Famous people born on 17 May

• Ruhollah KhomeiniSupreme Leader of Iran from 1979 to 1989 · 1900–1989
  89 yrs
• Edward JennerEnglish physician, scientist and pioneer of vaccination · 1749–1823
  73 yrs
• Henri BarbusseFrench author · 1873–1935
  62 yrs
• Jean GabinFrench actor and singer · 1904–1976
  72 yrs
• Erik SatieFrench composer and pianist · 1866–1925
  59 yrs
• Alfonso XIIIKing of Spain from 1886 to 1931 · 1886–1941
  54 yrs
• Dennis HopperAmerican actor and film director · 1936–2010
  74 yrs
• Bob SagetAmerican stand-up comedian · 1956–2022
  65 yrs
• Bill Paxton ↗American actor and filmmaker · 1955–2017
  61 yrs
• Janez Drnovšek ↗Slovenian politician · 1950–2008
  57 yrs
• Odd Hassel ↗Norwegian physical chemist and Nobel Laureate · 1897–1981
  83 yrs
• Birgit Nilsson ↗Swedish opera singer · 1918–2005
  87 yrs
• Patriarch Nikon of Moscow ↗8th Patriarch of Moscow · 1605–1681
  76 yrs
• Stanisław Moniuszko ↗Polish composer · 1819–1872
  53 yrs
• Niko Pirosmani ↗Georgian artist · 1862–1918
  55 yrs
• Maureen O'Sullivan ↗Irish-American actress · 1911–1998
  87 yrs
• Norman Lockyer ↗English scientist and astronomer · 1836–1920
  84 yrs
• Caroline of Brunswick ↗Queen consort of the United Kingdom and Hanover from 1820 to 1821 · 1768–1821
  53 yrs
• Julius Wellhausen ↗German theologian and orientalist · 1844–1918
  73 yrs
• Bartholomew Roberts ↗Welsh pirate · 1682–1722
  39 yrs
• Jacint Verdaguer ↗Catalan writer and poet · 1845–1902
  57 yrs
• Valeriya Novodvorskaya ↗Russian politician · 1950–2014
  64 yrs
• Álvaro Gestido ↗Uruguayan footballer · 1907–1957
  49 yrs

Only people with a known day of birth are listed, and only people who have died. Dates are from Wikidata (CC0), last updated 22 October 2026.

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