Born in 1983
Turns 43 in 2026
Gifts for someone born in 1983
1983 Front PageTheir name. The news from their year.Unframed from $51.50Add their name
Their birth chartThe sky as astrology reads it, cast for one birth.Unframed from $51.50
The Years We Were BornThe whole family, together in years.Unframed from $51.50
Our Story timelineTheir life, told in your words.Unframed from $51.50
Front Page: New Zealand edition. The year is filled in; add their name in the editor. “Your name” is a placeholder. Light news is selected. A new keepsake, not an original newspaper.
BACK TO 1983 · New Zealand
A little history to go with their gift.
ARPANET’s shift to TCP/IP helped shape the modern internet, Nintendo launched its Family Computer in Japan, and Return of the Jedi concluded the original Star Wars trilogy. The year connected a foundational network change with home gaming and a major cinema finale.
What happened in 1983?
Guion Bluford becomes the first African American in space
Guion Bluford became the first African American to travel into space when Challenger launched on STS-8 on August 30, 1983.
Sally Ride becomes the first American woman in space
Sally Ride launched aboard Challenger on June 18, 1983, becoming the first American woman in space.
McEnroe wins Wimbledon without losing a set
John McEnroe swept Chris Lewis 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 on July 3, 1983, to win his second Wimbledon title.
Feyenoord met Spurs under European lights
The tie captured the expanding European football culture in which domestic clubs represented cities, supporters, and national leagues abroad.
Firsts and new ideas
New Order tops New Zealand’s 1983 singles chart
“Blue Monday” by New Order ranked first on New Zealand’s 1983 End of Year Top 50 Singles chart.
The internet adopted a common protocol family
ARPANET adopted TCP/IP as its standard protocol suite on 1 January 1983, a key step toward the modern internet.
Internet Society; Barry M. Leiner, Vinton G. Cerf, David D. Clark, et al. · Internet Engineering Task Force, RFC Editor; Jon Postel
Number ones and music in 1983
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
D.D. Smash reaches New Zealand year-end top ten
“Outlook For Thursday” by D.D. Smash ranked tenth on New Zealand’s 1983 End of Year Top 50 Singles chart.
Dave and the Dynamos place 12th in New Zealand
“Life Begins At 40” by Dave and the Dynamos ranked twelfth on New Zealand’s 1983 End of Year Top 50 Singles chart.
Prices and everyday money in 1983
New Zealand figures in the money of the time. Units and sources matter: these are not today's prices.
| Item or measure | Then | Unit and source |
|---|---|---|
| Cinema (adult avg.) | $3.27 | one admission Statistics New Zealand |
| Average ordinary time hourly earnings, males | $8.04 | NZ dollars per hour New Zealand Royal Commission on Social Policy; archived by National Library of New Zealand, Papers Past |
| Standard domestic letter postage | $0.24 | one standard domestic letter The Kiwi, New Zealand Society of Great Britain |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 1983 turns 43 in 2026. Before their birthday they are one year younger. Choose the birth year for the print; add the full date in the editor if you know it.
See milestone birthdays this year