List of people from Baltimore

This is a list of famous or notable people who were born in or lived in Baltimore, Maryland.

A

• Horace Abbott (1806–1887), born in Sudbury, Massachusetts, moved to Baltimore in 1836, iron manufacturer, supplied the armor for USS Monitor
• Arunah Shepherdson Abell (1806–1888), born in East Providence, Rhode Island, founder of the Baltimore Sun
• David T. Abercrombie (1867–1931), born in and raised in Baltimore, founder of Abercrombie & Fitch
• Don Abney (1923–2000), jazz pianist
• Rosalie Silber Abrams (1916–2009), first female and Jewish majority leader in Maryland State Senate
• Brendan Adams (born 2000), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Henry Adams (1858–1929), prominent mechanical engineer, co-founder of ASHVE; born in Germany, died in Baltimore
• Otto Eugene Adams (1889–1968), architect
• Charles Adler Jr. (1899–1980), inventor
• Larry Adler (1914–2001), harmonica player
• Spiro Agnew (1918–1996), born in Baltimore; governor of Maryland 1967–1969 and vice president of the United States 1969–1973
• Felix Agnus (1839–1925), Union Army general, editor and publisher of Baltimore American newspaper, buried under Black Aggie
• John W. Albaugh (1837–1909), actor
• Franklin A. Alberger (1825–1877), mayor of Buffalo, New York
• Al Albert (born 1949), college soccer coach and president of United Soccer Coaches
• William Albert (1816–1879), U.S. representative, born in Baltimore
• Grant Aleksander (born 1959), actor
• John Aler (1949–2022), lyric tenor
• Hattie Alexander (1901–1968), pediatrician and microbiologist
• Robert Alexander (1863–1941), World War I general, commander of 77th Infantry Division
• All Time Low, pop punk band formed in Baltimore by Jack Barakat, Rian Dawson, Alex Gaskarth, and Zack Merrick
• Devin Allen, photographer and photojournalist
• Yari Allnutt (born 1970), soccer player who played for the United States national team
• Cecilia Altonaga (born 1962), judge of United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
• Rafael Alvarez (born 1958), journalist
• John Patrick Amedori (born 1987), actor
• Adrian Amos (born 1993), safety for the Green Bay Packers
• Tori Amos (born 1963), born in North Carolina, grew up in Baltimore; singer, songwriter and pianist
• William H. Amoss (1936–1997), politician, former Maryland state senator
• Tom Amrhein (1911–1987), soccer player who played for the United States national team
• Charles W. Anderson (1844–1916), awarded Medal of Honor
• Curt Anderson (born 1949), politician, broadcast journalist, member of Maryland House of Delegates
• Mignon Anderson (1892–1983), silent film actress
• Richard Snowden Andrews (1830–1903), architect, Confederate officer
• Peter Angelos (1929–2024), born in Pittsburgh, attorney, former owner of the Baltimore Orioles
• Carmelo Anthony (born 1984), born in New York, grew up in Baltimore; professional basketball player formerly for the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, and Houston Rockets
• George Armistead (1780–1818), born in Virginia, commander of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore
• Lewis Addison Armistead (1817–1863), born in North Carolina, Confederate general mortally wounded at Gettysburg, buried in Baltimore
• Annie Armstrong (1850–1938), Baptist missionary
• Bess Armstrong (born 1953), actress
• John S. Arnick (1933–2006), politician, former member of the Maryland House of Delegates
• Howard Ashman (1950–1991), Academy Award-winning lyricist (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors)
• Sonny Askew (born 1957), soccer player and coach who played for the United States national team
• John Astin (born 1930), TV and film actor, Gomez Addams on The Addams Family television series
• Lisa Aukland (born 1957), professional bodybuilder and powerlifter
• Robert Austrian (1916–2007), physician, medical researcher, winner of Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award
• Tavon Austin (born 1991), wide receiver for Dallas Cowboys
• Flo Ayres (1923–2022), nationally known radio actress
• Leah Ayres (born 1957), actress

