HistoryData

Famous Birthdays on December 20

December 19December 21

15 historically significant individuals born on December 20. December 20 is the birth date of eight notable individuals from history, including several prominent political and cultural figures. South Korean President Kim Young-sam was born in 1927. Indonesian Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja was born in 1934. Nobel Prize-winning author Abdulrazak Gurnah arrived in 1948. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım was born in 1955, and acclaimed filmmaker Kim Ki-duk was born in 1960. This date includes leadership, literature, and artistic achievement from different continents and fields.

Total Born
15
Countries
11
Top Century
20th· 8
Top Field
association football player
3 individuals

Headline Figures

scientist
Jaroslav Heyrovsky

Jaroslav Heyrovsky

1890 – 1967

Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1959)

association football player
Kylian Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé

1998 – Present

French striker who won the 2018 FIFA World Cup and became the second teenager in history to score in a World Cup final.

association football player
Geremi

Geremi

1978 – Present

Cameroonian midfielder who won the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2002 and the Premier League with Chelsea. He earned 118 caps for Cameroon and competed in three World Cups.

Birth Distribution by Century

20th (8)
18th (3)
16th C.20th C.

20th Century

8
Kylian Mbappé
Kylian Mbappé
association football player
French striker who won the 2018 FIFA World Cup and became the second teenager in history to score in a World Cup final.
Geremi
Geremi
association football player
Cameroonian midfielder who won the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2002 and the Premier League with Chelsea. He earned 118 caps for Cameroon and competed in three World Cups.
Kim Ki-duk
Kim Ki-duk
actorfilm actor
South Korean film director best known for his provocative and controversial films including "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring" and "3-Iron," who won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival.
Binali Yıldırım
Binali Yıldırım
engineermarine engineer
Turkish engineer and politician who served as Prime Minister from 2016 to 2018 and later as Speaker of the Grand National Assembly.
Abdulrazak Gurnah
Abdulrazak Gurnah
editing staffnovelist
Tanzanian-born British novelist who won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature for his compassionate portrayal of the effects of colonialism and the fate of refugees.
Johnny Palacios
Johnny Palacios
association football coachassociation football player
Former Honduran midfielder who transitioned into coaching after his playing career, working with clubs in the Honduran football system.
Julius Darmaatmadja
Julius Darmaatmadja
Catholic bishopLatin Catholic priest
Indonesian Catholic cardinal who served as Archbishop of Jakarta from 1996 to 2010 and was elevated to cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 1998.
Kim Young-sam
Kim Young-sam
politician
South Korean president from 1993 to 1998 who led the country's transition to full democracy and oversaw economic liberalization reforms.

19th Century

1
Jaroslav Heyrovsky
Jaroslav Heyrovsky
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1959)

18th Century

3
John Davidson Godman
John Davidson Godman
anatomistnaturalist
American naturalist and anatomist (1794–1830)
Hans Moritz von Brühl
Hans Moritz von Brühl
astronomerchess player
German diplomat and astronomer
Johann Georg Specht
Johann Georg Specht
architectcivil engineer
German architect (1721-1803)

17th Century

2
Urban Hjärne
Urban Hjärne
chemistdecorative painter
Swedish scholar, chemist and physicist (1641-1724)
Tommaso Ceva
Tommaso Ceva
mathematicianpoet
Italian mathematician (1648-1737)

16th Century

1
John III of Sweden
John III of Sweden
monarch
Swedish king (1537-1592)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the most famous person born on December 20?
Kim Young-sam, President of South Korea from 1993 to 1998, is likely the most internationally recognized person born on December 20. He played a crucial role in South Korea's transition to democracy and economic growth.
Are there any Nobel Prize winners born on December 20?
Yes, Abdulrazak Gurnah, born December 20, 1948, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2021. He is a Tanzanian-born British author known for examining themes of exile, identity, and colonialism.
What famous directors were born on December 20?
Kim Ki-duk, the South Korean film director, was born on December 20, 1960. He was noted for his controversial and artistic films that often examined human nature and social issues.