29 historically significant individuals born on February 28. February 28 is the birth date of 12 notable individuals from various areas such as architecture, literature, and sports. Frank Gehry, born in 1929, is an architect known for his innovative building designs. Juri Lotman, born in 1922, is a well-regarded semiotician. Svetlana Alliluyeva, Stalin's daughter, was born in 1926. This date is also the birth date of athletes like cyclist Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, born in 1964, and middle-distance runner Noureddine Morceli, born in 1970.
Total Born
29
Countries
17
Top Century
20th· 17
Top Field
scientist
6 individuals
Headline Figures
Birth Distribution by Century
20th (17)
18th (6)
16th C.20th C.
20th Century
17Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Linus Pauling
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1954), Nobel Prize in Peace (1962)
Peter Medawar
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1960)
Paul Krugman
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (2008)
Daniel C. Tsui
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physics (1998)
Steven Chu
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physics (1997)
Frank Gehry
designerdraftsperson
Canadian-American architect renowned for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and pioneering deconstructivist architecture with flowing, sculptural forms.
Christian Poulsen
association football coachassociation football player
Danish defensive midfielder who earned 92 caps for his national team and captained the side at multiple major tournaments. He played for top European clubs including Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Liverpool during his career.
Emmelie de Forest
composerrecording artist
Danish singer-songwriter who won the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 representing Denmark with her song 'Only Teardrops.' Born to a Danish mother and Guyanese father, she became the first mixed-race artist to win Eurovision for Denmark.
Karolína Kurková
actormodel
Czech supermodel who became a Victoria's Secret Angel and appeared on numerous international magazine covers, establishing herself as one of the world's top fashion models.
Svetlana Alliluyeva
autobiographermemoirist
Joseph Stalin's only daughter who defected to the United States in 1967, causing an international sensation. She wrote several memoirs about life as Stalin's child and her escape from the Soviet Union.
Noureddine Morceli
athletics competitormiddle-distance runner
Middle-distance runner who dominated the 1500m in the 1990s, winning Olympic gold in 1996 and setting multiple world records.
Arkadiusz Milik
association football player
Polish striker who has played for top European clubs including Ajax, Napoli, and Marseille, representing Poland in multiple international tournaments.
Jelena Janković
tennis player
Former Serbian tennis player who reached world No. 4 and won 15 WTA singles titles during her career. She was known for her defensive playing style and mental toughness on court.
Luka Dončić
basketball player
Slovenian NBA superstar who plays for the Dallas Mavericks and is considered one of basketball's most versatile talents. At age 25, he has already achieved multiple All-Star selections and triple-double records while leading Slovenia's national team.
Djamolidine Abdoujaparov
sport cyclist
Professional cyclist known as 'The Tashkent Terror' who won the Tour de France green jersey three times (1991, 1993, 1994) as the points classification winner. He was one of the most successful sprinters in cycling history.
Juri Lotman
semiotician
Russian-Estonian literary scholar who founded the Tartu-Moscow Semiotic School and pioneered the study of cultural semiotics. His work on the semiotics of culture and text analysis influenced literary theory worldwide.
Anna Muzychuk
chess player
World Championship silver medalist and former world champion in rapid chess, multiple-time winner of the European Women's Chess Championship.
19th Century
3Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Philip S. Hench
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1950)
Edwyn Cynrig Roberts
activistcoal miner
Welsh pioneer of Patagonia
Manuel Díaz Rodríguez
diplomatjournalist
Venezuelan writer and politician
18th Century
6Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Antoine Polier
businesspersonengineer
Swiss explorer (1741-1795)
Joseph Bernard de Chabert
astronomergeographer
French Navy officer, astronomer and mathematician (1724-1805)
Louis Godin
astronomermathematician
French astronomer
René Just Haüy
crystallographermineralogist
French mineralogist
Ferdinand Karl Schweikart
juristmathematician
German mathematician
Peter Madáč
physicianwriter
Slovak physician (1729-1805)
16th Century
3Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Charles III, Duke of Lorraine
monarchpolitician
Duke of Lorraine from 1545
Valerius Cordus
botanistchemist
German physician, botanist, and author (1515-1544)
Jost Bürgi
amateur mathematicianastronomer
Swiss clockmaker, maker of astronomical instruments and mathematician (1552-1632)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most famous person born on February 28?
Frank Gehry, an architect born on February 28, 1929, is likely the most well-known person born on this date. He designed buildings like the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
Are there any famous athletes born on February 28?
Yes, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, a cyclist known as 'The Tashkent Terror,' was born on February 28, 1964. Noureddine Morceli, an Algerian middle-distance runner who set multiple world records, was born on February 28, 1970.
Which historical figures were born on February 28?
Svetlana Alliluyeva, Stalin's daughter who defected to the West, was born on February 28, 1926. Juri Lotman, an Estonian literary scholar and semiotician, was also born on this date in 1922.