Born in January: famous birthdays and numbers for every day
January has 31 days, from the 1st to the 31st day of the year. People born in January are Capricorn until January 19, then Aquarius. In 2027, January 1 falls on a Friday, and 10 of the month’s 31 days fall on a Saturday or Sunday.
Day by day, this page brings together 248 famous people, 124 events and 93 holidays and observances. The earliest birth listed is Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600, January 17), the most recent IShowSpeed (2005, January 21). 7 of them have a milestone birthday coming up, including R. Kelly (60 on January 8, 2027), Jamie Vardy (40 on January 11, 2027) and Orlando Bloom (50 on January 13, 2027). In the United States, the most common January birthday from 2000 to 2014 was January 24 (151st of 366 days, about 11,446 births that day each year), and the least common January 1 (365th).
Updated October 25, 2026. Famous people, events and holidays: Wikipedia and Wikidata. US birth counts: Social Security Administration, compiled by FiveThirtyEight.
How to read the January entries
Every day in January has its own entry. It starts with the day’s rank in the year, the zodiac sign (usual dates, give or take a day depending on the year) and the day’s rank within that sign, the day of the week it falls on the next three times, the years it lands on a Saturday or Sunday over the next ten years, and the date a baby born that day, next time it comes around, will be 10,000 days old. The last figure is the average number of babies born that day each year in the United States from 2000 to 2014, with the day’s rank out of 366.
Next come the eight people born that day with the most articles across the different Wikipedias (Wikidata, checked October 25, 2026); for living people, the age shown is the one they will reach on their next birthday, calculated by Cardiboo. Finally, a few events and holidays for the day, taken from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0 license), with a link to the full page for that day.
Born on January 1
1st day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 11th day of the sign · Friday in 2027, Saturday in 2028, Monday in 2029 · weekend in 2028, 2033 and 2034 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 19, 2054 · US: about 7,735 births that day each year (365th of 366)
- 1919 J. D. Salinger, American author (1919–2010)
- 1863 Pierre de Coubertin, founder of modern Olympic Games, pedagogue and historian (1863-1937)
- 1823 Sándor Petőfi, Hungarian poet and liberal revolutionary (1823–1849)
- 1956 Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank — turns 71 in 2027
- 1879 E. M. Forster, English novelist (1879-1970)
- 1894 Satyendra Nath Bose, Indian Bengali physicist and polymath (1894–1974)
- 1909 Stepan Bandera, Ukrainian nationalist leader (1909–1959)
- 1942 Alassane Ouattara, President of Ivory Coast since 2010 — turns 85 in 2027
January 1 in history
- 2019 The NASA space probe New Horizons flew by the trans-Neptunian object Arrokoth, making it the farthest object visited by a spacecraft.
- 2005 Jeanna Giese, the first known rabies survivor who did not receive the vaccine, was discharged from Children's Wisconsin.
- 1998 Argentinian physicist Juan Maldacena published a landmark paper initiating the study of AdS/CFT correspondence, which links string theory and quantum gravity.
- 1995 The World Trade Organization, the international organization designed to supervise and liberalize international trade, came into being, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
Holidays and observances on January 1
- Christian feast day: Basil the Great (Eastern Orthodox Church)
- Christian feast day: Feast of the Circumcision of Christ Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (Anglican Communion, Lutheran Church)
- Christian feast day: Fulgentius of Ruspe
Born on January 2
2nd day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 12th day of the sign · Saturday in 2027, Sunday in 2028, Tuesday in 2029 · weekend in 2027, 2028 and 2033 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 20, 2054 · US: about 9,606 births that day each year (362nd of 366)
- 1873 Thérèse of Lisieux, French Discalced Carmelite nun, Doctor of the Church (1873–1897)
- 1822 Rudolf Clausius, German mathematical physicist and professor (1822–1888)
- 1642 Mehmed IV, 19th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1648–1687)
- 1968 Cuba Gooding Jr., American actor — turns 59 in 2027
- 1837 Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev, Russian composer, pianist, and conductor (1837–1910)
- 1699 Osman III, 25th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1754–1757)
- 1981 Maxi Rodriguez, Argentine association football player — turns 46 in 2027
- 1896 Dziga Vertov, Russian-Soviet documentary/avantgarde filmmaker (1896-1954)
January 2 in history
- 2016 Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, was executed by the Saudi government along with 46 other people.
- 2009 Sri Lankan civil war: The Sri Lankan army captured the town of Kilinochchi from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, concluding the Battle of Kilinochchi.
- 2004 The Stardust space probe flew by the comet Wild 2 and collected particle samples from its coma, which were later returned to Earth.
- 1991 Sharon Pratt Dixon was sworn in as the mayor of Washington, D.C., becoming the first African-American woman to hold the position.
Holidays and observances on January 2
- Ancestry Day (Haiti)
- Berchtold's Day (Switzerland)
- Christian feast day: Basil the Great (Catholic Church and Church of England)
Born on January 3
3rd day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 13th day of the sign · Sunday in 2027, Monday in 2028, Wednesday in 2029 · weekend in 2027 and 2032 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 21, 2054 · US: about 11,341 births that day each year (182nd of 366)
- 1892 J. R. R. Tolkien, English writer and philologist (1892–1973)
- 1969 Michael Schumacher, German racing driver (born 1969) — turns 58 in 2027
- 2003 Greta Thunberg, Swedish climate protection activist (born 2003) — turns 24 in 2027
- 1956 Mel Gibson, American actor, director, producer and screenwriter (born 1956) — turns 71 in 2027
- 1883 Clement Attlee, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951 (1883–1967)
- 1929 Sergio Leone, Italian filmmaker (1929–1989)
- 1901 Ngô Đình Diệm, South Vietnamese politician; President of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1963
- 1995 Jisoo, South Korean singer-songwriter, actress, and model (born 1995) — turns 32 in 2027
January 3 in history
- 2026 The United States launches a military operation in Venezuela, capturing president Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
- 2009 The cryptocurrency network of bitcoin was created when Satoshi Nakamoto mined the first block of the chain.
- 2002 Second Intifada: Israeli forces seized MV Karine A, which was carrying 50 tons of smuggled weapons on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.
- 1990 United States invasion of Panama: Manuel Noriega, the deposed strongman of Panama, surrendered to American forces outside the apostolic nunciature in Panama City.