B

• David Bachrach (1845–1921), lived in Baltimore, photographer, took only known photo of Lincoln giving the Gettysburg Address; uncle to Gertrude Stein
• Penn Badgley (born 1986), born in Baltimore, actor, Dan Humphrey from Gossip Girl
• Orlando Bagwell (born 1951), film director
• Robert Lewis Baker (1937–1979), after whom Robert Baker Park is named, Federal Hill
• Russell Baker (1925–2019), raised in Baltimore, writer, political columnist for The New York Times
• Virginia S. Baker (1921–1998), nicknamed "Baltimore's First Lady of Fun", the Patterson Park Recreation Center in Baltimore is named in her honor
• F. Clever Bald (1897–1970), historian and professor
• Florence E. Bamberger (1882–1965), pedagogue, school supervisor, and progressive education advocate
• Louis Bamberger (1855–1944), businessman, department store owner, and philanthropist
• Lloyd Banks (born 1982), rapper born in Baltimore and raised in Queens, New York
• Jasmine Arielle Barnes (born 1991), composer, vocalist, and educator
• Joshua Barney (1759–1818), commodore in U.S. Navy
• Christian Barreiro (born 1990), soccer player
• John Barth (1930–2024), author
• Gary Bartz (born 1940), jazz saxophonist
• Bernadette Bascom (born 1962), R&B singer
• Robbie Basho (1940–1986), guitarist and singer
• Isaac Rieman Baxley (1850–1920), poet
• Sylvia Beach (1887–1962), owned Shakespeare and Company, key bookstore for expatriates in Paris
• Madison Smartt Bell (born 1957), novelist and professor at Goucher College
• Ben Bender (born 2001), soccer player
• Jacob Beser (1921–1992), only person to crew both atomic bomb missions in World War II
• Caleb Biggers (born 1999), American football player
• Eubie Blake (1887–1983), composer of ragtime, jazz and popular music
• Shelly Blake-Plock (born 1974), entrepreneur and musician
• Nili Block (born 1995), Israeli world champion kickboxer and Muay Thai fighter
• Clarence W. Blount (1921–2003), Maryland State Senate
• A. Aubrey Bodine (1906–1970), photojournalist for The Baltimore Sun
• Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues (born 1965), professional basketball player
• John R. Bolton (born 1948), National Security Advisor of the United States, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations
• Charles Joseph Bonaparte (1851–1921), U.S. attorney general, Secretary of the Navy, relative of Napoleon
• Keith Booth (born 1974), Maryland Terrapins assistant coach, former Chicago Bulls player
• William S. Booze (1862–1933), former U.S. congressman for Maryland's 3rd District
• John Borozzi (born 1954), soccer player, coach, and executive
• Julie Bowen (Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer; born 1970), film and TV actress, star of Modern Family
• Andrew J. Boyle (1911–2001), U.S. Army lieutenant general
• Ryan Boyle (born 1981), MLL and NLL lacrosse player, graduate of the Gilman School
• Cora Belle Brewster (1859–1937), physician, surgeon, medical writer, editor
• Flora A. Brewster (1852–1919), Baltimore's first women surgeon
• Margaret Sutton Briscoe (1864–1941), short story writer
• Conrad Brooks (1931–2017), B movie actor
• Buster Brown (1913–2002), tap dancer
• George William Brown (1812–1890), mayor of Baltimore during the Pratt Street Riot
• Rosey Brown (1932–2004), football star for New York Giants; member of Pro Football Hall of Fame; attended Morgan State University in Baltimore
• James M. Buchanan (1803–1876), judge and U.S. Ambassador to Denmark
• Robert C. Buchanan (1811–1878), Union army general
• Tony Bunn (born 1957), jazz bassist, composer, producer
• Elise Burgin (born 1962), tennis player
• Elizabeth Burmaster (born 1954), Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin
• Beverly Lynn Burns (born 1949), became first woman Boeing 747 airline captain on July 18, 1984
• Ed Burns (born 1946), screenwriter and former homicide and narcotics police detective
• David Byrne (born 1952), songwriter for new wave band Talking Heads, grew up in Baltimore County

