athlete who competed mainly in the discus throw, such as at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where she competed for East Germany and won the…
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1947
Belarusian journalist and author, Nobel Prize laureate
Svetlana Alexandrovna Alexievich is a Belarusian investigative journalist, essayist and oral historian who writes in Russian. She was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature "for her polyphonic writings, a monument…
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1948
English musician, songwriter and drummer (died 1980)
John Henry Bonham was an English musician who was the drummer of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Noted for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for groove, he is regarded as one of…
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1948
English bass player, guitarist, and record producer (died 1991)
James Martin Hannett, was an English record producer, musician, and an original partner and director at Tony Wilson's Factory Records. He was also a co-founder of the musicians' collective Music Force, and the record…
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1948
American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician
Duncan Lee Hunter is a retired American politician. He was a Republican member of the House of Representatives from California's 52nd, 45th and 42nd districts from 1981 to 2009.
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1948
American actor, film producer and television writer
Thomas Michael Moore, known professionally as Tom Berenger, is an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and won a Golden Globe Award for his portrayal of the Staff Sergeant Bob…
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1949
French director, producer, and screenwriter, founded DIC Entertainment
Jean Chalopin is a French businessman, banker and former television animation producer. In 1971, he founded the production company DIC Entertainment, which specialized in children-oriented animated television and film…
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1950
American actor
Gregory Neale Harrison is an American actor. He is known primarily for his roles as Dr. George Alonzo "Gonzo" Gates, the young surgeon assistant of Dr. Trapper John McIntyre on the CBS series Trapper John, M.D.…
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1950
German politician (died 1998)
Christine Kurzhals was a German engineer and politician who served in the Bundestag from 1994 until her death in 1998. A member of the Social Democratic Party from Saxony, she was prominent for her role in the inner…
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1950
Estonian politician, Estonian Minister of the Interior (died 2022)
Edgar Savisaar was an Estonian politician, one of the founding members of Popular Front of Estonia and the Centre Party. He served as the acting Prime Minister of Estonia, Minister of the Interior, Minister of Economic…
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1950
1951
French writer, photographer and actress (died 2016)
Carole Hélène Marthe Andrée Achache was a French writer, photographer and actress. She was the daughter of French writer Monique Lange and the mother of French-Moroccan film director Mona Achache. She appeared in films…
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1952
German singer-songwriter and keyboard player
Karlheinz Bartos is a German musician and composer, known for his contributions to the electronic band Kraftwerk.
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1952
Finnish actor and screenwriter
Pirkka-Pekka Petelius is a Finnish actor, director, producer, screenwriter and politician. He has also released six records as a singer. He is a member of the Green League and was elected to the Finnish parliament in…
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1953
Greek footballer
Thomas Mavros is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a striker.
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1954
American actress and singer (died 2000)
Vicki Sue Robinson was an American singer closely associated with the disco era of late 1970s pop music; she is most famous for her 1976 hit, "Turn the Beat Around".
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1954
Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist
William Thomas Emmanuel is an Australian guitarist. Originally a session player in many bands, he has released many award-winning recordings as a solo artist. In June 2010, Emmanuel was appointed a Member of the Order…
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1955
American actress, comedian, and screenwriter
Susan Essman is an American comedian, actress, producer, and writer. She is best known for her role as Susie Greene on Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–2024), as the voice of Mittens in Bolt (2008), and as Bobbi Wexler on…
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1955
German drummer and composer
Friedrich "Fritz" Hilpert is a German musician who is best known for his work as a member of the electropop group Kraftwerk.
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1956
English singer-songwriter and keyboard player
John Young is a British rock musician hailing from Liverpool. He is currently the keyboardist and singer for the progressive rock band Lifesigns.
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1956
1957
Italian race car driver (died 2014)
Andrea de Cesaris was an Italian racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1980 to 1994.
