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Famous Birthdays on August 18

August 17August 19

17 historically significant individuals born on August 18. August 18 is the birth date of several notable figures in history. Franz Joseph I of Austria, born in 1830, later ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire for 68 years. Acclaimed film director Roman Polanski was born on this date in 1933. Former Mexican President Felipe Calderón came into the world in 1962, and Tunisian politician Mohamed Ghannouchi was born in 1941. This date links political leaders, artists, and cultural figures from different eras.

Total Born
17
Countries
14
Top Century
20th· 9
Top Field
politician
3 individuals

Headline Figures

scientist
Luc Montagnier

Luc Montagnier

1932 – 2022

Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2008)

monarch
Franz Joseph I of Austria

Franz Joseph I of Austria

1830 – 1916

Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary (1830-1916)

director
Roman Polanski

Roman Polanski

1933 – Present

Polish-French film director and Academy Award winner known for films including "Rosemary's Baby," "Chinatown," and "The Pianist." He fled the United States in 1978 after pleading guilty to statutory rape charges.

Birth Distribution by Century

20th (9)
19th (4)
10th C.20th C.

20th Century

9
Luc Montagnier
Luc Montagnier
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2008)
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski
directorfilm actor
Polish-French film director and Academy Award winner known for films including "Rosemary's Baby," "Chinatown," and "The Pianist." He fled the United States in 1978 after pleading guilty to statutory rape charges.
Felipe Calderón
Felipe Calderón
economistlawyer
Mexican politician and lawyer who served as the 63rd President of Mexico from 2006 to 2012, leading a controversial war against drug cartels.
Bryan Ruiz
Bryan Ruiz
association football coachassociation football player
Costa Rican attacking midfielder and former national team captain who played for clubs including Fulham, PSV Eindhoven, and Sporting CP.
Emir Spahić
Emir Spahić
association football player
Former defender who captained Bosnia and Herzegovina's national team and played for top European clubs including Sevilla, Lokomotiv Moscow, and Bayer Leverkusen.
Robert Winters
Robert Winters
engineerpolitician
Canadian politician (1910–1969)
Mika
Mika
actorpianist
Lebanese-British pop singer known for his falsetto voice and hit songs "Grace Kelly" and "Love Today" from his debut album Life in Cartoon Motion.
Renato Sanches
Renato Sanches
association football player
Portuguese midfielder who won the Golden Boy award in 2016 and was part of Portugal's Euro 2016 championship squad at age 18.
Mohamed Ghannouchi
Mohamed Ghannouchi
politician
Prime Minister of Tunisia from 1999 to 2011 under Ben Ali's regime. He briefly served as interim prime minister during the 2011 revolution before resigning due to protests.

19th Century

4
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I of Austria
monarchpolitician
Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary (1830-1916)
Ole Tobias Olsen
Ole Tobias Olsen
Lutheran pastorphotographer
Norwegian teacher and minister (1830-1924)
Draga Dejanović
Draga Dejanović
journalistpoet
Socially-cultural activist, teacher, actress, writer and publicist
Teodor V. Ștefanelli
Teodor V. Ștefanelli
historianjurist
Romanian author

18th Century

2
Pierre Sonnerat
Pierre Sonnerat
botanical collectorbotanist
French botanist (1748-1814)
Paulin Talabot
Paulin Talabot
cartographercivil engineer
French politician and engineer (1799-1885)

16th Century

1
Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa
Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa
astronomerexplorer
Spanish explorer

10th Century

1
Almanzor
Almanzor
military commandermilitary personnel
Arab Andalusian military leader and statesman (c.938-1002)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the most famous person born on August 18?
Roman Polanski, the film director known for Chinatown and The Pianist, is likely the most internationally recognized person born on August 18. Franz Joseph I, who ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire for 68 years, is also notable from a historical perspective.
Are there any world leaders born on August 18?
Yes, several world leaders were born on August 18. Franz Joseph I of Austria (1830) was Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. Felipe Calderón (1962) served as President of Mexico, and Mohamed Ghannouchi (1941) was Prime Minister of Tunisia.
What celebrities have August 18 birthdays?
The most prominent celebrity born on August 18 is Roman Polanski, the Oscar-winning film director born in 1933. Other notable figures include Bosnian footballer Emir Spahić and various political leaders with international recognition.