A–Z of Historical Figures

#

• Āpirana Ngata New Zealand · 1874–1950
• Édith Piaf France · 1915–1963

A

• Abai Qunanbaiuly Kazakhstan · 1845–1904
• Abdullah I of Jordan Jordan · 1882–1951
• Abebe Bikila Ethiopia · 1932–1973
• Abraham Lincoln United States · 1809–1865
• Ada Lovelace United Kingdom · 1815–1852
• Adolf Hitler Germany · 1889–1945
• Ahmed Sékou Touré Guinea · 1922–1984
• Akbar India · 1542–1605
• Akhenaten Egypt · c. 1353–1336 BCE
• Al Capone United States · 1899–1947
• Al-Khwarizmi Iraq · c. 780–c. 850
• Alan Shepard United States · 1923–1998
• Alan Turing United Kingdom · 1912–1954
• Albert Einstein Germany · 1879–1955
• Albert Luthuli South Africa · c. 1898–1967
• Alexander Graham Bell United Kingdom · 1847–1922
• Alexander the Great Greece · 356–323 BCE
• Alexandre Petion Haiti · 1770–1818
• Alfred Nobel Sweden · 1833–1896
• Alija Izetbegović Bosnia and Herzegovina · 1925–2003
• Amina of Zazzau Nigeria · traditionally c. 1533–1610
• Andranik Armenia · 1865–1927
• Andrés Bello Venezuela · 1781–1865
• Andrés Bonifacio Philippines · 1863–1897
• Andrés Segovia Spain · 1893–1987
• Andrew Jackson United States · 1767–1845
• Ang Duong Cambodia · 1796–1860
• Anna Pavlova Russia · 1881–1931
• Anne Frank Netherlands · 1929–1945
• Antanas Smetona Lithuania · 1874–1944
• Antoni Gaudí Spain · 1852–1926
• Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Netherlands · 1632–1723
• Antonio Guzman Blanco Venezuela · 1829–1899
• Antonio Maceo Cuba · 1845–1896
• Anwar Sadat Egypt · 1918–1981
• Archimedes Italy · c. 287–212 BCE
• Aretha Franklin United States · 1942–2018
• Ariel Sharon Israel · 1928–2014
• Aristide Briand France · 1862–1932
• Aristotle Greece · 384–322 BCE
• Ashoka India · c. 304–232 BCE
• Askar Akayev Kyrgyzstan · born 1944
• Askia Muhammad I Mali · c. 1443–1538
• Attila the Hun Hungary · c. 406–453
• Augusto César Sandino Nicaragua · 1895–1934
• Augusto Pinochet Chile · 1915–2006
• Augustus Italy · 63 BCE–14 CE
• Aung San Myanmar · 1915–1947
• Aung San Suu Kyi Myanmar · born 1945
• Ayrton Senna Brazil · 1960–1994

B

• Babe Didrikson Zaharias United States · 1911–1956
• Babe Ruth United States · 1895–1948
• Bảo Đại Vietnam · 1913–1997
• Barack Obama United States · born 1961
• Barbara McClintock United States · 1902–1992
• Bashar al-Assad Syria · born 1965
• Baybars Egypt · c. 1223/1228–1277
• Behanzin Benin · c. 1844–1906
• Benazir Bhutto Pakistan · 1953–2007
• Benito Juárez Mexico · 1806–1872
• Benito Mussolini Italy · 1883–1945
• Benjamin Franklin United States · 1706–1790
• Benjamin Netanyahu Israel · born 1949
• Bernardo de Gálvez Spain · 1746–1786
• Bernardo O'Higgins Chile · 1778–1842
• Bhumibol Adulyadej Thailand · 1927–2016
• Bill Clinton United States · born 1946
• Billy the Kid United States · 1859–1881
• Blackbeard United Kingdom · c. 1680–1718
• Blaise Pascal France · 1623–1662
• Bob Dylan United States · born 1941
• Bob Marley Jamaica · 1945–1981
• Bonnie and Clyde United States · 1932–1934 (active period)
• Boris III of Bulgaria Bulgaria · 1894–1943