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1959
English politician
Philip Wilson, Baron Wilson of Sedgefield, is a British politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Sedgefield from a 2007 by-election until 2019. A member of the Labour Party, he was appointed to the House…
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1959
Canadian ice hockey player and businessman
Gregory Charles Adams is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1980–81 to 1989–90.
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1960
American actor, comedian, and screenwriter
Christopher Nash Elliott is an American actor, comedian and writer known for his surreal sense of humor. He was a regular performer on Late Night with David Letterman while working as a writer there (1983–1988), created…
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1960
English rugby player
Peter James Winterbottom, is an English former rugby union player who played as an openside flanker. He was England's most-capped openside until being overtaken by Neil Back in 2003. He made his England debut on 2…
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1960
1961
Australian footballer and politician
Justin Mark Madden is a former Australian rules footballer and state politician. He played for both the Essendon Football Club and the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
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1961
American actress, director, and producer
Lea Katherine Thompson is an American actress, singer, dancer and director.
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1961
Peruvian politician, 64th President of Peru
Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra is a Peruvian politician, civil servant, and lawyer who served as the president of Peru from 7 December 2022 until she was removed from office on 10 October 2025. She had previously served…
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1962
Canadian singer-songwriter and producer
Corey Mitchell Hart is a Canadian singer, musician and songwriter known for his hit singles "Sunglasses at Night", "Never Surrender" and "It Ain't Enough". He has sold over 16 million records worldwide and recorded nine…
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1962
holder of the Sir Samuel Hall Chair of Chemistry at the University of Manchester
David Alan Leigh FRS FRSE FRSC is a British chemist, Royal Society Research Professor and, since 2014, the Sir Samuel Hall Chair of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Manchester. He was…
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1963
Hungarian politician, 38th Prime Minister of Hungary
Viktor Mihály Orbán is a Hungarian lawyer and politician who has served as the prime minister of Hungary since 2010, having previously held the office from 1998 to 2002. He has also been the president of Fidesz, a…
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1963
American singer-songwriter and keyboard player (died 2003)
Wesley Lawrence Willis was an American musician and visual artist. Diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1989, Willis began a career as an underground singer-songwriter in the outsider music tradition. Willis' songs are…
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1963
Canadian lawyer and businessman
Leonard Asper is a Canadian businessperson, entrepreneur and lawyer. He was president and CEO of Canwest from 1999 through its bankruptcy in 2010. He would later establish Anthem Sports & Entertainment which owns…
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1964
French hurdler and coach
Stéphane Caristan is a retired hurdler from France, who set the world's best year performance in 1986. He did so by winning the men's 110 metres hurdles final at the European Championships in Stuttgart, clocking 13.20,…
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1964
Japanese politician, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs
Yukio Edano is a Japanese politician who served as the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan from its formation in 2017 until 2021.
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1964
American rapper and producer
Darryl Matthews McDaniels, also commonly known by his stage name DMC, is an American rapper and record producer. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Run-DMC, and is considered one of the pioneers of hip hop…
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1964
American model, actress, and producer
Brooke Christa Shields is an American actress and current president of the Actors' Equity Association. A child model starting at the age of 11 months, Shields gained widespread notoriety for her leading role in Louis…
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1965
1966
Sri Lankan cricketer and referee
Deshabandu Roshan Siriwardene Mahanama is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and a former ICC match referee. He was a key member in the 1996 Cricket World Cup winning team for Sri Lanka. He is the first man to have stood as…
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1966
New Zealand television host and producer
Philip John Keoghan is a New Zealand television presenter, best known for hosting the American version of The Amazing Race on CBS, since its 2001 debut. He is the creator and host of No Opportunity Wasted, which has…
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1967
American baseball player, coach, and sportscaster
Kenneth Lofton is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. Lofton was a six-time All-Star (1994–1999) and four-time Gold Glove Award winner (1993–1996), and is currently ranked 15th among all-time…
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1967
Indo-Anglo-American saxophonist, konnakol artist, composer, and arranger
Aruṇ Lūthrā is a saxophonist, konnakol artist, composer, and bandleader based in New York City.
