- May 1 Howard Barlow, American conductor (Voice of Firestone), born in Plain City, Ohio (d. 1972)
- May 9 Eric Westberg, Swedish composer, born in Hudiksvall, Sweden (d. 1944)
- May 14 Arthur Vincent Lourie, Russian composer, born in Propoysk, Russia (d. 1966)
- May 14 Felix Petyrek, Austrian composer, born in Brno, Austria (d. 1951)
- May 18 Ezio Pinza, Italian American operatic bass singer (South Pacific; RCA Victor Show), born in Rome, Italy (d. 1957)
- May 19 George "Pops" Foster, American jazz upright bass player, tuba player, and trumpeter, born in Macoll, Louisiana (d. 1969)
- May 22 Louis van Tulder, Dutch tenor (From Office Stool to High C), born in Amsterdam (d. 1969)
- May 31 Louis Fourestier, French cellist, composer (Polynice; Patria), conductor (Paris Opera, 1938-65), and pedagogue (Paris Conservatoire, 1945-65), born in Montpellier, France (d. 1976)
- May 31 Willem Ravelli, Dutch baritone singer (St Matthew Passion), born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1980)