Famous people born on April 12 — and what else happened that day
If your birthday is April 12, you share it with Herbie Hancock, David Letterman, Saoirse Ronan — and you were born under Aries, the sign of the bold, energetic, and first through every door.
Birthday basics for April 12
Aries ♈
Zodiac sign
Diamond
Birthstone
Daisy
Birth flower
102nd
Day of the year
April 12 is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years), with 263 days still to come.
Famous people born on April 12
Herbie Hancock — American jazz pianist and composer (born 1940).
David Letterman — American comedian and late-night talk show host (born 1947).
Saoirse Ronan — Irish actress known for Lady Bird and Little Women (born 1994).
Also sharing the day:
Tom Clancy (b. 1947) — American author of best-selling techno-thrillers like The Hunt for Red October.
Andy García (b. 1956) — Cuban-American actor known for The Godfather Part III and Ocean's Eleven.
Claire Danes (b. 1979) — American actress who won multiple Emmys for the series Homeland.
April 12 in history
1955 — Dr. Jonas Salk's polio vaccine was declared safe and effective.
1961 — Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space.
1981 — The Space Shuttle Columbia lifted off on the first-ever Space Shuttle mission.
1861 — Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, beginning the American Civil War.
1934 — Weather observers atop Mount Washington, New Hampshire, measured a world-record wind gust of 231 mph.
1937 — Sir Frank Whittle ground-tested the first jet engine designed to power an aircraft.
April 12 birthday questions
What zodiac sign is April 12?
Anyone born on April 12 is a Aries — bold, energetic, and first through every door.
What is the birthstone for April 12?
The birthstone for a April 12 birthday is Diamond, and the birth flower is the Daisy.
Who is the most famous person born on April 12?
Herbie Hancock is among the best known — American jazz pianist and composer (born 1940).
What happened on April 12?
In 1955, Dr. Jonas Salk's polio vaccine was declared safe and effective.
What day of the year is April 12?
April 12 is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years), with 263 days still to come.
Make their day unforgettable
Know someone born on April 12? See the full story of their exact birthday — the headlines, the #1 song, what things cost — and turn it into a personalized front-page newspaper they can keep.