- Apr 22 Antoine of Navarre [de Bourbon], King of Navarre, 1555-62), born in La Fère, Picardy, France (d. 1562)
- Jul 3 Li Shi-zhen, Chinese physician and medical scholar (Compendium of Materia Medica), born in Qizhou, China (d. 1593)
- Jul 27 Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury and builder of country houses, born in Derbyshire, England (d. 1608)
- Aug 8 Conrad Lycosthenes, French-born German humanist and encyclopedist (d. 1561)
- Sep 29 Tintoretto, Italian Mannerist painter and notable exponent of the Renaissance school, born in Venice, Republic of Venice (d. 1594)
- Dec 21 Mark van Vaernewijck, Habsburg historian, born in Ghent, County of Flanders, Habsburg Netherlands (d. 1569)
Year of the Rabbit
Year of the Dragon
Year of the Snake
Year of the Horse
Year of the Goat/Sheep
Year of the Monkey