C

• Caravaggio Italy · 1571–1610
• Carl Benz Germany · 1844–1929
• Carl Friedrich Gauss Germany · 1777–1855
• Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Finland · 1867–1951
• Carl Jung Switzerland · 1875–1961
• Carlos Andres Perez Venezuela · 1922–2010
• Carlos Gardel Argentina · 1890–1935
• Casimir III the Great Poland · 1310–1370
• Catherine the Great Russia · 1729–1796
• Celia Cruz Cuba · 1925–2003
• Cesare Borgia Italy · 1475–1507
• Chaim Weizmann Israel · 1874–1952
• Chandragupta Maurya India · c. 340–295 BCE
• Charlemagne France · 747–814
• Charles Babbage United Kingdom · 1791–1871
• Charles Darwin United Kingdom · 1809–1882
• Che Guevara Argentina · 1928–1967
• Chien-Shiung Wu China · 1912–1997
• Chinua Achebe Nigeria · 1930–2013
• Christa McAuliffe United States · 1948–1986
• Christopher Columbus Italy · 1451–1506
• Chulalongkorn Thailand · 1853–1910
• Cipriano Castro Venezuela · 1858–1924
• Claude Monet France · 1840–1926
• Claus von Stauffenberg Germany · 1907–1944
• Cleopatra VII Egypt · 69–30 BCE
• Coco Chanel France · 1883–1971
• Confucius China · c. 551–c. 479 BCE
• Constantine the Great Turkey · c. 272–337 CE
• Corazon Aquino Philippines · 1933–2009
• Corrie ten Boom Netherlands · 1892–1983
• Cosimo de' Medici Italy · 1389–1464
• Crazy Horse United States · c. 1840–1877
• Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal · born 1985
• Cyrus the Great Iran · c. 600–530 BCE

D

• D. S. Senanayake Sri Lanka · 1884–1952
• Dag Hammarskjöld Sweden · 1905–1961
• Daniel Ortega Nicaragua · 1945–
• Darius the Great Iran · 550–486 BCE
• David Beckham United Kingdom · born 1975
• David Ben-Gurion Israel · 1886–1973
• David Bowie United Kingdom · 1947–2016
• Desmond Tutu South Africa · 1931–2021
• Diego Maradona Argentina · 1960–2020
• Diego Portales Chile · 1793–1837
• Diego Rivera Mexico · 1886–1957
• Diego Velazquez Spain · 1599–1660
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer Germany · 1906–1945
• Diosdado Macapagal Philippines · 1910–1997
• Dmitri Mendeleev Russia · 1834–1907
• Dolores Huerta United States · 1930–
• Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Argentina · 1811–1888
• Don Bradman Australia · 1908–2001
• Donatello Italy · c. 1386–1466
• Dorothy Hodgkin United Kingdom · 1910–1994
• Duke Ellington United States · 1899–1974
• Dwight D. Eisenhower United States · 1890–1969

E

• Eddie Mabo Australia · 1936–1992
• Edmund Barton Australia · 1849–1920
• Eduard Shevardnadze Georgia · 1928–2014
• Ehud Barak Israel · born 1942
• Eileen Collins United States · 1956–
• El Greco Spain · 1541–1614
• Elie Wiesel Romania · 1928–2016
• Elijah McCoy Canada · 1844–1929
• Elisha Otis United States · 1811–1861
• Elizabeth I United Kingdom · 1533–1603
• Elizabeth II United Kingdom · 1926–2022
• Ella Fitzgerald United States · 1917–1996
• Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Liberia · born 1938
• Ellen Ochoa United States · 1958–
• Eloy Alfaro Ecuador · 1842–1912
• Elvis Presley United States · 1935–1977
• Emil Zátopek Czech Republic · 1922–2000
• Emiliano Zapata Mexico · 1879–1919
• Emilio Aguinaldo Philippines · 1869–1964
• Emmeline Pankhurst United Kingdom · 1858–1928
• Emmy Noether Germany · 1882–1935
• Emperor Meiji Japan · 1852–1912
• Enrico Fermi Italy · 1901–1954
• Enver Hoxha Albania · 1908–1985
• Ernest Rutherford New Zealand · 1871–1937
• Erwin Schrödinger Austria · 1887–1961
• Euclid Greece · fl. c. 300 BCE
• Eva Perón Argentina · 1919–1952

