- Jan 7 Sebastian de Covarrubias Horozco, Spanish lexicographer (Treasury of Castilian or Spanish Language) (d. 1613)
- Feb 27 Franciscus Raphelengius, Flemish book publisher (1st Arabic-Latin dictionary), born in Lannoy (d. 1587)
- Mar 25 Christopher Clavius, German mathematician (d. 1612)
- Apr 17 Tobias Stimmer, Swiss painter (Strasbourg astronomical clock), born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland (d. 1584)
- Jun 13 Jost Amman, Swiss cartoonist, graphic artist and illustrator, born in Zürich, Switzerland (d. 1591)
- Nov 1 Pierre Pithou, French lawyer and scholar (Les Libertés de l’église gallicane), born in Troyes, France (d. 1596)
- Dec 5 Fausto Paolo Sozzini, Italian theologian and founder of Socinianism, born in Siena, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1604)
- Dec 20 Paulus Melissus, humanist Neo-Latin writer, translator, and composer, born in Mellrichstadt, Duchy of Bavaria (d. 1602)
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