Holidays and observances on January 3
- Christian feast day: Daniel of Padua
- Christian feast day: Genevieve
- Christian feast day: Holy Name of Jesus
Born on January 4
4th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 14th day of the sign · Monday in 2027, Tuesday in 2028, Thursday in 2029 · weekend in 2031 and 2032 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 22, 2054 · US: about 11,444 births that day each year (152nd of 366)
- 1940 Gao Xingjian, Chinese novelist and playwright (1940- ) — turns 87 in 2027
- 1809 Louis Braille, French organist and teacher (1809-1852), inventor of braille, a system for reading and writing text and music, used by p
- 1990 Toni Kroos, German former football player — turns 37 in 2027
- 1785 Jacob Grimm, German philologist, linguist, jurist and mythologist (1785–1863)
- 1940 Brian David Josephson, Welsh physicist — turns 87 in 2027
- 1986 James Milner, English association football player — turns 41 in 2027
- 1963 Till Lindemann, German singer (born 1963) — turns 64 in 2027
- 1932 Carlos Saura, Spanish photographer and film director (1932–2023)
January 4 in history
- 2020 Sembawang Hot Spring Park in Singapore reopened after being redeveloped by the National Parks Board.
- 2010 The Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest structure, officially opened in Dubai.
- 2007 Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, becoming the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government.
- 2004 Spirit (artist's impression depicted), the first of two rovers of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover mission, successfully landed on Mars.
Holidays and observances on January 4
- Christian feast day: Angela of Foligno
- Christian feast day: Elizabeth Ann Seton
- Christian feast day: Ferréol of Uzès
Born on January 5
5th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 15th day of the sign · Tuesday in 2027, Wednesday in 2028, Friday in 2029 · weekend in 2030, 2031 and 2036 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 23, 2054 · US: about 11,112 births that day each year (260th of 366)
- 1932 Umberto Eco, Italian semiotician, essayist, philosopher, literary critic, and novelist (1932–2016)
- 1876 Konrad Adenauer, German politician, Chancellor of West Germany (1949–1963), Zentrum and CDU
- 1975 Bradley Cooper, American actor and filmmaker (born 1975) — turns 52 in 2027
- 1938 Juan Carlos I of Spain, King of Spain from 1975 to 2014 — turns 89 in 2027
- 1956 Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German politician, president of Germany since 2017 — turns 71 in 2027
- 1941 Hayao Miyazaki, Japanese animator, filmmaker, and mangaka (born 1941) — turns 86 in 2027
- 1846 Rudolf Christoph Eucken, (1846-1926) German philosopher
- 1946 Diane Keaton, American actress and film director (1946–2025)
January 5 in history
- 2009 In Eng Foong Ho v Attorney-General, the Court of Appeal of Singapore held that equality before the law was satisfied by a "reasonable nexus" between state action and the object of the law.
- 2008 Mikheil Saakashvili was decisively re-elected as President of Georgia in "the first genuinely competitive presidential election" in the history of the country.
- 2007 The Taiwan High Speed Rail opened, connecting Taipei and Kaohsiung.
- 2005 The dwarf planet Eris was discovered by a team using images from the Samuel Oschin telescope at Palomar Observatory.
Holidays and observances on January 5
- Christian Feast day: Charles of Mount Argus
- Christian Feast day: John Neumann (Catholic Church)
- Christian Feast day: Pope Telesphorus
Born on January 6
6th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 16th day of the sign · Wednesday in 2027, Thursday in 2028, Saturday in 2029 · weekend in 2029, 2030, 2035 and 2036 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 24, 2054 · US: about 10,944 births that day each year (299th of 366)
- 1883 Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese-American writer, poet, and painter (1883–1931)
- 1955 Rowan Atkinson, English actor, comedian, and screenwriter (born 1955) — turns 72 in 2027
- 1924 Kim Dae-jung, 8th President of the Republic of Korea (1924–2009)
- 1878 Carl Sandburg, American writer and editor (1878–1967)
- 1938 Adriano Celentano, Italian musician and actor (born 1938) — turns 89 in 2027
- 1832 Gustave Doré, French illustrator and painter (1832–1883)
- 1982 Eddie Redmayne, English actor — turns 45 in 2027
- 1872 Alexander Scriabin, Russian composer and pianist (1872–1915)
January 6 in history
- 2014 The first episode of the documentary series Benefits Street aired on Channel 4, prompting discussion in the United Kingdom about welfare dependency.
- 1994 Two-time American Olympic figure-skating medalist Nancy Kerrigan was hit on the leg with a police baton by an assailant hired by the ex-husband of her rival Tonya Harding.
- 1972 A brawl broke out between players, fans, and police officers during an ice hockey game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the St. Louis Blues in Philadelphia.
- 1953 The inaugural Asian Socialist Conference, an organisation of socialist political parties, opened in Rangoon with 177 delegates, observers and fraternal guests.
Holidays and observances on January 6
- Christian Feast day: André Bessette (Roman Catholic Church)
- Christian Feast day: January 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Christmas: Christmas (Armenian Apostolic Church)
Born on January 7
7th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 17th day of the sign · Thursday in 2027, Friday in 2028, Sunday in 2029 · weekend in 2029, 2034 and 2035 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 25, 2054 · US: about 11,175 births that day each year (233rd of 366)
- 1800 Millard Fillmore, president of the United States from 1850 to 1853
- 1971 Jeremy Renner, American actor (born 1971) — turns 56 in 2027
- 1964 Nicolas Cage, American actor (born 1964) — turns 63 in 2027
- 1985 Lewis Hamilton, British racing driver — turns 42 in 2027
- 1991 Eden Hazard, Belgian footballer (born 1991) — turns 36 in 2027
- 1970 Andy Burnham, British politician — turns 57 in 2027
- 1858 Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, Russian hebrew linguist, grammarian, journalist, lexicographer, newspaper editor and Zionist activist
- 1962 Alexander Dugin, Russian political activist and philosopher (born 1962) — turns 65 in 2027
January 7 in history
- 2020 After 253 days without an operational government, a second round of investiture votes produced Spain's first coalition government since the Second Republic.
- 1993 The Fourth Republic of Ghana was inaugurated with Jerry Rawlings, the country's former military ruler, as president.
- 1989 Representatives of Iranian leader Ruhollah Khomeini delivered a letter to Mikhail Gorbachev, inviting him to consider Islam as an alternative to communism, and predicting the dissolution of the Soviet Bloc.
- 1989 In one of the most famous upsets in FA Cup history, Sutton United, a team in the fifth tier of English league football, defeated top-tier Coventry City.
