January 8
Updated November 6, 2026 · Edited by the JanuaryCalendar.com team
January 8 is the birthday of Elvis Presley, David Bowie and Stephen Hawking. It also marks George Washington's first State of the Union address in 1790, Andrew Jackson's victory at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 and Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points speech in 1918.
January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. 357 days remain in the year (358 in leap years). In 2027, January 8 falls on a Friday.
- Day of year
- 8
- Days left
- 357 (358 in leap years)
- Zodiac sign
- Capricorn ♑︎
- Birthstone
- Garnet
- ISO week (2027)
- Week 1
- Weekday (2027)
- Friday
Holidays and observances on January 8
- Cultural Elvis Presley's birthday (US) — Fans mark it each year at Graceland, his home in Memphis, Tennessee.
- Unofficial National Bubble Bath Day (US) — An informal day for a relaxing soak.
- Astronomy Full moon (Wolf Moon) on January 8 in 2031 (Eastern Time)
Events on January 8 in history
- 1297 – François Grimaldi, disguised as a monk, seized the fortress of Monaco, founding his family's long rule there.
- 1790 – George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address, in New York City.
- 1815 – Andrew Jackson's forces defeated a British attack at the Battle of New Orleans, the last major battle of the War of 1812.
- 1889 – Herman Hollerith received a US patent for his punched-card tabulating system, later used for the 1890 census.
- 1912 – The South African Native National Congress, later renamed the African National Congress, was founded in Bloemfontein.
- 1918 – President Woodrow Wilson outlined his Fourteen Points for peace in a speech to Congress.
- 1940 – Britain introduced food rationing during World War II, starting with bacon, butter and sugar.
- 1959 – Charles de Gaulle became the first president of France's Fifth Republic.
- 1994 – Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov launched to the Mir space station, beginning a record 437-day stay in space.
- 2004 – Queen Elizabeth II christened the Queen Mary 2, then the largest ocean liner ever built.
Famous birthdays on January 8
- 1823 – Alfred Russel Wallace, British naturalist, co-discoverer of natural selection
- 1824 – Wilkie Collins, English author of The Moonstone
- 1902 – Carl Rogers, American founder of person-centered therapy
- 1912 – José Ferrer, Puerto Rican-born Oscar-winning actor
- 1935 – Elvis Presley, American rock and roll singer and actor
- 1937 – Shirley Bassey, Welsh singer of three James Bond themes
- 1941 – Graham Chapman, English comedian with Monty Python
- 1942 – Stephen Hawking, English theoretical physicist and author
- 1942 – Junichiro Koizumi, Prime minister of Japan, 2001–2006
- 1947 – David Bowie, English singer-songwriter and actor
What day is January 8?
Frequently asked questions
Which famous people were born on January 8?
Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1935, and David Bowie in London in 1947. Physicist Stephen Hawking was born in Oxford in 1942, 300 years to the day after Galileo's death.
Why was the Battle of New Orleans fought after the peace treaty?
Britain and the US signed the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814, but news had not reached America when Andrew Jackson's forces defeated the British at New Orleans on January 8, 1815. The war formally ended when the treaty was ratified in February 1815.
When was the first State of the Union address?
George Washington delivered the first annual message to Congress on January 8, 1790, in New York City, which was then the national capital.
What day of the week is January 8, 2027?
January 8, 2027 is a Friday. In 2028 it falls on a Saturday.
What zodiac sign is January 8?
People born on January 8 are Capricorns (December 22 – January 19) in Western astrology.