19 historically significant individuals born on May 21. May 21 is the birth date of several notable figures. Gustav I of Sweden, born in 1496, established Swedish independence from Danish rule. Willem Einthoven, born in 1860, was the Dutch physician who invented the electrocardiogram and won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Mexican president Lázaro Cárdenas was born in 1895, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser in 1930, and Ethiopian military leader Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1937.
Total Born
19
Countries
13
Top Century
20th· 10
Top Field
scientist
5 individuals
Headline Figures
Birth Distribution by Century
20th (10)
19th (6)
15th C.20th C.
20th Century
10Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Andrei Sakharov
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Peace (1975)
Günter Blobel
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1999)
Bengt I. Samuelsson
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1982)
Mario Mandžukić
association football coachassociation football player
Croatian striker who scored crucial goals in Croatia's run to the 2018 World Cup final, including the winning goal in the semi-final against England.
Malcolm Fraser
politician
Australian politician, 22nd Prime Minister of Australia (1930-2015)
Mengistu Haile Mariam
military personnelpolitician
Ethiopian military officer who ruled as head of the Derg military junta from 1977 to 1991, responsible for the Red Terror campaign.
Sergei Shoigu
civil engineereconomist
Russian politician who served as Defense Minister from 2012 to 2024 and currently serves as Secretary of the Security Council of Russia.
Rene Krhin
association football player
Slovenian footballer
Varvara Lepchenko
tennis player
Professional tennis player who represented Ukraine until 2011 before switching to compete for the United States. She achieved a career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 19 in 2012 and has won one WTA singles title.
Ivan Bella
aircraft pilotastronaut
Slovak astronaut and the first citizen of Slovakia to travel to space, flying aboard Soyuz TM-29 to the International Space Station in 1999.
19th Century
6Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Louis Renault
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Peace (1907)
Léon Bourgeois
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Peace (1920)
Lázaro Cárdenas
military personnelpolitician
Mexican general who served as the 51st President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940, implementing major land reforms and nationalizing the oil industry. His presidency marked a significant shift toward socialist policies and workers' rights.
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Harold Mortimer-Lamb
mining engineerphotographer
Canadian engineer, artist and photographer (1872-1970)
Henry Norlande Ruttan
civil engineerengineer
Canadian engineer and Canadian Army officer (1848-1925)
Willem Einthoven
inventorphysician
Dutch physiologist who invented the electrocardiogram (ECG) and won the 1924 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
18th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Johann Friedrich Gottlieb Goldhagen
naturalistphysician
Physician and naturalist (1742-1788)
17th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Joseph Privat de Molières
mathematicianphysicist
French physicist and mathematician
15th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Gustav I of Sweden
monarchpolitician
King of Sweden from 1523 to 1560
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most famous person born on May 21?
Gustav I of Sweden, born in 1496, is a historically notable figure from May 21. He founded modern Sweden and began the Vasa dynasty. Willem Einthoven, who invented the electrocardiogram and won a Nobel Prize, is another prominent individual born on this date.
Are there any Nobel Prize winners born on May 21?
Yes, Willem Einthoven, born on May 21, 1860, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1924 for inventing the electrocardiogram, significantly impacting cardiac medicine.
Which political leaders were born on May 21?
Notable political leaders born on May 21 include Gustav I of Sweden (1496), Mexican President Lázaro Cárdenas (1895), and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser (1930). Ethiopian military leader Mengistu Haile Mariam was born on this date in 1937.