20 historically significant individuals born on January 12. January 12 marks the birth date of various notable individuals from history, including several political and intellectual figures. Born on this date are Nazi leader Hermann Göring (1893), French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas (1906), Soviet politician Dinmukhamed Konayev (1912), Lebanese president Émile Lahoud (1936), and Guatemalan president Ramiro de León Carpio (1942).
Total Born
20
Countries
15
Top Century
20th· 13
Top Field
politician
3 individuals
Headline Figures
scientist
Paul Müller
1899 – 1965Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1948)
scientist
Michel Mayor
1942 – PresentNobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physics (2019)
politician
Dinmukhamed Konayev
1912 – 1993Soviet politician who served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan from 1964 to 1986, playing a key role in the republic's industrial development.
Birth Distribution by Century
20th (13)
17th C.20th C.
20th Century
13Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Michel Mayor
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physics (2019)
Dinmukhamed Konayev
politicianwriter
Soviet politician who served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan from 1964 to 1986, playing a key role in the republic's industrial development.
Haruki Murakami
essayistlinguist
Japanese novelist whose surreal works like "Norwegian Wood" and "Kafka on the Shore" have gained international acclaim and numerous literary awards.
Emmanuel Levinas
ethicistphilosopher
Influential 20th-century philosopher who developed a groundbreaking ethics based on responsibility for the Other and face-to-face encounters. Born in Lithuania, he became a major figure in French intellectual life.
Oribe Peralta
association football player
Mexican striker who scored the winning goals in both the 2012 Olympics final and 2012 CONCACAF Champions League final. He became a national hero for his performances with Club América and the Mexico national team.
Émile Lahoud
military officerpolitician
Former Lebanese Navy Commander who served as the 11th President of Lebanon from 1998 to 2007.
Hamadi Jebali
engineerjournalist
Prime Minister of Tunisia from 2011 to 2013 and leader of the Ennahda party. He was the country's first democratically elected prime minister following the Arab Spring revolution.
Ramiro de León Carpio
lawyerpolitician
Human rights lawyer who served as President of Guatemala from 1993 to 1996 after Congress elected him following Jorge Serrano Elías's failed self-coup.
Hande Yener
recording artistsinger
Turkish pop singer known as the 'Queen of Turkish Pop' who achieved commercial success with albums like 'Aşk Kadın Ruhundan Anlar' and electronic dance music.
Simon Russell Beale
film actormusic historian
British classical actor acclaimed for his Shakespearean roles and appearances in films including The Death of Stalin and Mary Queen of Scots.
Nikolai Noskov
guitaristkeyboardist
Russian rock singer and multi-instrumentalist who gained fame as the lead vocalist of the band Gorky Park and later pursued a successful solo career.
Artem Milevskyi
association football player
Ukrainian striker who played for Dynamo Kyiv and the national team, known for his prolific goal-scoring in European competitions during the 2000s.
Sergey Karjakin
chess player
Russian chess player
19th Century
3Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Paul Müller
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1948)
Hermann Göring
aircraft pilotHolocaust perpetrator
Nazi leader who commanded the Luftwaffe during World War II and was a key architect of the Holocaust. He was convicted of war crimes at Nuremberg and sentenced to death.
Mordecai Wyatt Johnson
clergymanreligious leader
President of Howard University (1890-1976)
18th Century
3Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Lazzaro Spallanzani
botanistentomologist
Italian priest, biologist and physiologist (1729-1799)
Nicolas Ozanne
draftspersonengineer
French naval engineer (1728–1811)
Dimitrie Cozacovici
historianphilologist
Romanian historian
17th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Anton Maria Salvini
classical scholarnaturalist
Italian naturalist and classicist
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most famous person born on January 12?
Hermann Göring, born on January 12, 1893, is likely the most recognized figure with this birth date due to his role as a Nazi leader and military commander during World War II. His involvement in German history and the war makes him a notable January 12 birth.
Are there any philosophers born on January 12?
Yes, Emmanuel Levinas was born on January 12, 1906, and became one of the influential philosophers of the 20th century. He is known for his work on ethics and phenomenology, focusing on responsibility toward others.
Which political leaders were born on January 12?
Émile Lahoud, who served as President of Lebanon, and Ramiro de León Carpio, who was President of Guatemala, were both born on January 12. Dinmukhamed Konayev, born in 1912, led the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic and was an important political figure.