- 1593 - Izaak Walton, English angler (d. 1683)
- 1631 - John Dryden, English Poet Laureate (d. 1700)
- 1757 - Thomas Telford, Scottish civil engineer (d. 1834)
- 1776 - Amedeo Avogadro, Italian chemist (d. 1856)
- 1896 - Jean Piaget, Swiss psychologist (d. 1980)
- 1909 - Adam von Trott zu Solz, German diplomat opposing the Nazi regime (executed) (d. 1944)
- 1914 - Tove Jansson, Finnish author, the creator of the Moomins (d. 2001)
- 1938 - Leonid Kuchma, Ukrainian politician
- 1939 - Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy, former President of the European Commission
- 1968 - Eric Bana, Australian actor
- 1978 - Audrey Tautou, French actress