F

• F. W. de Klerk South Africa · 1936–2021
• Fabre Geffrard Haiti · 1806–1878
• Fela Kuti Nigeria · 1938–1997
• Ferdinand Magellan Portugal · 1480–1521
• Ferdinand Marcos Philippines · 1917–1989
• Fidel Castro Cuba · 1926–2016
• Filippo Brunelleschi Italy · 1377–1446
• Frances Perkins United States · 1880–1965
• Francisco Franco Spain · 1892–1975
• Francisco Goya Spain · 1746–1828
• Francisco Morazán Honduras · 1792–1842
• Francois Duvalier Haiti · 1907–1971
• Franjo Tuđman Croatia · 1922–1999
• Frank Lloyd Wright United States · 1867–1959
• Franklin D. Roosevelt United States · 1882–1945
• Freddie Mercury United Kingdom · 1946–1991
• Frédéric Chopin Poland · 1810–1849
• Frederick the Great Germany · 1712–1786
• Frida Kahlo Mexico · 1907–1954
• Fridtjof Nansen Norway · 1861–1930
• Friedrich Nietzsche Germany · 1844–1900

G

• Gabriel García Márquez Colombia · 1927–2014
• Galileo Galilei Italy · 1564–1642
• Gamal Abdel Nasser Egypt · 1918–1970
• Garegin Nzhdeh Armenia · 1886–1955
• Garrett Morgan United States · 1877–1963
• Genghis Khan Mongolia · c. 1162–1227
• Georg Cantor Germany · 1845–1918
• George Best United Kingdom · 1946–2005
• George Washington United States · 1732–1799
• George Washington Carver United States · c. 1864–1943
• Georgi Dimitrov Bulgaria · 1882–1949
• Geronimo United States · 1829–1909
• Getúlio Vargas Brazil · 1882–1954
• Girolamo Savonarola Italy · 1452–1498
• Giuseppe Verdi Italy · 1813–1901
• Golda Meir Israel · 1898–1978
• Gough Whitlam Australia · 1916–2014
• Grace Hopper United States · 1906–1992
• Grace O'Malley Ireland · c. 1530–c. 1603
• Gregor Mendel Austria · 1822–1884
• Grey Owl Canada · 1888–1938
• Guglielmo Marconi Italy · 1874–1937
• Gustav Vasa Sweden · 1496–1560
• Gustave Eiffel France · 1832–1923

H

• Habib Bourguiba Tunisia · 1903–2000
• Hafez al-Assad Syria · 1930–2000
• Haile Selassie Ethiopia · 1892–1975
• Hammurabi Iraq · c. 1810–1750 BCE
• Hannibal Tunisia · 247–183/181 BCE
• Harald Fairhair Norway · legendary, reigned c. 872–930
• Harriet Tubman United States · c. 1822–1913
• Harry S. Truman United States · 1884–1972
• Hassan II of Morocco Morocco · 1929–1999
• Hatshepsut Egypt · c. 1507–1458 BCE
• Hedy Lamarr Austria · 1914–2000
• Henri Christophe Haiti · 1767–1820
• Henry Ford United States · 1863–1947
• Henry VIII United Kingdom · 1491–1547
• Herodotus Turkey · c. 484–c. 425 BCE
• Heydar Aliyev Azerbaijan · 1923–2003
• Hirohito Japan · 1901–1989
• Ho Chi Minh Vietnam · 1890–1969
• Homer Greece · c. 8th century BCE
• Hōne Heke New Zealand · c. 1807/1808–1850
• Hugo Chávez Venezuela · 1954–2013
• Hussein of Jordan Jordan · 1935–1999

I

• Ibn Battuta Morocco · 1304–1368/1369
• Ibn Khaldun Tunisia · 1332–1406
• Ibn Saud Saudi Arabia · 1876–1953
• Idi Amin Uganda · c. 1925–2003
• Ilia Chavchavadze Georgia · 1837–1907
• Immanuel Kant Germany · 1724–1804
• Indira Gandhi India · 1917–1984
• Isaac Newton United Kingdom · 1642–1727
• Isabel Allende Chile · born 1942
• Isambard Kingdom Brunel United Kingdom · 1806–1859
• Islam Karimov Uzbekistan · 1938–2016
• Ismail Qemali Albania · 1844–1919