Holidays and observances on January 7
- Christian Feast Day: André Bessette (Canada)
- Christian Feast Day: Blessed Marie Thérèse Haze
- Christian Feast Day: Canute Lavard
Born on January 8
8th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 18th day of the sign · Friday in 2027, Saturday in 2028, Monday in 2029 · weekend in 2028, 2033 and 2034 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 26, 2054 · US: about 10,872 births that day each year (322nd of 366)
- 1935 Elvis Presley, American singer and actor (1935–1977)
- 1942 Stephen Hawking, British theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author (1942–2018)
- 1947 David Bowie, English musician and actor (1947–2016)
- 1823 Alfred Russel Wallace, British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and biologist (1823–1913)
- 1967 R. Kelly, American singer-songwriter and record producer (born 1967) — turns 60 in 2027
- 1942 Junichiro Koizumi, Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006 — turns 85 in 2027
- 1867 Emily Greene Balch, American economist and writer
- 1891 Walther Bothe, German physicist, mathematician and chemist (1891–1957)
January 8 in history
- 1991 Jeremy Wade Delle committed suicide in his high-school class in Richardson, Texas, an event that inspired the Pearl Jam song "Jeremy".
- 1981 In Trans-en-Provence, France, a local farmer reported a UFO sighting claimed to be "perhaps the most completely and carefully documented sighting of all time".
- 1972 Following Pakistan's defeat in the Bangladesh Liberation War, President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto released Bangladeshi politician Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from prison in response to international pressure.
- 1939 The New Deal for Aborigines was formally announced by the Australian government, providing for full civil rights for Indigenous Australians in exchange for cultural assimilation.
Holidays and observances on January 8
- Babinden (Belarus, Russia)
- Christian feast day: Abo of Tiflis
- Christian feast day: Apollinaris Claudius
Born on January 9
9th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 19th day of the sign · Saturday in 2027, Sunday in 2028, Tuesday in 2029 · weekend in 2027, 2028 and 2033 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 27, 2054 · US: about 10,923 births that day each year (307th of 366)
- 1913 Richard Nixon, president of the United States from 1969 to 1974 (1913–1994)
- 1908 Simone de Beauvoir, French philosopher, social theorist and activist (1908–1986)
- 1890 Karel Čapek, Czech writer (1890–1938)
- 1982 Catherine, Princess of Wales, member of the British Royal Family and princess of Wales since 2022 — turns 45 in 2027
- 1941 Joan Baez, American contemporary folk musician (born 1941) — turns 86 in 2027
- 1959 Rigoberta Menchú, Guatemalan human rights activist — turns 68 in 2027
- 1989 Nina Dobrev, Bulgarian-Canadian actress — turns 38 in 2027
- 1944 Jimmy Page, English guitarist (born 1944) — turns 83 in 2027
January 9 in history
- 1996 First Chechen War: Chechen separatists launched raids in the city of Kizlyar, Dagestan, which turned into a massive hostage crisis involving thousands of civilians.
- 1992 Radio astronomers Aleksander Wolszczan and Dale Frail announced the discovery of two pulsar planets orbiting PSR B1257+12 (depicted), the first confirmed detection of exoplanets.
- 1991 Representatives from the United States and Iraq met at the Geneva Peace Conference to find a peaceful resolution to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
- 1981 U.S. representative Raymond Lederer was convicted of bribery and conspiracy for his role in the Abscam scandal, but continued to serve his term for three more months.
Holidays and observances on January 9
- Christian feast day: Adrian of Canterbury
- Christian feast day: Blessed Alix Le Clerc
- Christian feast day: Berhtwald
Born on January 10
10th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 20th day of the sign · Sunday in 2027, Monday in 2028, Wednesday in 2029 · weekend in 2027 and 2032 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 28, 2054 · US: about 11,424 births that day each year (161st of 366)
- 1938 Donald Knuth, American computer scientist and mathematician (born 1938) — turns 89 in 2027
- 1934 Leonid Kravchuk, Ukrainian politician, 1st President of Ukraine
- 1936 Robert Wilson, American astronomer (born 1936) — turns 91 in 2027
- 1883 Aleksey Tolstoy, Russian-Soviet writer (1883-1945)
- 1945 Rod Stewart, English singer and songwriter (born 1945) — turns 82 in 2027
- 1974 Hrithik Roshan, Indian actor (born 1974) — turns 53 in 2027
- 1913 Gustáv Husák, Czechoslovak politician, 8th President of Czechoslovakia (1913-1991)
- 1949 George Foreman, American professional boxer (1949–2025)
January 10 in history
- 2007 A general strike began in Guinea as an attempt to force President Lansana Conté to resign, eventually resulting in the appointment of two new prime ministers.
- 1993 The Braer Storm, the strongest extratropical cyclone ever recorded in the North Atlantic, reached peak intensity.
- 1985 Sir Clive Sinclair launched the Sinclair C5 personal electric vehicle, "one of the great marketing bombs of postwar British industry", which later became a cult collectable despite its commercial failure.
- 1946 The first session of the United Nations General Assembly convened at the Methodist Central Hall in London with representatives from 51 member states.
Holidays and observances on January 10
- Christian feast day: Behnam, Sarah, and the Forty Martyrs (Armenian Apostolic Church)
- Christian feast day: Gregory of Nyssa
- Christian feast day: Leonie Aviat
Born on January 11
11th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 21st day of the sign · Monday in 2027, Tuesday in 2028, Thursday in 2029 · weekend in 2031 and 2032 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 29, 2054 · US: about 11,353 births that day each year (179th of 366)
- 1842 William James, American philosopher, psychologist, and pragmatist (1842–1910)
- 1757 Alexander Hamilton, American Founding Father and statesman (1755/1757–1804)
- 1975 Matteo Renzi, Italian politician (born 1975) — turns 52 in 2027
- 1954 Kailash Satyarthi, Indian Social Worker — turns 73 in 2027
- 1979 Siti Nurhaliza, Malaysian singer, actress, and model — turns 48 in 2027
- 1906 Albert Hofmann, Swiss chemist (1906–2008)
- 1992 Dani Carvajal, Spanish footballer (born 1992) — turns 35 in 2027
- 1987 Jamie Vardy, English association football player (born 1987) — turns 40 in 2027
January 11 in history
- 2024 Several thousand North Korean migrant workers in Helong engaged in civil unrest, including a factory occupation and the taking of managers as hostages, due to unpaid wages.
- 2013 French special forces failed in an attempted rescue of a DGSE agent, who had been taken hostage in 2009 by al-Shabaab, in Bulo Marer, Somalia.
- 1986 The Gateway Bridge in Brisbane, Australia, opened as the largest prestressed-concrete, single-box bridge in the world.
- 1964 In a landmark report, U.S. surgeon general Luther Terry issued a warning that tobacco smoking may be hazardous to health, concluding that it has a causative role in lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and other illnesses.
