- May 3 Karl Abraham, German psychoanalyst, born in Bremen, Germany (d. 1925)
- May 4 Arthur Lang, American boxer and businessman, born in Van Wert, Ohio (d. 1992)
- May 10 Roderich Mojsisovics-Mojsvar, Austrian music educator and composer, born in Graz, Austria (d. 1954)
- May 25 Billy Murray, Irish-American vaudeville and early recording popular music tenor, known as the 'Denver Nightengale' ("Shine On, Harvest Moon"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1954)
Isadora Duncan (1877-1927)
May 26 American free form/interpretative dancer, born in San Francisco, California
- May 26 Jean Schlumberger, French writer (La Mort de Sparte), born in Guebwiller, Alsace-Lorraine (d. 1968)
- May 26 Sadao Araki, Japanese general, Minister of War (1931-34), born in Tokyo, Japan (d. 1966)