- May 2 Frederic Cliffe, English composer, born in Bradford, Yorkshire (d. 1931)
- May 9 Luigi Illica, Italian poet and opera librettist (Giacomo Puccini's "La bohème", "Tosca", and "Madama Butterfly"; Umberto Giordano's "Andrea Chénier"), born in Castell'Arquato, Duchy of Parma and Piacenza (now Italy) (d. 1919)
- May 16 Juan Morel Campos, Puerto Rican composer (Danza), born in Ponce, Puerto Rico (d. 1896)
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