Holidays and observances on January 11
- Children's Day (Tunisia)
- Christian feast day: Anastasius of Suppentonia (Roman Catholic)
- Christian feast day: Leucius of Brindisi (Roman Catholic)
Born on January 12
12th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 22nd day of the sign · Tuesday in 2027, Wednesday in 2028, Friday in 2029 · weekend in 2030, 2031 and 2036 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 30, 2054 · US: about 11,065 births that day each year (274th of 366)
- 1876 Jack London, American author, journalist and social activist (1876–1916)
- 1863 Swami Vivekananda, Indian Hindu monk and philosopher (1863–1902)
- 1949 Haruki Murakami, Japanese writer (born 1949) — turns 78 in 2027
- 1729 Edmund Burke, Anglo-Irish statesman, political theorist and conservative philosopher (1729–1797)
- 1964 Jeff Bezos, American business magnate (born 1964) — turns 63 in 2027
- 1628 Charles Perrault, French author (1628-1703)
- 1746 Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer (1746-1827)
- 1907 Sergei Korolev, Soviet rocket engineer and spacecraft designer (1907-1966)
January 12 in history
- 2007 Comet McNaught reached perihelion, becoming the brightest comet in over 40 years, with an apparent magnitude of −5.5.
- 1967 Seventy-three-year-old psychology professor James Bedford became the first person to be cryonically preserved with intent of future resuscitation.
- 1964 Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah was overthrown by rebels led by John Okello, ending 200 years of Arab dominance in Zanzibar.
- 1916 Oswald Boelcke and Max Immelmann became the first German aviators to be awarded the Pour le Mérite, Germany's highest military honour.
Holidays and observances on January 12
- Christian feast day: Aelred of Rievaulx
- Christian feast day: Benedict Biscop
- Christian feast day: Bernard of Corleone
Born on January 13
13th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 23rd day of the sign · Wednesday in 2027, Thursday in 2028, Saturday in 2029 · weekend in 2029, 2030, 2035 and 2036 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on May 31, 2054 · US: about 10,619 births that day each year (347th of 366)
- 1977 Orlando Bloom, English actor and model (born 1977) — turns 50 in 2027
- 1864 Wilhelm Wien, German physicist (1864-1928)
- 1927 Sydney Brenner, South African-British biologist, Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine 2002 (1927–2019)
- 1990 Liam Hemsworth, Australian actor (born 1990) — turns 37 in 2027
- 1966 Patrick Dempsey, American actor and racecar driver — turns 61 in 2027
- 1997 Luis Díaz, Colombian association football player (born 1997) — turns 30 in 2027
- 1961 Julia Louis-Dreyfus, American actress — turns 66 in 2027
- 1960 Eric Betzig, American physicist — turns 67 in 2027
January 13 in history
- 2012 The Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground on a reef and capsized off Isola del Giglio, Tuscany.
- 2003 The trans-Neptunian object 208996 Achlys was discovered by Chad Trujillo and Michael E. Brown at Palomar Observatory, California.
- 2000 Steve Ballmer replaced Bill Gates as the chief executive officer of Microsoft.
- 1972 Ghanaian military officer Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a coup to overthrow Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia and President Edward Akufo-Addo.
Holidays and observances on January 13
- Christian feast day: Blessed Veronica of Milan
- Christian feast day: Elian
- Christian feast day: Hilary of Poitiers
Born on January 14
14th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 24th day of the sign · Thursday in 2027, Friday in 2028, Sunday in 2029 · weekend in 2029, 2034 and 2035 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 1, 2054 · US: about 11,226 births that day each year (223rd of 366)
- 1875 Albert Schweitzer, French-German physician, theologian, musician, and philosopher (1875-1965)
- 1925 Yukio Mishima, Japanese author (1925–1970)
- 1969 Jason Bateman, American actor (born 1969) — turns 58 in 2027
- 1919 Giulio Andreotti, Italian politician and statesman (1919–2013)
- 1861 Mehmed VI, 36th and last Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1918–1922)
- 1963 Steven Soderbergh, American filmmaker (born 1963) — turns 64 in 2027
- 1841 Berthe Morisot, French painter (1841-1895)
- 1969 Dave Grohl, American rock musician — turns 58 in 2027
January 14 in history
- 2018 In the "Minneapolis Miracle", American football player Stefon Diggs caught a 61-yard (56 m) touchdown pass that secured the Minnesota Vikings' victory in the National Football Conference divisional playoff game.
- 2011 Arab Spring: Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country after several violent protests.
- 1978 Austrian logician Kurt Gödel, who suffered from an obsessive fear of being poisoned, died of starvation after his wife was hospitalized and unable to cook for him.
- 1973 Elvis Presley's concert Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite was broadcast live to audiences in Asia and Oceania.
Holidays and observances on January 14
- Christian feast day: Barba'shmin
- Christian feast day: Devasahayam Pillai (Catholic Church)
- Christian feast day: Divina Pastora (Barquisimeto)
Born on January 15
15th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 25th day of the sign · Friday in 2027, Saturday in 2028, Monday in 2029 · weekend in 2028, 2033 and 2034 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 2, 2054 · US: about 10,753 births that day each year (340th of 366)
- 1929 Martin Luther King Jr., American Baptist minister and civil rights leader (1929–1968)
- 1622 Molière, French playwright and actor (1622–1673)
- 1918 Gamal Abdel Nasser, President of Egypt from 1956 to 1970
- 1809 Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, French politician, philosopher, anarchist and socialist (1809-1865)
- 1850 Sofia Kovalevskaya, 19th-century Russian mathematician
- 1850 Mihai Eminescu, Romanian poet, novelist and journalist (1850-1889)
- 1908 Edward Teller, Hungarian-American Jewish nuclear physicist (1908–2003)
- 1996 Dove Cameron, American actress and singer-songwriter — turns 31 in 2027
January 15 in history
- 2009 US Airways Flight 1549 struck a flock of Canada geese during its climb out from New York City and made an emergency landing in the Hudson River (featured).
- 2001 The first edit to the internet encyclopedia Wikipedia was made.
- 1991 The Victoria Cross for Australia was instituted, making Australia the first Commonwealth realm with a separate Victoria Cross award in its honours system.
- 1981 The American serial police-procedural television show Hill Street Blues aired its pilot episode, "Hill Street Station".