J

• J. Robert Oppenheimer United States · 1904–1967
• Jackie Robinson United States · 1919–1972
• James Clerk Maxwell United Kingdom · 1831–1879
• James Cook United Kingdom · 1728–1779
• James Madison United States · 1751–1836
• James Watt United Kingdom · 1736–1819
• Jan van Eyck Belgium · c. 1390–1441
• Jane Austen United Kingdom · 1775–1817
• Jane Goodall United Kingdom · 1934–2025
• Jawaharlal Nehru India · 1889–1964
• Jean-Bertrand Aristide Haiti · 1953–
• Jean-Claude Duvalier Haiti · 1951–2014
• Jean-Jacques Dessalines Haiti · 1758–1806
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau Switzerland · 1712–1778
• Jesse James United States · 1847–1882
• Jesse Owens United States · 1913–1980
• Jim Thorpe United States · 1887–1953
• Jimi Hendrix United States · 1942–1970
• Joan of Arc France · 1412–1431
• Joaquin Balaguer Dominican Republic · 1906–2002
• Jocelyn Bell Burnell United Kingdom · 1943–
• Johan Cruyff Netherlands · 1947–2016
• Johann Sebastian Bach Germany · 1685–1750
• Johannes Gutenberg Germany · c. 1400–1468
• John A. Macdonald Canada · 1815–1891
• John A. Roebling Germany · 1806–1869
• John Curtin Australia · 1885–1945
• John F. Kennedy United States · 1917–1963
• John III Sobieski Poland · 1629–1696
• John Lennon United Kingdom · 1940–1980
• John Locke United Kingdom · 1632–1704
• Jomo Kenyatta Kenya · c. 1897–1978
• Jorge Luis Borges Argentina · 1899–1986
• José de San Martín Argentina · 1778–1850
• José Figueres Ferrer Costa Rica · 1906–1990
• José Gervasio Artigas Uruguay · 1764–1850
• José Martí Cuba · 1853–1895
• José Rizal Philippines · 1861–1896
• Joseph Stalin Russia · 1878–1953
• Josephine Baker France · 1906–1975
• Josip Broz Tito Serbia · 1892–1980
• Juan Bosch Dominican Republic · 1909–2001
• Juan Perón Argentina · 1895–1974
• Julia Gillard Australia · born 1961
• Julius Caesar Italy · 100–44 BCE
• Julius Nyerere Tanzania · 1922–1999

K

• Kamehameha I United States · c. 1758–1819
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar United States · born 1947
• Kārlis Ulmanis Latvia · 1877–1942
• Kate Sheppard New Zealand · 1848–1934
• Katherine Freese United States · 1957–
• Katherine Johnson United States · 1918–2020
• Kim Dae-jung South Korea · 1924–2009
• Kim Il Sung North Korea · 1912–1994
• Kiri Te Kanawa New Zealand · born 1944
• Konstantin Päts Estonia · 1874–1956
• Kublai Khan China · 1215–1294
• Kurmanjan Datka Kyrgyzstan · 1811–1907
• Kwame Nkrumah Ghana · 1909–1972

L

• Laozi China · traditionally 6th century BCE
• Lázaro Cárdenas Mexico · 1895–1970
• Le Corbusier France · 1887–1965
• Lê Duẩn Vietnam · 1907–1986
• Lech Wałęsa Poland · born 1943
• Lee Kuan Yew Singapore · 1923–2015
• Leonardo da Vinci Italy · 1452–1519
• Leonhard Euler Switzerland · 1707–1783
• Leonidas I Greece · c. 540–480 BCE
• Leopold II of Belgium Belgium · 1835–1909
• Léopold Sédar Senghor Senegal · 1906–2001
• Levi Eshkol Israel · 1895–1969
• Levon Ter-Petrosyan Armenia · born 1945
• Leymah Gbowee Liberia · born 1972
• Liliuokalani United States · 1838–1917
• Lionel Messi Argentina · born 1987
• Lise Meitner Austria · 1878–1968
• Lorenzo de' Medici Italy · 1449–1492
• Louis Armstrong United States · 1901–1971
• Louis Pasteur France · 1822–1895
• Louis XIV France · 1638–1715
• Ludwig van Beethoven Germany · 1770–1827

