On this day · Sagittarius

December 17 birthdays

312 notable historical figures were born on December 17, and 191 died on this day. Everyone born on December 17 is a Sagittarius.

18% of December 17 birthdays work in Literature, more than any other field. More come from United States (65) than any other country.

Born on December 17

• Francis (1936 to 2025. Head of the Catholic Church from 2013 to 2025)
• Milla Jovovich (born 1975. American actress (born 1975))
• Chelsea Manning (born 1987. American activist and whistleblower (born 1987))
• Muhammadu Buhari (1942 to 2025. President of Nigeria (1983–1985; 2015–2023))
• Rian Johnson (born 1973. American filmmaker (born 1973))
• William Lyon Mackenzie King (1874 to 1950. Canadian prime minister (1874–1950))
• James, Earl of Wessex (born 2007. Member of the British royal family (born 2007))
• Prince Rupert of the Rhine (1619 to 1682. German-English army officer and admiral (1619–1682))
• Franz Karl (1802 to 1878. Austrian archduke (1802–1878))
• Humphry Davy (1778 to 1829. British chemist and inventor (1778–1829))
• Maria I (1734 to 1816. Queen of Portugal from 1777 to 1816)
• Émilie du Châtelet (1706 to 1749. French mathematician, physicist, and author (1706–1749))
• Ford Madox Ford (1873 to 1939. English writer and publisher (1873–1939))
• Nadech Kugimiya (born 1991. Thai actor (born 1991))
• Herzi Halevi (born 1967. Chief of General Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces (born 1967))
• Prince Joachim of Prussia (1890 to 1920. Prussian prince (1890–1920))
• David Rudisha (born 1988. Kenyan middle-distance runner (born 1988))
• Mykola Azarov (born 1947. Prime Minister of Ukraine from 2010 to 2014)
• John Greenleaf Whittier (1807 to 1892. American Quaker poet and abolitionist (1807–1892))
• Penelope Fitzgerald (1916 to 2000. English biographer and novelist (1916–2000))
• Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan (1556 to 1626. Mughal court poet and minister (1556–1627))
• Joseph Henry (1797 to 1878. American physicist and inventor (1797–1878))
• Robinah Nabbanja (born 1969. Prime Minister of Uganda since 2021)
• Manny Pacquiao (born 1978. Filipino boxer and politician (born 1978))
• Daniil Kharms (1905 to 1942. Russian writer (1905–1942))
• Sophus Lie (1842 to 1899. Norwegian mathematician (1842–1899))
• Willard Libby (1908 to 1980. American physical chemist (1908–1980))
• Dmitry Kabalevsky (1904 to 1986. Russian composer (1904–1987))
• Eddie Perfect (born 1977. Australian actor and comedian)
• William McChesney Martin (1906 to 1998. American business executive (1906–1998))
• Ari Folman (born 1962. Israeli film director)
• Emperor Go-Uda (1267 to 1324. Emperor of Japan from 1274 to 1287)
• Mary Cartwright (1900 to 1998. British mathematician (1900–1998))
• Princess Fathia of Egypt (1930 to 1976. Egyptian princess (1930–1976))
• Kenneth E. Iverson (1920 to 2004. Canadian computer scientist (1920–2004))
• Francisco Serrano y Domínguez (1810 to 1885. Spanish marshal and statesman)
• Bernard Lonergan (1904 to 1984. Canadian philosopher and theologian (1904–1984))
• Kriangsak Chamanan (1917 to 2003. Prime Minister of Thailand from 1977 to 1980)
• Maurice of the Palatinate (1620 to 1652. Royalist of the English Civil War)
• Martin Ødegaard (born 1998. Norwegian footballer (born 1998))
• Ina Fried (born 1974. American journalist (born 1974))
• Mario García Menocal (1866 to 1941. 3rd President of Cuba (1913-1921))
• Kazys Grinius (1866 to 1950. Lithuanian politician (1866–1950))
• Tad R. Callister (1945 to 2025. American religious leader (1945–2025))
• Michael Roach (born 1952. American Buddhist writer)
• Frederick William (1700 to 1771. German nobleman (1700–1771))
• Lado Gurgenidze (born 1970. Georgian politician; former Prime Minister of Georgia)
• Thum Ping Tjin (born 1979. Singaporean historian and former national swimmer)
• Bernhard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1800 to 1882. Duke of Saxe-Meiningen from 1803 to 1866)
• Jaime Lerner (1937 to 2021. Brazilian politician (1937–2021))
• Thomas Woolner (1825 to 1892. English sculptor and poet (1825–1892))
• Prince Friedrich Sigismund of Prussia (1891–1927) (1891 to 1927. Prussian prince and fighter pilot (1891–1927))
• Rhiannon McGavin (born 1997. American poet (born 1997))
• Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle Jr. (1897 to 1961. United States diplomat (1897–1961))
• Thomas Starr King (1824 to 1864. American clergyman and abolitionist)
• Anne Golon (1921 to 2017. French author (1921–2017))
• Sukbin Choe (1670 to 1718. Joseon royal consort (1670–1718))
• George Hayter (1792 to 1871. English painter (1792–1871))
• Fumihiro Joyu (born 1962. Japanese doomsday cult spokesperson)
• Sarah MacLean (born 1978. American writer)