Holidays and observances on January 15
- Arbor Day (Egypt)
- Armed Forces Remembrance Day (Nigeria)
- Army Day (India)
Born on January 16
16th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 26th day of the sign · Saturday in 2027, Sunday in 2028, Tuesday in 2029 · weekend in 2027, 2028 and 2033 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 3, 2054 · US: about 10,870 births that day each year (324th of 366)
- 1933 Susan Sontag, American writer and filmmaker, professor, and activist (1933–2004)
- 1901 Fulgencio Batista, President of Cuba, 1940–1944; dictator, 1952-1959 (1901-1973)
- 1932 Dian Fossey, American zoologist, gorilla researcher (1932–1985)
- 1996 Jennie, South Korean singer-songwriter and rapper (born 1996) — turns 31 in 2027
- 1931 Johannes Rau, German politician (SPD), 8th president of Germany from 1999 until 2004 (1931–2006)
- 1979 Aaliyah, American R&B singer (1979–2001)
- 1988 Nicklas Bendtner, Danish association football player — turns 39 in 2027
- 1959 Sade Adu, British singer — turns 68 in 2027
January 16 in history
- 2016 After gunmen took hostages the previous night at a restaurant in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, government commandos stormed the premises to bring the situation to an end.
- 1964 The musical Hello, Dolly! opened at the St. James Theatre on Broadway, and went on to win ten Tony Awards, a record that stood for 37 years.
- 1945 World War II: Adolf Hitler and his staff moved into the Führerbunker in Berlin, where he would eventually commit suicide.
- 1942 World War II: During the Battle of Bataan, U.S. Army sergeant Jose Calugas organized a squad of volunteers to man an artillery position under heavy fire, an action that later earned him the Medal of Honor.
Holidays and observances on January 16
- Christian feast day: Pope Benjamin (Coptic)
- Christian feast day: Berard of Carbio
- Christian feast day: Blaise (Armenian Apostolic)
Born on January 17
17th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 27th day of the sign · Sunday in 2027, Monday in 2028, Wednesday in 2029 · weekend in 2027 and 2032 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 4, 2054 · US: about 11,285 births that day each year (197th of 366)
- 1706 Benjamin Franklin, American polymath and statesman (1706–1790)
- 1942 Muhammad Ali, American boxer (1942–2016)
- 1964 Michelle Obama, lawyer and former First Lady of the United States (2009-2017) — turns 63 in 2027
- 1962 Jim Carrey, Canadian-American actor and comedian (born 1962) — turns 65 in 2027
- 1863 David Lloyd George, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922
- 1899 Al Capone, American gangster (1899–1947)
- 1600 Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Spanish dramatist (1600-1681)
- 1820 Anne Brontë, British novelist and poet (1820-1849)
January 17 in history
- 1999 In Little Saigon, California, a series of protests began when the owner of a video rental store displayed an image of Ho Chi Minh.
- 1998 The Drudge Report became the first news source to break the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal to the public.
- 1961 Three days before leaving office, U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered a farewell speech to the nation, in which he warned about the dangers of the military–industrial complex.
- 1948 Indonesian National Revolution: The Renville Agreement between the Netherlands and Indonesian republicans was ratified, in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to resolve disputes arising from the Linggadjati Agreement of 1946.
Holidays and observances on January 17
- Christian feast day: Anthony the Great
- Christian feast day: Blessed Angelo Paoli
- Christian feast day: Blessed Gamelbert of Michaelsbuch
Born on January 18
18th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 28th day of the sign · Monday in 2027, Tuesday in 2028, Thursday in 2029 · weekend in 2031 and 2032 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 5, 2054 · US: about 11,237 births that day each year (221st of 366)
- 1689 Montesquieu, French philosopher (1689–1755)
- 1955 Kevin Costner, American actor and filmmaker (born 1955) — turns 72 in 2027
- 1904 Cary Grant, British-American actor (1904–1986)
- 1971 Pep Guardiola, Spanish association football manager and player (born 1971) — turns 56 in 2027
- 1944 Alexander Van der Bellen, President of Austria since 2017 (born 1944) — turns 83 in 2027
- 1925 Gilles Deleuze, French philosopher (1925–1995)
- 1882 A. A. Milne, British author known for creating Winnie-the-Pooh (1882–1956)
- 1867 Rubén Darío, Nicaraguan poet, journalist and diplomat (1867–1916)
January 18 in history
- 1990 In a sting operation conducted by the FBI, Marion Barry, the mayor of Washington, D.C., was arrested for possession of crack cocaine.
- 1983 Singaporean communist activist Tan Chay Wa was executed, leading to a much-publicised trial of his brother for engraving "subversive" material on the gravestone.
- 1969 In response to months of nationwide student protests, thousands of Japanese police stormed the University of Tokyo.
- 1958 Willie O'Ree of the Boston Bruins played his first game in the National Hockey League, becoming the first black Canadian to compete in the NHL.
Holidays and observances on January 18
- Christian feast day: Amy Carmichael (Church of England)
- Christian feast day: Athanasius of Alexandria (Eastern Orthodox Church)
- Christian feast day: Confession of Peter (Eastern Orthodox, some Anglican and Lutheran Churches)
Born on January 19
19th day of the year · ♑ Capricorn, 29th day of the sign · Tuesday in 2027, Wednesday in 2028, Friday in 2029 · weekend in 2030, 2031 and 2036 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 6, 2054 · US: about 10,790 births that day each year (337th of 366)
- 1809 Edgar Allan Poe, American writer and literary critic (1809–1849)
- 1736 James Watt, British engineer (1736–1819)
- 1839 Paul Cézanne, French painter (1839–1906)
- 1798 Auguste Comte, French philosopher, mathematician and sociologist (1798–1857)
- 1946 Dolly Parton, American singer-songwriter (1946–2026)
- 1807 Robert E. Lee, Confederate States general (1807–1870)
- 1943 Janis Joplin, American singer (1943–1970)
- 1920 Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, 5th Secretary-General of the United Nations (1920-2020)
January 19 in history
- 2012 The Hong Kong–based file-sharing website Megaupload was shut down by the FBI.
- 2007 A four-man team, using only skis and kites, completed a 1,093-mile (1,759 km) trek to reach the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility, the first people to get there since 1967, and the first to do so on foot.
- 1996 A tank barge and a tug grounded on a beach in Rhode Island, causing a spill of an estimated 828,000 U.S. gallons (3.13 million litres) of home heating oil.
- 1977 Iva Toguri, convicted of treason for broadcasting Japanese propaganda, was granted a full pardon by U.S. president Gerald Ford.
