16 August

Across recorded history, 1,499 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 16 August. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

← August 15 August 17 →

Aretha Franklin

1942–2018

American singer, songwriter, and pianist

Aretha Franklin (1942–2018), American singer, songwriter, and pianist (1942–2018).

Ramakrishna

1836–1886

Indian mystic and religious preacher

Ramakrishna was an Indian mystic and religious preacher who taught the unity of all religions.

Margaret Mitchell

1900–1949

American author and journalist

Margaret Mitchell was an American novelist and journalist best known for writing the novel Gone with the Wind.

Robert Bunsen

1811–1899

German chemist

Robert Bunsen was a German chemist who developed laboratory equipment and conducted research in spectroscopy.

Babe Ruth

1895–1948

American baseball player

Babe Ruth was an American baseball player who played for the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.

Irving Langmuir

1881–1957

American chemist and physicist

Irving Langmuir was a chemist and physicist who conducted research on surface chemistry and atmospheric science.

Peter Fonda

1940–2019

American actor and filmmaker

Peter Fonda was an American actor and filmmaker known for his contributions to cinema.

Selman Abraham Waksman

1888–1973

American scientist, biochemist, microbiologist who discovered Streptomycin and many antibiotics

Selman Abraham Waksman was a microbiologist who discovered Streptomycin and numerous other antibiotics.

Bela Lugosi

1882–1956

Hungarian-American actor

Bela Lugosi was a Hungarian-American actor known for his performances in film and on stage.

Alfredo Stroessner

1912–2006

military dictator of Paraguay from 1954 to 1989

Alfredo Stroessner was a military dictator who served as the head of state of Paraguay.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

1948–1997

Pakistani musician, primarily a singer of qawwali

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (1948–1997), Pakistani musician, primarily a singer of qawwali (1948-1997).

João Havelange

1916–2016

Brazilian businessman and athlete

João Havelange was a Brazilian athlete who served as the president of FIFA.

Jean-Martin Charcot

1825–1893

French neurologist

Jean-Martin Charcot was a neurologist who conducted foundational research on nervous system disorders and clinical neurology.

John Pemberton

1831–1888

American pharmacist, inventor of Coca-Cola

John Pemberton was a pharmacist who invented the soft drink Coca-Cola.

José Maria de Eça de Queirós

1845–1900

Portuguese writer and diplomat

José Maria de Eça de Queirós was a Portuguese writer and diplomat who authored numerous novels.

Umberto Boccioni

1882–1916

Italian painter and sculptor

Umberto Boccioni was an Italian painter and sculptor who helped shape the aesthetic of the futurist movement.

Peter I of Serbia

1844–1921

Serbian noble (1844–1921); King of Serbia from 1903 to 1918

Peter I of Serbia was the King of Serbia who served as a military officer.

Masanobu Fukuoka

1913–2008

Japanese farmer and philosopher

Masanobu Fukuoka was a farmer and philosopher who developed the natural farming method of agriculture.

Johann Martin Schleyer

1831–1912

German Catholic priest

Johann Martin Schleyer was a Catholic priest who invented the constructed language Volapük.

Renata Scotto

1933–2023

Italian soprano, opera director

Renata Scotto was an Italian soprano and opera director who performed in major international opera houses.

Norman Lockyer

1836–1920

English scientist and astronomer

Astronomer Norman Lockyer was a scientist who conducted research in the field of astrophysics.

Louis Jouvet

1887–1951

French actor

Louis Jouvet was a French actor and theatre director who worked extensively in both film and stage productions.

Andrei Mironov

1941–1987

Soviet theatre and film actor, singer

Andrei Mironov was a Soviet actor and singer who performed in numerous theatre productions and films.

Frère Roger

1915–2005

Swiss monk

Frère Roger was a Swiss monk who founded the Taizé Community.

Source: Wikidata, released into the public domain under CC0. Snapshot: 2026-07. Names, dates and roles come from Wikidata; summaries are condensed from it. Nothing here is generated to fill a gap.