21 historically significant individuals born on January 6. January 6 has been the birth date for several notable individuals from various time periods and regions. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, the first ruler of independent Paraguay, was born on this date in 1766. Bulgarian poet and revolutionary Hristo Botev was born on January 6, 1848. South Korean president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kim Dae-jung came into the world in 1924. Italian singer and actor Adriano Celentano was born in 1938, and Guatemalan politician Alejandro Maldonado Aguirre was born in 1936.
Total Born
21
Countries
17
Top Century
20th· 9
Top Field
film actor
3 individuals
Headline Figures
scientist
Rolf M. Zinkernagel
1944 – PresentNobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1996)
film actor
A. R. Rahman
1966 – PresentIndian composer and music producer who won Academy Awards for his work on Slumdog Millionaire and is known for blending Indian classical music with electronic sounds.
journalist
Hristo Botev
1848 – 1876Bulgarian poet and revolutionary (1847–1876)
Birth Distribution by Century
20th (9)
19th (4)
18th (5)
9th C.20th C.
20th Century
9Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Rolf M. Zinkernagel
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1996)
A. R. Rahman
film actorfilm director
Indian composer and music producer who won Academy Awards for his work on Slumdog Millionaire and is known for blending Indian classical music with electronic sounds.
Adriano Celentano
film actorfilm editor
Italian singer, actor and television presenter known as 'Il Molleggiato' who became one of Italy's biggest entertainment stars with hits like 'Azzurro' and 'Il Ragazzo della Via Gluck'.
Kim Dae-jung
journalistpolitician
South Korean president from 1998 to 2003 who won the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to improve relations with North Korea through his "Sunshine Policy."
Alejandro Maldonado Aguirre
diplomatjudge
Constitutional Court magistrate who served as interim President of Guatemala from 2015 to 2016 following Otto Pérez Molina's resignation.
Rowan Atkinson
film actorfilm producer
English comedian and actor famous for creating the character Mr. Bean and playing Edmund Blackadder in the BBC series 'Blackadder'.
Irina Shayk
actormodel
Russian supermodel who became the first Russian to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2011. She has been in high-profile relationships with Cristiano Ronaldo and Bradley Cooper.
Daniel Chapo
lawyernews presenter
Fifth President of Mozambique since January 2025, former lawyer and radio journalist who previously served as governor of Inhambane Province.
Catriona Gray
beauty pageant contestantmodel
Filipino-Australian model and singer who was crowned Miss Universe 2018, becoming the fourth Filipina to win the title. She is known for her advocacy work in education and HIV/AIDS awareness, particularly among young people.
19th Century
4Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Hristo Botev
journalistpoet
Bulgarian poet and revolutionary (1847–1876)
Jesús Flores Magón
journalistlawyer
Mexican politician (1871-1930)
Yordan Ivanov
archaeologistethnographer
Bulgarian historian
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Lionel Terry
surveyorwriter
New Zealand murderer
18th Century
5Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Friedrich Kasimir Medikus
botanistcurator
German physician and botanist (1736-1808)
Anselme Payen
biochemistbotanist
French chemist
Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier
entrepreneurindustrialist
French inventor, younger of the 18th-century Montgolfier brothers (1745–1799)
William Bent Berczy
painterpolitician
Canadian politician (1791–1873)
José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia
lawyerpolitician
Paraguay's first supreme dictator who ruled from 1814 to 1840, isolating the country from foreign influence and establishing a highly centralized authoritarian state.
15th Century
2Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Andreas Osiander
mathematiciantheologian
German Protestant reformer, 1498-1552
Janus Parrhasius
classical philologisteditor
Italian humanist
9th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Yōzei
waka poetwriter
Emperor of Japan
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most famous person born on January 6?
Kim Dae-jung, the former South Korean president and Nobel Peace Prize winner born in 1924, is likely the most internationally recognized person born on this date. Other notable individuals include Italian singer Adriano Celentano and Bulgarian poet Hristo Botev.
Are there any world leaders born on January 6?
Yes, political leaders born on January 6 include Kim Dae-jung of South Korea, José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia of Paraguay in the early 1800s, and Alejandro Maldonado Aguirre, who briefly led Guatemala.
What celebrities have January 6 birthdays?
Italian singer and actor Adriano Celentano, born in 1938, is one of the prominent entertainers born on January 6. He became a major figure in Italian cinema and music during the 1960s and later.