Holidays and observances on January 19
- Christian feast day: Bassianus of Lodi
- Christian feast day: Faustina and Liberata of Como
- Christian feast day: Henry of Uppsala
Born on January 20
20th day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 1st day of the sign · Wednesday in 2027, Thursday in 2028, Saturday in 2029 · weekend in 2029, 2030, 2035 and 2036 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 7, 2054 · US: about 10,822 births that day each year (333rd of 366)
- 1920 Federico Fellini, Italian filmmaker (1920–1993)
- 1775 André-Marie Ampère, French physicist and mathematician (1775–1836)
- 1930 Buzz Aldrin, American astronaut (born 1930) — turns 97 in 2027
- 1946 David Lynch, American filmmaker (1946–2025)
- 1873 Johannes V. Jensen, Danish author (1873-1950)
- 1953 Jeffrey Epstein, American sex offender and financier (1953–2019)
- 1972 Nikki Haley, American politician and diplomat (born 1972) — turns 55 in 2027
- 1716 Charles III of Spain, King of Spain from 1759 to 1788
January 20 in history
- 2009 During a national financial crisis, thousands of people protested at the Icelandic parliament in Reykjavík.
- 2009 In Washington, D.C., Barack Obama was inaugurated as the first African-American president of the United States.
- 1990 The Soviet Red Army violently cracked down on Azeri pro-independence demonstrations in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR.
- 1968 The Houston Cougars upset the UCLA Bruins in what became known as the "Game of the Century", ending the Bruins' 47-game winning streak and establishing college basketball as a sports commodity on American television.
Holidays and observances on January 20
- Armed Forces Day (Mali)
- Army Day (Laos)
- Christian feast day: Abadios
Born on January 21
21st day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 2nd day of the sign · Thursday in 2027, Friday in 2028, Sunday in 2029 · weekend in 2029, 2034 and 2035 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 8, 2054 · US: about 10,981 births that day each year (290th of 366)
- 1869 Grigori Rasputin, Russian mystic (1869–1916)
- 2005 IShowSpeed, American influencer, musician and online streamer (born 2005) — turns 22 in 2027
- 1953 Paul Allen, American businessman and philanthropist, co-founder of Microsoft (1953–2018)
- 1941 Plácido Domingo, Spanish tenor and conductor (born 1941) — turns 86 in 2027
- 1905 Christian Dior, French fashion designer (1905–1957)
- 1956 Geena Davis, American actress (born 1956) — turns 71 in 2027
- 1949 Trương Tấn Sang, former president of Vietnam — turns 78 in 2027
- 1989 Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Armenian association football player (born 1989) — turns 38 in 2027
January 21 in history
- 2017 Millions of people participated in the Women's March in Washington, D.C., and around the world to advocate for legislation and policies on human rights and other issues.
- 1997 The U.S. House of Representatives voted 395–28 to reprimand Newt Gingrich for ethics violations, making him the first Speaker of the House to be so disciplined.
- 1981 The DeLorean Motor Company completed the first production car of the DMC DeLorean at its factory in Northern Ireland.
- 1976 Concorde, an Anglo-French supersonic airliner, began scheduled commercial flights to London, Paris, Bahrain, and Rio de Janeiro.
Holidays and observances on January 21
- Babinden (Bulgaria, Serbia)
- Christian feast day: Agnes
- Christian feast day: Demiana (Coptic Church)
Born on January 22
22nd day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 3rd day of the sign · Friday in 2027, Saturday in 2028, Monday in 2029 · weekend in 2028, 2033 and 2034 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 9, 2054 · US: about 10,857 births that day each year (326th of 366)
- 1788 Lord Byron, English Romantic poet and lyricist (1788–1824)
- 1898 Sergei Eisenstein, Soviet filmmaker (1898–1948)
- 1891 Antonio Gramsci, Italian Marxist philosopher, writer, and politician (1891–1937)
- 1849 August Strindberg, Swedish writer and painter (1849–1912)
- 1729 Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, German writer, philosopher, publicist, and art critic (1729-1781)
- 1908 Lev Landau, Soviet theoretical physicist (1908–1968)
- 1909 U Thant, UN Secretary-General from 1961 to 1971
- 1875 D. W. Griffith, American filmmaker (1875–1948)
January 22 in history
- 2012 Croatia held a referendum in which it voted to become a member of the European Union.
- 2006 Evo Morales was inaugurated as President of Bolivia, becoming the country's first indigenous president.
- 1984 During Super Bowl XVIII, Apple Computer introduced the Macintosh, the first successful personal computer to use a graphical user interface, with the television commercial "1984".
- 1973 The U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Roe v. Wade struck down laws restricting abortion during the first two trimesters of pregnancy.
Holidays and observances on January 22
- Christian feast day: Anastasius of Persia
- Christian feast day: Gaudentius of Novara
- Christian feast day: László Batthyány-Strattmann
Born on January 23
23rd day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 4th day of the sign · Saturday in 2027, Sunday in 2028, Tuesday in 2029 · weekend in 2027, 2028 and 2033 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 10, 2054 · US: about 11,152 births that day each year (243rd of 366)
- 1862 David Hilbert, German mathematician (1862–1943)
- 1783 Stendhal, French writer (1783–1842)
- 1832 Édouard Manet, French painter (1832–1883)
- 1947 Megawati Soekarnoputri, 5th President of Indonesia (2001—2004) and 8th Vice President of Indonesia (1999—2001) — turns 80 in 2027
- 1930 Derek Walcott, Saint Lucian–Trinidadian poet and playwright (1930–2017)
- 1907 Hideki Yukawa, Japanese theoretical physicist (1907-1981)
- 1984 Arjen Robben, Dutch association football player (born 1984) — turns 43 in 2027
- 1918 Gertrude B. Elion, American biochemist and pharmacologist (1918–1999)
January 23 in history
- 2003 The final signal was detected from the NASA space probe Pioneer 10, then about 12 billion kilometres (7.5 billion miles) from Earth.
- 2001 Five people attempted to set themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, an act that many later claimed to have been staged by the Chinese Communist Party to frame Falun Gong and thus escalate their persecution.
- 1997 Madeleine Albright was sworn in as the first female United States Secretary of State, becoming the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government at that time.
- 1993 The first version of Mosaic, created by Marc Andreessen and Eric Bina, was released, becoming the first popular web browser.
Holidays and observances on January 23
- Bounty Day (Pitcairn Islands)
- Christian feast day: Abakuh
- Christian feast day: Marianne of Molokai
Born on January 24
24th day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 5th day of the sign · Sunday in 2027, Monday in 2028, Wednesday in 2029 · weekend in 2027 and 2032 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 11, 2054 · US: about 11,446 births that day each year (151st of 366)
- 1712 Frederick II of Prussia, King of Prussia from 1740 to 1786 (1712-1786)
- 1987 Luis Suárez, Uruguayan association football player — turns 40 in 2027
- 1953 Moon Jae-in, 12th President of the Republic of Korea — turns 74 in 2027
- 1940 Joachim Gauck, German Protestant pastor and politician, Federal President of Germnay 2012–2017 (born 1940) — turns 87 in 2027
- 1732 Pierre-Augustin de Beaumarchais, French playwright, diplomat and polymath (1732–1799)
- 1776 E. T. A. Hoffmann, German writer (1776-1822)
- 1862 Edith Wharton, American writer and designer (1862–1937)
- 1917 Ernest Borgnine, American actor (1917–2012)
January 24 in history
- 1990 Japan launched the Hiten spacecraft, the first lunar probe launched by a country other than the Soviet Union or the United States.
