List of Famous people born in December

Sir William Watson Cheyne, 1st Baronet, was a Scottish surgeon and bacteriologist, who pioneered the use of antiseptic surgical methods in the United Kingdom.

Tarja Kaarina Halonen is a Finnish politician who served as the 11th President of Finland, and the first woman to hold the position, from 2000 to 2012. She first rose to prominence as a lawyer with the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), and as the Prime Minister's parliamentary secretary (1974–1975) and a member of the City Council of Helsinki (1977–1996). Halonen was a Social Democratic Party member of parliament from 1979 until her election to the presidency in 2000. She also served as a minister at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health from 1987 to 1990, as Minister of Justice from 1990 to 1991, and as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 2000.

Reginald Horace Blyth was an English author and devotee of Japanese culture. He is most famous for his writings on Zen and on haiku poetry.

Sir John Hamilton-Dalrymple, 5th Baronet was a Scottish politician and the MP for Haddington Burghs between 1805 and 1806. He was the second son of Sir Hew Dalrymple, 3rd Baronet, and the younger brother of Sir Hew Dalrymple-Hamilton, 4th Baronet.

Jean de Brunhoff was a French writer and illustrator remembered best for creating the Babar series of children's books concerning a fictional elephant, the first of which was published in 1931.