C

• Cab Calloway (1907–1994), jazz singer and bandleader, raised in Baltimore
• Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (1605–1675), proprietary governor
• Leonard Calvert (1606–1647), first governor of Province of Maryland
• Josh Campbell (born 1978), soccer player
• Nick Campofreda (1914–1959), NFL player
• Ben Cardin (born 1943), U.S. senator and U.S. representative from Maryland
• Meyer Cardin (1907–2005), Democratic state delegate (1936–38), former Judge, Baltimore City Supreme Bench
• Pete Caringi Jr. (born 1955), soccer player and coach
• Bub Carrington (born 2005), NBA player
• John Carroll (1735–1815), first Roman Catholic archbishop in U.S.
• Ben Carson (born 1951), born and raised in Detroit, Michigan; United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; noted neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital
• Hetty Cary (1836–1892), maker of one of first three battle flags of the Confederacy
• Sam Cassell (born 1969), professional basketball player and coach
• Brett Cecil (born 1986), Major League Baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
• Rome Cee (born 1982), rapper
• Dennis Chambers (born 1959), drummer (P-Funk All Stars, Steely Dan)
• Norman "Chubby" Chaney (1914–1936), short-lived child actor, Our Gang
• Josh Charles (born 1971), actor, Sports Night, The Good Wife, Dead Poets Society
• Charley Chase (Charles Joseph Parrott; 1893–1940), silent and sound film comedian, director
• Samuel Chase (1741–1811), signer of Declaration of Independence and US Supreme Court judge
• Jim Cherneski (born 1974), soccer player, coach, and inventor
• Robert F. Chew (1960–2013), actor, The Wire
• John Christ (born 1965), rock musician, Danzig classic lineup guitarist
• Tom Clancy (1947–2013), author of The Hunt for Red October and many other novels, several of which were made into motion pictures
• Jace Clark (born 2005), soccer player
• Martha Clarke (born 1944), modern choreographer
• Mary Pat Clarke (1941–2024), Baltimore City Council
• Kevin Clash (born 1960), puppeteer best known for portrayal of Elmo on Sesame Street
• Charles Pearce Coady (1868–1934), U.S. congressman (D) for Maryland's 3rd District, 1913–1921
• Ta-Nehisi Coates (born 1975), MacArthur Fellow and National Book Award winning author of Between the World and Me
• Andy Cohen (1904–1988), Major League Baseball second baseman and coach
• Claribel Cone (1864–1929), with sister Etta, collected art of Matisse, Picasso, and Van Gogh
• Hans Conried (1917–1982), comic character actor and voice actor
• Kenny Cooper (born 1984), soccer player who represented the United States national team
• Miriam Cooper (1891–1976), silent film actress, co-starred in The Birth of a Nation
• Martha Coston (1826–1904), inventor and businesswoman
• Thomas Cromwell Corner (1865–1938), portrait artist
• Elijah E. Cummings (1951–2019), U.S. congressman (D) for Maryland's 7th District
• Ida R. Cummings (1867–1958), Baltimore's first black kindergarten teacher
• Mary C. Curtis (born 1953), journalist
• Harvey Cushing (1869–1939), pioneer neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital

D

• Thomas D'Alesandro Jr. (1903–1987), mayor of Baltimore, U.S. representative, father of Nancy Pelosi
• Bob Dalsemer (born 1943), square and contra dance writer and caller
• Brian Dannelly, director (Saved!, Weeds, United States of Tara)
• Clay Davenport, sabermetrician and computer programmer for NOAA
• Charles William Davis (born 1947), rapist and serial killer
• Gervonta Davis (born 1994), boxer
• Henrietta Vinton Davis (1860–1941), elocutionist, dramatist, and impersonator
• Angela Dawson, community activist murdered at age 36 along with her family in 2002
• Dan Deacon (born 1981), electronic musician
• Buddy Deane (1924–2003), disc jockey, host of TV dance show that inspired the movie Hairspray
• William deBuys (born 1949), author and conservationist
• Olive Dennis (1885–1957), railroad engineer
• Divine (1945–1988), drag queen persona of Glen Milstead, actor and singer
• Juan Dixon (born 1978), basketball player at University of Maryland, College Park and pro ranks
• Sheila Dixon (born 1951), first female mayor of Baltimore
• Stephen Dixon (1936–2019), author
• Mary Dobkin (1902–1987), baseball coach
• Fitzhugh Dodson (1923–1993), clinical psychologist, lecturer, educator and author
• John Doe (born 1953), guitarist for the band X
• James Lowry Donaldson (1814–1885), Union army general
• Henry Grattan Donnelly (1850–1931), author and playwright
• Art Donovan (1924–2013), Baltimore Colts, Pro Football Hall of Famer
• Joey Dorsey (born 1983), professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets
• Frederick Douglass (1818–1895), abolitionist, statesman, orator, editor, author, prominent figure in African-American history
• Ronnie Dove (born 1935), pop and country singer who had a string of 21 Billboard hits from 1964 to 1969
• Dru Hill, R&B singing group
• W.E.B. Du Bois (1868–1963), founder of the NAACP, lived in Baltimore 1939–1950
• Mildred Dunnock (1901–1991), Oscar-nominated theater, film and television actress
• Ferdinand Durang (c. 1785–1831), actor, best known as the first person to sing publicly Francis Scott Key's "The Star-Spangled Banner"
• Adam Duritz (born 1964), singer with Counting Crows
• Charles S. Dutton (born 1951), actor

