- Jan 1 Mariano Azuela, Mexican novelist (The Flies, The Bosses), born in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco (d. 1952)
- Jan 2 Anton Pannekoek, Dutch astronomer/marxist theorist (Communist Tactics), born in Vaassen, Netherlands (d. 1960)
- Jan 2 Thérèse de Lisieux, French Roman-Catholic nun (d. 1897)
- Jan 3 Ichizo Kobayashi, Japanese businessman (d. 1957)
- Jan 6 Karl Straube, German organist & conductor, born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1950)
- Jan 7 Adolph Zukor, Hungarian-American movie producer, director and executive (Paramount), born in Ricse, Hungary (d. 1976)
- Jan 8 Elena of Montenegro, queen of Italy (d. 1956)
- Jan 8 Iuliu Maniu, Romanian politician (d. 1953)
- Jan 8 Lucien Capet, French composer and violinist, born in Paris, France (d. 1928)
- Jan 9 Hayyim Nahman Bialik, Jewish poet, born in Radi, Volhynia, (d. 1934)
- Jan 10 George Orton, Canadian athlete, born in Strathroy-Caradoc, Canada (d. 1958)
- Jan 10 Jack O'Neill, Irish-born baseball player, born in Tawnaleen, Ireland (d. 1935)
- Jan 11 John Callan O'Laughlin, American political and military figure and journalist (d. 1949)
- Jan 12 Spyridon Louis, Greek distance runner, soldier (winner first modern Olympics marathon 1896), born in Marousi, Greece (d. 1940)
- Jan 15 Max Adler, Austria jurist & social philosopher (Austromarxism), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1937)
- Jan 16 Boyd Alexander, English explorer and ornithologist (Niger to the Nile), born in Cranbrook, England (d. 1910)
- Jan 17 Francois Rasse, Belgian composer, born in Helchin (d. 1955)
- Jan 19 Hans Erich Blaich [Dr. Owlglass], German writer (Simplicissimus), born in Leutkirch im Allgäu (d. 1945)
- Jan 20 Charles A. Ellwood, American sociologist and psychologist, born near Ogdensburg, New York (d. 1946)
- Jan 20 Johannes V. Jensen, Danish novelist and poet (The Fall of the King; Nobel Prize for Literature, 1944), born in Farsø, North Jutland, Denmark (d. 1950)
Colette (1873-1954)
Jan 28 French author, novelist (Gigi, La Vagabonde) and actress, born in Paris, France
- Jan 28 Monty Noble, Australian cricketer (great Australian all-rounder at turn of century), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 1940)
- Jan 29 Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi, Italian navy officer, explorer and mountaineer (Ruwenzori Range, Uganda; Mount Saint Alias, Yukon), born in Madrid, Spain (d. 1933)
- Jan 30 Georges Ricard-Cordingley, French painter, born in Lyon, France (d. 1939)
- Jan 30 Rose Melville, American stage actress (A Baby Grand, Her Great Invention), born in Terre Haute, Indiana (d. 1946)