Born in 1986
Turns 40 in 2026 · 40th birthday gifts
40th birthday gifts for someone born in 1986
1986 Front PageTheir name. The news from their year.Unframed from £21.50Add their name
Their birth chartThe sky as astrology reads it, cast for one birth.Unframed from £21.50
The Years We Were BornThe whole family, together in years.Unframed from £21.50
Our Story timelineTheir life, told in your words.Unframed from £21.50
Front Page: United Kingdom 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 1986 · United Kingdom
A little history to go with their gift.
Top Gun opened in US theatres, the Commonwealth Games came to Edinburgh, and a Woods Hole team filmed the Titanic wreck. These records connect blockbuster cinema, a major UK-hosted sporting event and deep-sea exploration in 1986.
What happened in 1986?
Top Gun takes off in U.S. theaters
The 1986 action drama Top Gun opened widely in U.S. theaters on May 16, 1986.
American Film Institute Catalog of Feature Films · The Numbers
Edinburgh hosts the Commonwealth Games
Athletes from across the Commonwealth gathered in Edinburgh for the 1986 Games, a major multi-sport competition.
Oprah's show reaches a national audience
The Oprah Winfrey Show began broadcasting nationally from Chicago on September 8, 1986.
Argentina lift the World Cup in Mexico
Argentina won the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, defeating West Germany 3–2 in the final after Diego Maradona had inspired the team through the tournament.
FIFA · Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation; Karel Stokkermans and Sergio Henrique Jarreta
Firsts and new ideas
Mir begins its orbital life
The Soviet Union launched Mir's first module in 1986, beginning construction of a modular space station.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration · Air & Space Magazine, Smithsonian Institution; Mark Garcia
Brain virus reaches IBM compatible computers
The Brain virus appeared in 1986, targeting IBM PC compatible computers and their floppy disks.
Centre for Computing History · Engineering and Technology History Wiki
Number ones and music in 1986
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
Lady Gaga is born in New York
Stefani Germanotta, later known as Lady Gaga, was born in New York City on March 28, 1986.
Madonna makes Papa Don't Preach a public argument
Madonna released the single in the United States on June 11, 1986, pairing pop music with a video about a pregnant teenager.
Prices and everyday money in 1986
United Kingdom figures in the money of the time. Units and sources matter: these are not today's prices.
| Item or measure | Then | Unit and source |
|---|---|---|
| Average weekly earnings per person in the United Kingdom (Bank of England series) | £142.30 per week | GBP per week Bank of England (series republished by Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED) |
| sugar (annual average) | 47p | perkg source-table measure Office for National Statistics |
| flour (annual average) | 46p | per1.5kg source-table measure Office for National Statistics |
| bread (annual average) | 43p | 800g source-table loaf Office for National Statistics |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 1986 turns 40 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.
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