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1971
Norwegian skier
Frode Estil is a retired Norwegian cross-country skier. He lives in Meråker Municipality with his wife Grete whom he married in the summer of 2001. They have two sons, Bernhard, born in August 2002, and Konrad. Estil…
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1972
American bassist and record producer
Christian McBride is an American jazz bassist, bandleader, composer. He has appeared on more than 400 recordings as a sideman, and is an eleven-time Grammy Award winner.
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1972
Finnish international footballer and coach
Antti Mikko Niemi is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently an assistant coach of Volos of the Super League Greece. Since 2010, he has also worked as the goalkeeping coach…
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1972
British actress
Archana Panjabi is an English actress. On television, she is known for her roles as Maya Roy in the BBC One series Life on Mars (2006–2007), Kalinda Sharma in the CBS series The Good Wife (2009–2015), Nas Kamal in the…
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1972
American baseball player and coach
David Ray Roberts, nicknamed "Doc", is an American professional baseball manager and former outfielder who is the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for five MLB teams over a…
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1972
Japanese comedian and singer
Hiroiki Ariyoshi is a Japanese comedian and singer who is represented by Ohta Production.
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1974
Japanese baseball player
Mac Suzuki is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. Over his career, Suzuki played 18 seasons in professional baseball, including six in Major League Baseball and two in the Japan Pacific League. In his…
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1975
Irish actor
Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor. A leading man in blockbusters and independent films since the 2000s, he has received various accolades, including three Golden Globe Awards, one Screen Actors Guild Award, and one…
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1976
American basketball player and sportscaster
Matthew Joseph Harpring is an American former professional basketball player who played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was formerly paired with play-by-play broadcaster Craig Bolerjack as…
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1976
Italian swimmer
Domenico Fioravanti is a retired Italian competitive swimmer who won two gold medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
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1977
Zambian footballer
Moses Sichone is a Zambian football manager and former professional footballer who is the current manager of the Zambia national team. As a player, he spent most of his career with German clubs.
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1977
Belgian footballer
Jean-François Gillet is a Belgian professional football coach and former player who played as a goalkeeper. He works as a goalkeeping coach at Standard Liège. At international level, he was a member of the Belgian squad…
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1979
American musician
Andrew John Hurley is an American musician who is the drummer for the rock band Fall Out Boy. Prior to Fall Out Boy, Hurley played in several hardcore punk bands. He joined Fall Out Boy as the full-time drummer in 2003…
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1980
Swedish footballer
Mikael Antonsson is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a defender. He currently works for the Danish Superliga side F.C. Copenhagen as assistant manager. As a player, he played professionally in…
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1981
Italian footballer
Daniele Bonera is an Italian retired professional footballer who played as a centre back.
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1981
American baseball player
Jacob Edward Peavy is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He is currently an on-air analyst for MLB Network. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red…
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1981
Austrian skier
Marlies Raich is a retired Austrian World Cup alpine ski racer. She specializes in the technical disciplines of slalom and giant slalom. Schild won four Olympic medals, with silvers in the combined (2006) and slalom and…
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1981
Australian rugby league player
Brett Firman is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s. He played in the National Rugby League, primarily in the halves, for the St. George Illawarra Dragons, Sydney Roosters,…
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1982
American baseball player
Andrew Scott Bailey is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). As a player, he played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics, Los…
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1984
Serbian swimmer
Milorad "Milo" Čavić is a Serbian former professional swimmer. He won a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly at the 2008 Summer Olympics in a historic race with American swimmer Michael Phelps. Čavić also was World…
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1984
American basketball player
Nathaniel Cornelius Robinson is an American former professional basketball player. Robinson played college basketball for the Washington Huskies and was the 21st overall pick of the 2005 NBA draft. The 5-foot-9-inch…
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1984
American rapper
Juaquin James Malphurs, known professionally as Waka Flocka Flame, is an American rapper. He first became known for his 2009 single "O Let's Do It", which entered the Billboard Hot 100 and led him to sign with Gucci…
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1986
Dutch cyclist
Robert Gesink is a Dutch former cyclist, who competed as a professional from 2007 to 2024. His major victories include the 2012 Tour of California, the 2011 Tour of Oman and the 2010 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal.…
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1986
German footballer
Marco Reus is a German professional footballer who plays as a forward or attacking midfielder for Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy.