M

• Mae Jemison United States · born 1956
• Mahatma Gandhi India · 1869–1948
• Malala Yousafzai Pakistan · born 1997
• Malcolm X United States · 1925–1965
• Mansa Musa Mali · c. 1280–c. 1337
• Manuel L. Quezon Philippines · 1878–1944
• Manuel Noriega Panama · 1934–2017
• Marco Polo Italy · 1254–1324
• Marcos Perez Jimenez Venezuela · 1914–2001
• Marcus Aurelius Italy · 121–180 CE
• Maria Callas Greece · 1923–1977
• Marie Antoinette France · 1755–1793
• Marie Curie Poland · 1867–1934
• Martin Luther King Jr. United States · 1929–1968
• Mary Wollstonecraft United Kingdom · 1759–1797
• Max Planck Germany · 1858–1947
• Megawati Sukarnoputri Indonesia · born 1947
• Menachem Begin Israel · 1913–1992
• Menelik II Ethiopia · 1844–1913
• Michael Collins Ireland · 1890–1922
• Michael Faraday United Kingdom · 1791–1867
• Michael Jackson United States · 1958–2009
• Michael Jordan United States · born 1963
• Michael Joseph Savage New Zealand · 1872–1940
• Michael Phelps United States · born 1985
• Michael Somare Papua New Guinea · 1936–2021
• Michel Martelly Haiti · 1961–
• Michelangelo Italy · 1475–1564
• Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Mexico · 1753–1811
• Miles Davis United States · 1926–1991
• Miriam Makeba South Africa · 1932–2008
• Mobutu Sese Seko DR Congo · 1930–1997
• Mohammad Zahir Shah Afghanistan · 1914–2007
• Mohammed V of Morocco Morocco · 1909–1961
• Moshe Dayan Israel · 1915–1981
• Moshoeshoe I Lesotho · c. 1786–1870
• Muammar Gaddafi Libya · 1942–2011
• Muhammad Ali United States · 1942–2016
• Muhammad Yunus Bangladesh · born 1940
• Mustafa Barzani Iraq · 1903–1979
• Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Turkey · 1881–1938

N

• Nadia Comăneci Romania · born 1961
• Naomi Osaka Japan · born 1997
• Napoleon Bonaparte France · 1769–1821
• Nat Turner United States · 1800–1831
• Nebuchadnezzar II Iraq · c. 634–562 BCE
• Ned Kelly Australia · 1854–1880
• Nefertiti Egypt · c. 1370–c. 1330 BCE
• Neil Armstrong United States · 1930–2012
• Nelson Mandela South Africa · 1918–2013
• Ngô Đình Diệm Vietnam · 1901–1963
• Niccolò Machiavelli Italy · 1469–1527
• Nicholas II Russia · 1868–1918
• Niels Bohr Denmark · 1885–1962
• Nikola Pašić Serbia · 1845–1926
• Nikola Tesla Serbia · 1856–1943
• Nina Simone United States · 1933–2003
• Nnamdi Azikiwe Nigeria · 1904–1996
• Norodom Sihamoni Cambodia · born 1953
• Norodom Sihanouk Cambodia · 1922–2012
• Nur Jahan India · 1577–1645
• Nursultan Nazarbayev Kazakhstan · born 1940
• Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba Angola · c. 1583–1663

O

• Olof Palme Sweden · 1927–1986
• Olusegun Obasanjo Nigeria · born 1937
• Omar Torrijos Panama · 1929–1981
• Oscar Arias Costa Rica · 1940–
• Oscar Wilde Ireland · 1854–1900
• Oskar Schindler Germany · 1908–1974

