22 historically significant individuals born on January 23. January 23 is the birth date of several notable individuals in various areas of human achievement. Born on this day are French novelist Stendhal (1783), Impressionist painter Édouard Manet (1832), Nobel Prize-winning physicist Hideki Yukawa (1907), archaeologist Marija Gimbutas (1921), and former Mongolian president Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat (1942). Each made important contributions to literature, art, science, archaeology, and political leadership over nearly two centuries.
Total Born
22
Countries
18
Top Century
20th· 16
Top Field
scientist
5 individuals
Headline Figures
Birth Distribution by Century
20th (16)
15th C.20th C.
20th Century
16Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Gertrude B. Elion
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1988)
Derek Walcott
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Literature (1992)
John C. Polanyi
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1986)
Sir Arthur Lewis
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (1979)
Marija Gimbutas
anthropologistarchaeologist
Pioneering archaeologist who developed the influential theory of Old Europe and goddess-centered prehistoric cultures through her excavations in southeastern Europe. Her work revolutionized understanding of Neolithic societies.
Megawati Soekarnoputri
politician
Fifth President of Indonesia (2001-2004) and daughter of founding president Sukarno, she was the country's first female president.
Hideki Yukawa
nuclear physicistphysicist
Japanese theoretical physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1949 for his prediction of the existence of mesons in nuclear interactions.
Gudaf Tsegay
athletics competitor
Ethiopian middle and long-distance runner who holds the world record in the women's 5,000 meters and has won multiple world championship medals.
Chan Vathanaka
association football player
Cambodian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and serves as captain of the Cambodia national football team.
Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat
politician
Mongolia's first democratically elected President (1993-1997) who led the country's transition from communist rule to democracy.
Robert Golob
electrical engineerpolitician
Slovenian electrical engineer and businessman who became Prime Minister in 2022 after founding the Freedom Movement party. He previously served as CEO of major energy companies and led his party to victory in Slovenia's 2022 parliamentary elections.
Rutger Hauer
actorfilm actor
Dutch actor internationally known for his role as Roy Batty in Blade Runner and his appearances in numerous Hollywood films.
Arjen Robben
association football coachassociation football player
Dutch winger known for his pace and cutting inside from the right flank, who won league titles with Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich.
Arnoldo Alemán
lawyerpolitician
Nicaraguan lawyer and politician who served as President of Nicaragua from 1997 to 2002, later convicted of corruption charges related to his presidency.
Magdalena Andersson
politician
Swedish economist and Social Democratic politician who briefly served as Prime Minister in 2021-2022, becoming the first woman to hold the office.
Irving Saladino
long jumper
Panamanian long jumper who won Panama's first Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
19th Century
2Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Otto Diels
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1950)
Édouard Manet
architectural draftspersonartist
French painter (1832–1883)
18th Century
3Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Stendhal
art historianautobiographer
French novelist best known for his psychological realism in masterworks The Red and the Black and The Charterhouse of Parma.
Wolfgang von Kempelen
architectchess player
Austrian dramatic, graphic, constructer, linguist, painter, writer, inventor and nobleman (1734-1804)
Carl Adolph Agardh
botanical collectorbotanist
Swedish cleric and botanist (1785–1859)
15th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
John I, Duke of Cleves
monarch
Duke of Cleves and Count of Mark (1419-1481)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most famous person born on January 23?
Édouard Manet, the influential French painter born in 1832, is likely the most widely recognized figure born on January 23. His groundbreaking artistic work helped bridge the gap between Realism and Impressionism in 19th-century art.
Are there any Nobel Prize winners born on January 23?
Yes, Hideki Yukawa, the Japanese theoretical physicist born on January 23, 1907, won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1949. He was the first Japanese person to receive a Nobel Prize, earning recognition for his work on nuclear forces.
What famous French writer was born on January 23?
Stendhal, born Marie-Henri Beyle in 1783, was a celebrated French writer known for his psychological novels. His most famous works include 'The Red and the Black' and 'The Charterhouse of Parma.'