- Dec 2 Danijel Pranjić, Croatian soccer wingback (58 caps; SC Heerenveen), born in Našice, Croatia
- Dec 3 David Villa, Spanish soccer striker (98 caps; Valencia, Barcelona), born in Langreo, Spain
- Dec 3 Edwin Valero, Venezuelan boxer (undefeated world champion WBA super featherweight 2006-08; WBC lightweight 2009-10), born in Bolero Alto, Mérida, Venezuela (d. 2010)
- Dec 3 Ioannis Amanatidis, Greek soccer forward and coach (35 caps; Eintracht Frankfurt), born in Kozani, Greece
- Dec 8 Jeremy Accardo, American baseball player, born in Phoenix, Arizona
- Dec 8 Philip Rivers, American NFL quarterback (San Diego, LA Chargers), born in Decatur, Alabama
- Dec 9 Mardy Fish, American tennis player, born in Edina, Minnesota
- Dec 10 Fábio Rochemback, Brazilian footballer
- Dec 10 Ryan Pini, Papua New Guinea swimmer
- Dec 11 Javier Saviola, Argentine footballer, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Dec 12 Jeret Peterson, American aerial skier (Olympic silver 2010), born in Boise, Idaho
- Dec 12 Pedro Ríos, Spanish footballer, born in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
- Dec 12 Shane Costa, American baseball player, born in Visalia, California
- Dec 12 Stephen Warnock, English footballer, born in Ormskirk, England
- Dec 12 Yuvraj Singh, Indian cricket batsman (40 Tests, 3 x 100, HS 169; 304 ODIs, 14 x 100; Tournament Team ICC World Cup 2011), born in Chandigarh, India
- Dec 14 Emilie Heymans, Canadian diver, born in Brussels, Belgium
- Dec 14 Liam Lawrence, English footballer, born in Retford, England
- Dec 14 Shaun Marcum, American baseball player, born in Kansas City, Missouri
- Dec 15 Roman Pavlyuchenko, Russian soccer striker (51 caps; Spartak Moscow, Tottenham Hotspur, Lokomotiv Moscow), born in Mostovskoy, Russia
- Dec 16 Gareth Williams, Scottish footballer
- Dec 17 Emma Laaksonen, ice hockey defenseman (Finland, Olympics 1998)
- Dec 20 James Shields, American baseball player, born in Santa Clarita, California
- Dec 20 Roy Williams, American football player (Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys), born in Odessa, Texas
- Dec 21 Cristian Zaccardo, Italian football player, born in Formigine, Italy
- Dec 21 Sajid Mahmood, English cricket fast bowler (8 Tests, 20 wickets; Lancashire, WA, Essex), born in Bolton, England
- Dec 23 Yuriorkis Gamboa, Cuban boxer, born in Guantánamo, Cuba
- Dec 24 Justice Christopher, Nigerian soccer midfielder (11 caps; Antwerp FC, Trelleborg FF, Herfølge Boldklub), born in Jos, Nigeria (d. 2022)
- Dec 25 Meena Lee, South Korean golfer (Canadian Open 2005), born in Jeonju, South Korea
- Dec 28 Khalid Boulahrouz, Dutch soccer defender (35 caps; RKC Waalwijk, Hamburger SV, Chelsea, VfB Stuttgart), born in Maassluis, Netherlands
- Dec 28 Mika Väyrynen, Finnish football player, born in Eskilstuna, Sweden
- Dec 30 Ali Al Habsi, Omani footballer
- Dec 30 Matt Ulrich, American football player
- Dec 30 Michael Rodríguez, Costa Rican footballer
- Dec 31 Jason Campbell, American football quarterback (Auburn University: Music City Bowl MVP 2003, Sugar Bowl MVP 2005; Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders), born in Laurel, Mississippi
- Dec 31 Matthew Pavlich, Australian Football HOF utility (6 × All-Australian; 6 × Doig Medallist, 353 games, 700 goals Fremantle FC) and broadcaster (Fox Sports), born in Adelaide, Australia
About December 1981
How Old? 42 years old
Generation: Millennial
Leap Year: No
Chinese Zodiac: Rooster
Star Signs: Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21), Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19)
Baseball Players
Basketball Stars
Boxers
Footballers
NFL Stars
Tennis Champions