P

• Pablo Picasso Spain · 1881–1973
• Pancho Villa Mexico · 1878–1923
• Patrice Lumumba DR Congo · 1925–1961
• Pedro I of Brazil Brazil · 1798–1834
• Peggy Whitson United States · 1960–
• Pelé Brazil · 1940–2022
• Pericles Greece · c. 495–429 BCE
• Peter Fraser New Zealand · 1884–1950
• Peter Paul Rubens Belgium · 1577–1640
• Pierre Trudeau Canada · 1919–2000
• Plato Greece · c. 428–347 BCE
• Pol Pot Cambodia · 1925–1998
• Pope Julius II Italy · 1443–1513
• Porfirio Díaz Mexico · 1830–1915
• Pridi Banomyong Thailand · 1900–1983
• Primo Levi Italy · 1919–1987
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Russia · 1840–1893
• Pythagoras Greece · c. 570–c. 495 BCE

Q

• Qin Shi Huang China · 259–210 BCE
• Queen Victoria United Kingdom · 1819–1901

R

• Rafael Caldera Venezuela · 1916–2009
• Rafael Correa Ecuador · born 1963
• Rafael Reyes Colombia · 1849–1921
• Rafael Trujillo Dominican Republic · 1891–1961
• Rafic Hariri Lebanon · 1944–2005
• Rama I Thailand · 1737–1809
• Ramesses II Egypt · c. 1303–1213 BCE
• Ranavalona I Madagascar · 1778–1861
• Rani Lakshmibai India · c. 1828–1858
• Raoul Wallenberg Sweden · 1912–disappeared 1945
• Raphael Italy · 1483–1520
• Ravi Shankar India · 1920–2012
• Rembrandt Netherlands · 1606–1669
• René Descartes France · 1596–1650
• Rene Preval Haiti · 1943–2017
• Reza Shah Iran · 1878–1944
• Riad Al Solh Lebanon · 1894–1951
• Richard Feynman United States · 1918–1988
• Rigoberta Menchú Guatemala · born 1959
• Roald Amundsen Norway · 1872–1928
• Robert Baden-Powell United Kingdom · 1857–1941
• Robert Menzies Australia · 1894–1978
• Robert Mugabe Zimbabwe · 1924–2019
• Robert Sobukwe South Africa · 1924–1978
• Roger Federer Switzerland · born 1981
• Ronald Reagan United States · 1911–2004
• Ronaldinho Brazil · born 1980
• Rosa Parks United States · 1913–2005
• Rosalind Franklin United Kingdom · 1920–1958
• Rosalind Picard United States · 1962–
• Rudolf Diesel Germany · 1858–1913
• Rudolf Nureyev Russia · 1938–1993
• Ruhollah Khomeini Iran · c. 1900–1989
• Rumi Iran · 1207–1273

S

• Sacagawea United States · c. 1788–1812
• Sachin Tendulkar India · born 1973
• Saddam Hussein Iraq · 1937–2006
• Saladin Egypt · c. 1137–1193
• Sally Ride United States · 1951–2012
• Salvador Allende Chile · 1908–1973
• Salvador Dalí Spain · 1904–1989
• Samora Machel Mozambique · 1933–1986
• Samory Toure Guinea · c. 1828–1900
• Samuel Morse United States · 1791–1872
• Sandro Botticelli Italy · 1445–1510
• Sappho Greece · c. 630–c. 570 BCE
• Serena Williams United States · born 1981
• Shaka South Africa · c. 1787–1828
• Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Bangladesh · 1920–1975
• Shimon Peres Israel · 1923–2016
• Shirin Ebadi Iran · born 1947
• Shirley Chisholm United States · 1924–2005
• Shota Rustaveli Georgia · c. 1160–after c. 1220
• Sigmund Freud Austria · 1856–1939
• Simeon II Bulgaria · born 1937
• Simón Bolívar Venezuela · 1783–1830
• Simon Kimbangu DR Congo · 1887–1951
• Simon Wiesenthal Austria · 1908–2005
• Simone Biles United States · born 1997
• Simone de Beauvoir France · 1908–1986
• Sirimavo Bandaranaike Sri Lanka · 1916–2000
• Sitting Bull United States · c. 1831–1890
• Skanderbeg Albania · c. 1405–1468
• Slobodan Milošević Serbia · 1941–2006
• Socrates Greece · c. 470–399 BCE
• Sophie Scholl Germany · 1921–1943
• Srinivasa Ramanujan India · 1887–1920
• Stephen Hawking United Kingdom · 1942–2018
• Stephen the Great Romania · c. 1433–1504
• Steve Biko South Africa · 1946–1977
• Suharto Indonesia · 1921–2008
• Sukarno Indonesia · 1901–1970
• Suleiman the Magnificent Turkey · 1494–1566
• Sun Tzu China · traditionally 6th–5th century BCE
• Sundiata Keita Mali · c. 1217–c. 1255
• Susan B. Anthony United States · 1820–1906
• Svetlana Savitskaya Russia · 1948–

