Richard Feynman
1918 – 1988American theoretical physicist (1918–1988)
Famous Birthdays on May 11
10 notable people were born on May 11.
May 11 marks the birth date of several influential figures from different fields. Notable individuals born on this day include surrealist painter Salvador Dalí (1904), Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman (1918), and computer scientist Edsger W. Dijkstra (1930) who shaped art, science, and technology.
20th Century9 people
Edsger W. Dijkstra
1930 – 2002Dutch computer scientist who created fundamental algorithms including Dijkstra's shortest path algorithm and made major contributions to programming language design.
Salvador Dalí
1904 – 1989Spanish surrealist painter famous for his melting clocks in "The Persistence of Memory" and his flamboyant public persona with his distinctive mustache.
Andrés Iniesta
1984Spanish midfielder widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, who won the World Cup (2010) and two European Championships with Spain's national team.
association football playerSpain
Giovani dos Santos
1989Mexican attacking midfielder who played for top European clubs including Barcelona, Tottenham, and Villarreal. He represented Mexico in multiple World Cups and was part of the team that won the 2012 Olympic gold medal.
association football playerMexico
Thibaut Courtois
1992Belgian goalkeeper who has starred for Real Madrid and Belgium's national team, known for his exceptional shot-stopping and commanding presence.
association football playerBelgium
Camilo José Cela
1916 – 2002Spanish novelist who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1989, best known for his novel "The Family of Pascual Duarte."
Sue Gardner
1967Canadian journalist who served as executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation from 2007 to 2014, overseeing Wikipedia's global expansion.
Igor Matovič
1973Slovak businessman and politician who served as Prime Minister from 2020 to 2021, leading a coalition government during the COVID-19 pandemic. He founded the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities party.
politicianSlovakia
19th Century1 person
Pridi Banomyong
1900 – 1983Thai lawyer and politician who served as Prime Minister and was a key architect of Thailand's transition to constitutional monarchy in 1932.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most famous person born on May 11?
Salvador Dalí, the Spanish surrealist artist born in 1904, is widely regarded as the most famous person born on May 11. He gained international fame for his distinctive melting clocks paintings and eccentric personality.
What Nobel Prize winners were born on May 11?
Two Nobel Prize winners were born on May 11: Richard Feynman, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in quantum electrodynamics, and Camilo José Cela, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1989 for his Spanish novels.
Are there any important scientists born on May 11?
Yes, May 11 is the birthdate of two influential scientists: physicist Richard Feynman, known for his work in quantum mechanics and particle physics, and computer scientist Edsger W. Dijkstra, known for developing foundational algorithms in computer science.