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1989
Swedish ice hockey player
Erik Sven Gunnar Karlsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Karlsson was drafted in the first round, 15th overall, by the…
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1990
American singer-songwriter and rapper
Azealia Amanda Banks is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Her debut single "212" became a defining song of the 2010s and appeared on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2021. Banks…
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1991
Canadian ice hockey player
Joseph Alain Michaël Bournival is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was selected in the third round, 71st overall, by the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 2010 NHL entry…
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1992
Latvian heptathlete
Laura Ikauniece is a Latvian athlete competing in heptathlon. She participated in two Olympic Games, finishing fourth in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. She won a silver medal at the 2012 European Athletics Championships, and a…
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1992
Icelandic politician
Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson is an Icelandic politician, government minister and member of the Althing. A member of the Social Democratic Alliance, he has represented Reykjavík South since November 2024. He previously…
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1992
American baseball player
Shane Robert Bieber is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Cleveland Indians / Guardians. As a walk-on, Bieber…
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1995
Australian rugby league player
Matthew Lodge is a rugby league footballer who most recently played as a prop for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League (NRL).
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1995
American singer
Normani Kordei Hamilton, known mononymously as Normani, is an American singer, dancer, and former member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, which became one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. While in the group,…
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1996
New Zealand rugby league player
Brandon Smith is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker and lock for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the National Rugby League (NRL), and for New Zealand and the New Zealand Māori at…
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1996
South Korean singer and rapper
Woo Jin-young is a South Korean singer and rapper. During his tenure as a trainee with Happy Face Entertainment, he was a contestant on the reality survival series Produce 101 and Mix Nine, where he competed to debut in…
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1997
South Korean singer-songwriter
Jeong Se-woon is a South Korean singer-songwriter. He debuted as solo artist with released the first part of his debut EP Ever on August 31, 2017. Jeong is known for being a contestant on the survival show Produce 101…
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1997
American race car driver
Santino Michael Ferrucci is an American professional racing driver. He competes full-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 14 Chevrolet for A. J. Foyt Enterprises. He has also previously raced in the FIA Formula 2…
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1998
American wrestler
Gable Dan Steveson is an American wrestler and professional mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to the Heavyweight divisions of both Real American Freestyle and Ultimate Fighting Championship.
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2000
American football player
Breece Maelik Hall is an American professional football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones, where he was a two-time…
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2001
Polish tennis player
Iga Natalia Świątek is a Polish professional tennis player. Currently ranked world No. 4 in women's singles by the WTA, she has held the world No. 1 ranking for a total of 125 weeks. Świątek has won 25
WTA Tour–level…
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2001
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Famous birthdays
Who was born on May 31?
Jordy Nelson — American football player (born 1985)
FeaturedJordy Nelson
Birth year1985
Known forNelson was raised in Riley County, Kansas and played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats, receiving consensus All-American honors in 2007
Birthdays on this date179 (1462 – 2001)
Explore May 31
Jump between the main pages for this date to compare events, people, and the daily quiz.
Also on May 31 in History
2019
A shooting occurs inside a municipal building at Virginia Beach, Virginia, leaving 13 people dead, including the shooter, and four others injured. Wikipedia →
2017
A car bomb explodes in a crowded intersection in Kabul near the German embassy during rush hour, killing over 90 and injuring 463. Wikipedia →
2016
See all events on May 31
Syrian civil war: The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launch the Manbij offensive, in order to capture the city of Manbij from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Wikipedia →
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