- 1987 About 20,000 protestors marched in a civil rights demonstration in Forsyth County, Georgia, United States.
- 1978 The Soviet nuclear-powered satellite Kosmos 954 burned up during atmospheric reentry, scattering radioactive debris across Canada's Northwest Territories.
- 1972 Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi was found in the jungles of Guam, where he had been hiding since the end of World War II.
Holidays and observances on January 24
- Christian feast day: Babylas of Antioch
- Christian feast day: Exuperantius of Cingoli
- Christian feast day: Felician of Foligno
Born on January 25
25th day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 6th day of the sign · Monday in 2027, Tuesday in 2028, Thursday in 2029 · weekend in 2031 and 2032 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 12, 2054 · US: about 11,281 births that day each year (198th of 366)
- 1978 Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine since 2019 — turns 49 in 2027
- 1882 Virginia Woolf, English modernist writer (1882–1941)
- 1759 Robert Burns, Scottish poet and lyricist (1759–1796)
- 1938 Vladimir Vysotsky, Soviet singer-songwriter and actor (1938–1980)
- 1627 Robert Boyle, Anglo-Irish natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, and inventor (1627-1691)
- 1874 William Somerset Maugham, English playwright and author (1874–1965)
- 1933 Corazon Aquino, President of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992
- 1736 Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Mathematician and astronomer (1736–1813)
January 25 in history
- 2011 Arab Spring: The Egyptian revolution began with protests on the "Day of Anger", eventually leading to the removal of President Hosni Mubarak after nearly 30 years of rule.
- 2010 Avatar, a science-fiction film directed by James Cameron, became the highest-grossing film of all time.
- 2006 Three independent observing campaigns announced the discovery of OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb, a super-Earth 21,500 ± 3,300 light-years away from Earth near the center of the Milky Way.
- 2004 Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity landed on Mars and rolled into Eagle crater, a small crater on the Meridiani Planum.
Holidays and observances on January 25
- Betico Day (Aruba)
- Burns Night (Scotland)
- Christian feast day: Dydd Santes Dwynwen (Wales)
Born on January 26
26th day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 7th day of the sign · Tuesday in 2027, Wednesday in 2028, Friday in 2029 · weekend in 2030, 2031 and 2036 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 13, 2054 · US: about 10,940 births that day each year (301st of 366)
- 1880 Douglas MacArthur, United States Army general in WWI, WWII and Korea (1880–1964)
- 1963 José Mourinho, Portuguese association football manager and former player — turns 64 in 2027
- 1925 Paul Newman, American actor (1925–2008)
- 1958 Ellen DeGeneres, American comedian, television host, actress, and writer (born 1958) — turns 69 in 2027
- 1944 Angela Davis, American political activist, scholar, and author (born 1944) — turns 83 in 2027
- 1953 Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former Prime Minister of Denmark and former Secretary General of NATO — turns 74 in 2027
- 1763 Charles XIV John of Sweden, King of Sweden and Norway between 1818–1844. Prince of Ponte Corvo 1806–1810 and French field marshal (1763–1844)
- 1715 Claude Adrien Helvétius, French philosopher; (1715-1771)
January 26 in history
- 2009 Rioting broke out in Antananarivo, Madagascar, sparking a political crisis that led to the deposal of President Marc Ravalomanana.
- 1998 In a nationally televised press conference, U.S. president Bill Clinton denied having "sexual relations" with intern Monica Lewinsky.
- 1991 Somali Rebellion: Factions led by the warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid and his rebel group, the United Somali Congress, ousted President Siad Barre.
- 1972 JAT Flight 367 exploded in mid-air over Czechoslovakia; the only survivor of the 28 on board, flight attendant Vesna Vulović, fell 10,160 m (33,330 ft), setting the record for surviving the highest fall without a parachute.
Holidays and observances on January 26
- Christian feast day: Saint Alberic of Cîteaux
- Christian feast day: Blessed Gabriele Allegra
- Christian feast day: Saint Paula of Rome
Born on January 27
27th day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 8th day of the sign · Wednesday in 2027, Thursday in 2028, Saturday in 2029 · weekend in 2029, 2030, 2035 and 2036 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 14, 2054 · US: about 10,840 births that day each year (328th of 366)
- 1756 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian composer of the Classical period (1756–1791)
- 1832 Lewis Carroll, British author and scholar (1832–1898)
- 1859 Wilhelm II, as King of Prussia last German Emperor from 1888 to 1918 (1859–1941)
- 1775 Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling, German philosopher (1775–1854)
- 1944 Mairead Maguire, peace activist (born 1944) — turns 83 in 2027
- 1980 Marat Safin, Russian tennis player — turns 47 in 2027
- 1826 Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, Russian writer, journalist, plawright and satirist
- 1936 Samuel C. C. Ting, Chinese-American physicist — turns 91 in 2027
January 27 in history
- 2019 MBC Newsdesk reported on a nightclub assault in Seoul, South Korea, leading to the Burning Sun scandal, which involved several Korean idols and police officials.
- 2011 Arab Spring: The Yemeni Revolution began as more than 16,000 protesters demonstrated in Sanaa to demand governmental changes.
- 2011 Astronomers documented H1504+65, a white dwarf in Ursa Minor with the hottest surface temperature known at the time, at 200,000 kelvins (360,000 °F).
- 2010 Porfirio Lobo Sosa became the new president of Honduras, ending a constitutional crisis that had begun in 2009 when Manuel Zelaya was forcibly removed from office.