Died on December 17

• Grigori Rasputin (1869 to 1916. Russian mystic (1869–1916))
• Kim Jong Il (1941 to 2011. Leader of North Korea from 1994 to 2011)
• Leopold II of Belgium (1835 to 1909. King of the Belgians from 1865 to 1909)
• Simón Bolívar (1783 to 1830. Venezuelan statesman and military officer (1783–1830))
• Rumi (1207 to 1273. Sufi mystic and poet (1207–1273))
• Marie Louise (1791 to 1847. Duchess of Parma (r. 1814–1847); Empress of the French (1810–1814))
• Dana Andrews (1909 to 1992. American actor (1909–1992))
• Lord Kelvin (1824 to 1907. British physicist, engineer and mathematician (1824–1907))
• Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba (1582 to 1663. Ambundu queen in Angola (c. 1583–1663))
• William Longsword (905 to 942. Count of Normandy from 927 to 942)
• Désirée (1777 to 1860. Queen of Sweden and Norway from 1818 to 1844)
• Amin al-Hafiz (1921 to 2009. Syrian politician and army general (1921–2009))
• Marguerite Yourcenar (1903 to 1987. French novelist and essayist (1903–1987))
• Historia Francorum (538 to 594. Historian and Bishop of Tours (c. 538–594))
• Ibn al-Nafis (1215 to 1288. Arab polymath and physician (1213–1288))
• Juan Vicente Gómez (1857 to 1935. Dictator of Venezuela from 1908 to 1935)
• Eleanor of Toledo (1522 to 1562. Duchess consort of Florence)
• Mehmet Shehu (1913 to 1981. Prime Minister of Albania From 1954 to 1981)
• Günther Anders (1902 to 1992. German-Austrian philosopher (1902–1992))
• William Labov (1927 to 2024. American linguist; father of sociolinguistics (1927–2024))
• Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony (1722 to 1763. Elector of Saxony in 1763)
• Antoine-Augustin Parmentier (1737 to 1813. French pharmacist and agronomist (1737–1813))
• Hayden Fry (1929 to 2019. American football player and coach (1929–2019))
• Galt MacDermot (1928 to 2018. Musical artist (1928–2018))
• Pierre Buyoya (1949 to 2020. President of Burundi (1987–1993; 1996–2003))
• Constance Garnett (1861 to 1946. English writer and translator (1861–1946))
• Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy (1397 to 1471. Duchess consort of Burgundy)
• Pope Gregory VIII (1100 to 1187. Head of the Catholic Church in 1187)
• Savang Vadhana (1862 to 1955. Queen of Thailand from 1881 to 1910)
• Eleonora Maria of Austria (1653 to 1697. Queen of Poland (1670–1673), Duchess of Lorraine (1678–1690))

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