Born in 1988
Turns 38 in 2026
Gifts for someone born in 1988
1988 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 1988 · United Kingdom
A little history to go with their gift.
Rain Man opened in New York and Los Angeles, Tracy Chapman released “Fast Car,” and Steve Jobs introduced the NeXT Computer. These records bring together film, songwriting and personal-computing design in a year of distinctive cultural and technical milestones.
What happened in 1988?
Rain Man opens in U.S. theaters
AFI lists Rain Man opening in Los Angeles and New York on December 16, 1988. The story follows Charlie Babbitt as he travels with Raymond, the brother he has only just met.
Jobs unveils the NeXT Computer
Steve Jobs introduced the NeXT Computer in October 1988.
U.S. athletes win 94 medals in Seoul
The United States won 94 medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, including 36 gold medals. The United States was not second in the gold-medal count.
Discovery returns the shuttle fleet to flight
Discovery launched on September 29, 1988, on STS-26, the first shuttle mission since the 1986 Challenger accident. The five-person crew returned safely on October 3 after four days in orbit.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration · U.S. Government Publishing Office
Firsts and new ideas
Roseanne premieres on ABC
Roseanne premiered on ABC on October 18, 1988, with the pilot episode “Life and Stuff.” The sitcom followed a working-class family in fictional Lanford, Illinois, and TV Guide dates the first episode.
TAT-8 links Europe and North America with fibre
TAT-8 entered service in 1988 as the first transatlantic fibre-optic cable, linking the United States, Britain and France with much greater capacity.
Number ones and music in 1988
Chart positions belong to the country and chart named in each record.
Adele is born in Tottenham, London
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born on May 5, 1988, in Tottenham, London, years before her songs reached listeners around the world.
Rihanna is born in Barbados
Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born on February 20, 1988, in Saint Michael, Barbados, before becoming known worldwide as Rihanna.
Prices and everyday money in 1988
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) | £167.70 per week | GBP per week Bank of England (series republished by Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED) |
| sugar (annual average) | 53p | perkg source-table measure Office for National Statistics |
| flour (annual average) | 52p | per1.5kg source-table measure Office for National Statistics |
| bread (annual average) | 46p | 800g source-table loaf Office for National Statistics |
Planning the birthday
Someone born in 1988 turns 38 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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