T

• Taksin Thailand · 1734–1782
• Taras Shevchenko Ukraine · 1814–1861
• Te Puea Hērangi New Zealand · 1883–1952
• Tecumseh United States · 1768–1813
• Tewodros II Ethiopia · c. 1818–1868
• Theodor Herzl Israel · 1860–1904
• Theodore Roosevelt United States · 1858–1919
• Thomas Aquinas Italy · c. 1225–1274
• Thomas Edison United States · 1847–1931
• Thomas Jefferson United States · 1743–1826
• Thomas Sankara Burkina Faso · 1949–1987
• Thor Heyerdahl Norway · 1914–2002
• Tiger Woods United States · born 1975
• Tim Berners-Lee United Kingdom · born 1955
• Timur Uzbekistan · 1320s–1405
• Titian Italy · c. 1488–1576
• Todor Zhivkov Bulgaria · 1911–1998
• Tokugawa Ieyasu Japan · 1543–1616
• Tomáš Masaryk Czech Republic · 1850–1937
• Toni Morrison United States · 1931–2019
• Toumani Diabaté Mali · 1965–2024
• Toussaint Louverture Haiti · 1744–1803
• Tunku Abdul Rahman Malaysia · 1903–1990
• Túpac Amaru II Peru · died 1781
• Tutankhamun Egypt · c. 1341–1323 BCE

U

• Ulysses S. Grant United States · 1822–1885
• Umm Kulthum Egypt · 1904–1975
• Urho Kekkonen Finland · 1900–1986
• Usain Bolt Jamaica · born 1986

V

• Václav Havel Czech Republic · 1936–2011
• Valentina Tereshkova Russia · 1937–
• Vasco da Gama Portugal · c. 1460s–1524
• Vasil Levski Bulgaria · 1837–1873
• Vera Rubin United States · 1928–2016
• Viktor Frankl Austria · 1905–1997
• Vincent van Gogh Netherlands · 1853–1890
• Violeta Chamorro Nicaragua · 1929–
• Virginia Woolf United Kingdom · 1882–1941
• Vivien Thomas United States · 1910–1985
• Vlad the Impaler Romania · c. 1431–1476/77
• Vladimir Lenin Russia · 1870–1924
• Võ Nguyên Giáp Vietnam · 1911–2013
• Voltaire France · 1694–1778

W

• Wangari Maathai Kenya · 1940–2011
• Wayne Gretzky Canada · born 1961
• Werner Heisenberg Germany · 1901–1976
• Whina Cooper New Zealand · 1895–1994
• Wilhelm Röntgen Germany · 1845–1923
• William Shakespeare United Kingdom · 1564–1616
• Wilma Mankiller United States · 1945–2010
• Wilma Rudolph United States · 1940–1994
• Wilt Chamberlain United States · 1936–1999
• Winston Churchill United Kingdom · 1874–1965
• Wole Soyinka Nigeria · born 1934
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Austria · 1756–1791
• Wolfgang Pauli Austria · 1900–1958
• Woodrow Wilson United States · 1856–1924
• Wright Brothers United States · 1871–1948 (Orville); 1867–1912 (Wilbur)
• Wu Zetian China · 624–705

X

• Xerxes I Iran · c. 518–465 BCE

Y

• Yaa Asantewaa Ghana · c. 1840–1921
• Yasser Arafat Palestine · 1929–2004
• Yi Sun-sin South Korea · 1545–1598
• Yitzhak Rabin Israel · 1922–1995
• Youssou N'Dour Senegal · born 1959
• Yuri Gagarin Russia · 1934–1968

Z

• Zaha Hadid United Kingdom · 1950–2016
• Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan United Arab Emirates · 1918–2004
• Zheng He China · 1371–1433/1435
• Zinedine Zidane France · born 1972
• Zog I Albania · 1895–1961