- Jan 9 Karel Bonaventura Buquoy, French soldier (d. 1621)
- Jan 21 John Isacius Pontanus, Dutch physicist and historian (1st history of Amsterdam) (d. 16390
- Jan 22 Robert Bruce Cotton, English antiquary and politician (his library formed basis of British Museum manuscript collection), born in Denton, England (d. 1631)
- May 11 Niwa Nagashige, Japanese warlord, (d. 1637)
- Jul 16 Theodoor Galle, Flemish engraver, born in Antwerp, Belgium (d. 1633)
- Aug 8 John Ward, English composer, born in Canterbury, England (d. 1638)
- Sep 28 Michael Praetorius [Schultze], German organist and composer (Syntagma; In Dulce Jublio), born in Creuzberg, Saxony (d. 1621) [birthdate approximate]
- Sep 29 Caravaggio [Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio], Italian painter, (Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy), born in Milan [d. 1610] [date disputed]
- Dec 9 Adrian Metius, Dutch astronomer and fort architect, born in Alkmaar, Netherlands (d. 1635)
Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
Dec 27 German astronomer (discovered laws of planetary motion), born in Weil der Stadt, Holy Roman Empire
