Famous people born on March 31st
March 31 brings together an unusually wide-ranging set of birthdays, spanning foundational thinkers, award-winning artists, and influential public servants. The date includes figures who shaped philosophy and science, helped define modern music and film, and advanced civil rights and policy. With 34 notable birthdays on record, it is a rich cross-section of creativity, leadership, and intellect.
Notable highlights
- Rene Descartes (1596) - The philosopher-mathematician behind "cogito, ergo sum" also helped develop analytic geometry, linking algebra to geometry.
- Joseph Haydn (1732) - A central architect of the Classical style, he influenced Mozart and Beethoven while refining the symphony and string quartet.
- Edward Fitzgerald (1809) - Best known for his English rendering of "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," a translation that became a cultural phenomenon.
- Octavio Paz (1914) - Nobel Prize-winning poet and essayist whose work explored identity, history, and modernity in Mexico and beyond.
- Leo Buscaglia (1924) - A beloved lecturer and author who popularized humanistic messages about love, empathy, and everyday compassion.
- Cesar Chavez (1927) - Co-founded the United Farm Workers and organized nonviolent labor actions to improve conditions for farmworkers.
- Al Gore (1948) - Served as U.S. Vice President and became a global climate advocate, bringing mainstream attention to climate change.
- Angus Young (1955) - AC/DC co-founder whose blistering riffs and school-uniform stage persona became hard rock signatures.
- Christopher Walken (1943) - An actor celebrated for distinctive screen presence across dramas and comedies, with a career spanning decades.
- Ewan McGregor (1971) - Known for versatile roles from indie films to blockbusters, including portraying Obi-Wan Kenobi in "Star Wars."
On this day
- 1889 - The Eiffel Tower was officially inaugurated in Paris, becoming a defining landmark of modern engineering.
- 1917 - The United States formally took possession of the Danish West Indies, renamed the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- 1991 - The Warsaw Pact was dissolved, marking a major milestone in the end of the Cold War order in Europe.