601 (DCI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar, the 601st year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 601st year of the 1st millennium, the 1st year of the 7th century, and the 2nd year of the 600s decade. As of the start of 601, the Gregorian calendar was 3 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which was the dominant calendar of the time.

• Peter (Byzantine General) wins the battle against the Eurasian Avars
• Liuva II replaces his brother Reccared as King of the Visigoths.
• The Qieyun, a Chinese character rhyme dictionary, is published
• The future Archbishops of Canterbury, Mellitus, Justus, and Honorius, and the future Archbishop of York Paulinus, are sent to England by Pope Gregory I to help Augustine in his missionary work.

• Sigebert II of Austrasia and Burgundy
• Hongren, a Zen Buddhist patriarch of the Chinese Tang Dynasty (d. 674)
• Ma Zhou, Chinese chancellor of the Tang Dynasty (d. 648)
• Empress Zhangsun

• Saint David, Patron Saint of Wales
• Reccared, King of the Visigoths