Holidays and observances on January 27
- Christian feast day: Angela Merici
- Christian feast day: Blessed Paul Joseph Nardini
- Christian feast day: Devota (Monaco)
Born on January 28
28th day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 9th day of the sign · Thursday in 2027, Friday in 2028, Sunday in 2029 · weekend in 2029, 2034 and 2035 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 15, 2054 · US: about 11,033 births that day each year (280th of 366)
- 1955 Nicolas Sarkozy, 23rd president of the French Republic from 2007 to 2012 — turns 72 in 2027
- 1912 Jackson Pollock, American painter (1912–1956)
- 1978 Gianluigi Buffon, former Italian footballer (born 1978) — turns 49 in 2027
- 1853 José Martí, Cuban poet, philosopher and nationalist (1853-1895)
- 1873 Colette, French novelist (1873–1954)
- 1936 Ismail Kadare, Albanian writer (1936–2024)
- 1981 Elijah Wood, American actor (born 1981) — turns 46 in 2027
- 1600 Clement IX, pope from 1667, lived 1600-1669
January 28 in history
- 1984 Tropical Storm Domoina made landfall in southern Mozambique, causing some of the most severe flooding recorded in the region.
- 1981 U.S. president Ronald Reagan lifted price controls from petroleum products, contributing to the 1980s oil glut.
- 1961 In Gitarama, Rwanda, local and other government officials initiated a coup to overthrow the monarchy and establish a republic.
- 1958 The Lego Group, a Danish toy company, filed a patent in Denmark for the design of Lego bricks.
Holidays and observances on January 28
- Christian feast day: Joseph Freinademetz
- Christian feast day: Julian of Cuenca
- Christian feast day: Thomas Aquinas
Born on January 29
29th day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 10th day of the sign · Friday in 2027, Saturday in 2028, Monday in 2029 · weekend in 2028, 2033 and 2034 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 16, 2054 · US: about 10,753 births that day each year (341st of 366)
- 1860 Anton Chekhov, Russian dramatist and author (1860–1904)
- 1843 William McKinley, president of the United States from 1897 to 1901 (1843-1901)
- 1866 Romain Rolland, French author (1866-1944)
- 1954 Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host, actress, producer, and author (born 1954) — turns 73 in 2027
- 1926 Abdus Salam, theoretical physicist, and Nobel Prize in Physics recipient
- 1947 Linda B. Buck, American biologist — turns 80 in 2027
- 1939 Germaine Greer, Australian writer and public intellectual (born 1939) — turns 88 in 2027
- 1953 Teresa Teng, Taiwanese ROC singer (1953-1995)
January 29 in history
- 2013 Twenty-one people died when SCAT Airlines Flight 760 crashed near Almaty, Kazakhstan.
- 2009 The Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt ruled that people who did not adhere to one of the three government-recognised religions were also eligible to receive government identity documents.
- 2006 India's Irfan Pathan became the first bowler to take a Test cricket hat-trick in the opening over of a match.
- 1991 The first major ground engagement of the Gulf War began with the Iraqi invasion of Khafji, Saudi Arabia, recaptured three days later by Coalition forces.
Holidays and observances on January 29
- Christian feast day: Aphrahat
- Christian feast day: Gildas
- Christian feast day: Sabinian of Troyes
Born on January 30
30th day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 11th day of the sign · Saturday in 2027, Sunday in 2028, Tuesday in 2029 · weekend in 2027, 2028 and 2033 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 17, 2054 · US: about 11,029 births that day each year (282nd of 366)
- 1882 Franklin Delano Roosevelt, president of the United States from 1933 to 1945 (1882–1945)
- 1968 Felipe VI of Spain, King of Spain since 2014 — turns 59 in 2027
- 1941 Dick Cheney, Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 (1941–2025)
- 1962 Abdullah II of Jordan, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan — turns 65 in 2027
- 1974 Christian Bale, American-English actor (born 1974) — turns 53 in 2027
- 1938 Islam Karimov, 1st President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (1938–2016)
- 1951 Phil Collins, English drummer, singer, and songwriter (born 1951) — turns 76 in 2027
- 1927 Olof Palme, Swedish Prime Minister (1969–76, 1982–86)
January 30 in history
- 2020 The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic to be a public health emergency of international concern.
- 2013 The Korea Aerospace Research Institute launched Naro-1, South Korea's first carrier rocket and their first launch vehicle to achieve Earth orbit.
- 2005 Forty-six years to the day after the sinking of the Danish ocean liner MS Hans Hedtoft, Queen Margrethe II unveiled a memorial in Copenhagen to the 95 passengers and crew who perished.
- 1979 Varig Flight 967 disappeared shortly after takeoff from Tokyo's Narita International Airport en route to Rio de Janeiro.
Holidays and observances on January 30
- Christian Feast Day: Adelelmus of Burgos
- Christian Feast Day: Aldegonde
- Christian Feast Day: Anthony the Great (Coptic Church)
Born on January 31
31st day of the year · ♒ Aquarius, 12th day of the sign · Sunday in 2027, Monday in 2028, Wednesday in 2029 · weekend in 2027 and 2032 · baby of 2027: 10,000 days on June 18, 2054 · US: about 11,266 births that day each year (204th of 366)
- 1797 Franz Schubert, Austrian composer (1797–1828)
- 1981 Justin Timberlake, American singer and actor (born 1981) — turns 46 in 2027
- 1935 Kenzaburō Ōe, Japanese writer and Nobel Laureate (1935–2023)
- 1938 Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 to 2013 (born 1938) — turns 89 in 2027
- 1923 Norman Mailer, American writer (1923–2007)
- 1975 Preity Zinta, Indian actress — turns 52 in 2027
- 1902 Alva Myrdal, Swedish sociologist and politician (1902-1986)
- 1929 Rudolf Ludwig Mössbauer, German nuclear physicist and Noble Prize in Physics
January 31 in history
- 2007 Emergency officials in Boston mistakenly identified LED placards depicting characters from Aqua Teen Hunger Force as IEDs, causing a panic.
- 1997 Final Fantasy VII, the first video game in the Final Fantasy franchise to use 3-D computer graphics, was released.
- 1988 Doug Williams became the first African-American quarterback to play in the Super Bowl, leading the Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII.
- 1961 Aboard NASA's Mercury-Redstone 2, the chimpanzee Ham became the first hominid to be launched into outer space.
Holidays and observances on January 31
- Christian feast day: Domitius (Domice) of Amiens
- Christian feast day: Francis Xavier Bianchi
- Christian feast day: Geminianus
Frequently asked questions
What is the zodiac sign for people born in January?
Capricorn ♑ until January 19, then Aquarius ♒ from January 20 (usual dates, give or take a day depending on the year).
Which famous people were born in January?
For example J. D. Salinger (January 1, 1919), Kahlil Gibran (January 6, 1883), William James (January 11, 1842), Susan Sontag (January 16, 1933), Grigori Rasputin (January 21, 1869) and Douglas MacArthur (January 26, 1880). The eight best-known people for every day in January are in the entries above.
Which January birthdays fall on a weekend in 2027?
10 days out of 31: January 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31, 2027.