BIRTHDAY ATLAS

Birthday facts

Born on May 23.

Everyone born on May 23 is a Gemini — ruled by Mercury, two opinions, both sincere. The stone is emerald, the flower lily of the valley, and the day is shared with Alexandra Eala and Ryan Coogler.

Gemini, the Twins — an engraving
Sun sign
Gemini ♊︎
the Twins · ruled by Mercury · two opinions, both sincere
Emerald, the birthstone for May — an engraving
Birthstone
Emerald
May
Lily of the valley, the birth flower for May — an engraving
Birth flower
Lily of the valley
& hawthorn

Your book

Born on May 23? Add the year.

Then it is a pop-up book: the sky the day you arrived, the No. 1 that week, the president, what a stamp cost, your life in weeks, and who was exactly your age when they did the thing they are known for — and at the end, a birthday poster of the day, engraved, to take home. One field. The date lives after the # in the link, which no server sees — nothing about you leaves your browser.

Making it for someone else? Send it as a pop-up birthday card.

The old books say

Gemini, May 21 to June 20.

The Twins, ruled by Mercury, the messenger — and so the books give the sign to talkers, writers, the quick and the curious. An air sign, credited with wit and adaptability and blamed for changing its mind, which its people would call keeping up. Two of everything: two opinions, two projects, two friends who have never met. The tradition finds it charming and slightly exhausting, in that order.

Astrology, reported rather than endorsed — the astronomy is the part of the book that is real.

Good company

Also born on May 23.

The names most looked up among everyone who shares the day — leaning on the ones who last.

2005
Alexandra Eala
Filipino tennis player
1986
Ryan Coogler
American film director and screenwriter
1971
George Osborne
Chancellor of the Exchequer
1933
Joan Collins
English actress
1974
Ken Jennings
American game show host and contestant
1999
Sandro Mamukelashvili
Georgian-American basketball player
1974
Jewel
American poet and singer-songwriter
1977
Richard Ayoade
British director and writer

On this day

What May 23 has seen.

It is Aromanian National Day.

1706War of the Spanish Succession: The Grand Alliance armies routed the Franco-Spanish-Bavarian army in Ramillies, present-day Belgium.
1980The Shining, the psychological horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick, premiered on 10 screens in New York City and Los Angeles.
2008The International Court of Justice awarded the Middle Rocks to Malaysia and Pedra Branca to Singapore, resolving a 29-year-old territorial dispute in the Singapore Strait.
2021Ryanair Flight 4978 was forced to land by Belarusian authorities, who detained dissident journalist Roman Protasevich.

The calendar

When May 23 falls.

A Saturday in 2026, a Sunday in 2027, a Tuesday in 2028, a Wednesday in 2029, and a Thursday in 2030.