E

• Joni Eareckson Tada (born 1949), Christian author and singer
• Charles K. Edmunds (1876–1949), president of Lingnan University and Pomona College
• Tyde-Courtney Edwards (born 1987), dancer and businesswoman
• Robert Ehrlich (born 1957), former U.S. congressman, 60th governor of Maryland
• Milton S. Eisenhower (1899–1985), president of Johns Hopkins University 1956–1967
• Louis E. Eliasberg (1896–1976), financier and numismatist known for assembling the only complete collection of U.S. coins ever
• Cass Elliot (1941–1974), born Ellen Naomi Cohen, singer, member of The Mamas & the Papas
• Donald B. Elliott (born 1931), member of Maryland House of Delegates
• James Ellsworth (born 1984), professional wrestler
• Joan Erbe (1926–2014), painter and sculptor
• Cal Ermer (1923–2008), Minnesota Twins manager
• Ellery Eskelin (born 1959), jazz saxophonist, raised in Baltimore
• Helen Essary (1886–1951), Baltimore Sun reporter and syndicated columnist in Washington, born and raised in Baltimore
• Shinah Solomon Etting (1744–1822), matriarch of one of Baltimore's first Jewish families
• Solomon Etting (1764–1847), merchant and politician
• Damon Evans (born 1949), actor best known as the second to portray Lionel Jefferson on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons
• Tony Evans (born 1949), pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship

F

• Diane Fanning, true crime author and novelist
• Anna Faris (born 1976), actress, notably for Scary Movie, born but not raised in Baltimore
• Nathaniel Fick (born 1977), U.S. Marine captain, author, and technology executive
• Walter Fillmore (1933–2017), U.S. brigadier general, United States Marine Corps
• Steven Fischer (born 1972), film producer, two-time Emmy Award nominee, raised in northeast Baltimore
• Ray Fisher (born 1987), actor, notably for Justice League
• George Fisher (born 1970), vocalist for death metal band Cannibal Corpse
• F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940), author; lived late in life in Baltimore, buried in Rockville
• Paul Ford (1901–1976), actor, notably for The Phil Silvers Show and The Music Man
• Edward R. Foreman (1808–1885), meteorologist
• Jane Frank (1918–1986), abstract expressionist artist, painter, sculptor, mixed media and textile artist, pupil of Hans Hofmann
• Gertrude Franklin (1858–1913), singer and music educator
• George A Frederick (1842–1924), architect of Baltimore City Hall
• Alex Freeman (born 2004), soccer player who represented the United States national team
• Antonio Freeman (born 1972), football wide receiver, most notably for Green Bay Packers
• Mona Freeman (1926–2014), actress, notably for Black Beauty in 1946
• William H. French (1815–1881), Union army general
• John Friedberg (born 1961), Olympic fencer
• Paul Friedberg (born 1959), Olympic fencer
• Bill Frisell (born 1951), jazz guitarist and composer

G

• Joe Gans (1874–1910), lightweight boxing champion
• John Work Garrett (1820–1884), banker, philanthropist, and president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O)
• Mary Garrett (1854–1915), suffragist and philanthropist
• Alex Gaskarth (born 1987), singer for rock band All Time Low
• Lee Gatch (1902–1968), abstract artist
• Rudy Gay (born 1986), basketball player for University of Connecticut and NBA's Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, and San Antonio Spurs
• Herb Gerwig (1931–2011), professional wrestler of the 1960s and 1970s known as Killer Karl Kox
• James Gibbons (1834–1921), cardinal, 9th Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore
• Garretson W. Gibson (1832–1910), president of Liberia 1900–1904
• Horatio Gates Gibson (1827–1924), Union Army general
• Adam Gidwitz (born 1982), children's book author
• Brian David Gilbert (born 1994), comedian
• Duane Gill (born 1953), former WWE Wrestler (as Gillberg) who resides in Severn, Maryland
• Anita Gillette (born 1936), actress and game show personality
• Dondre Gilliam (born 1977), football player
• Ira Glass (born 1959), radio personality; host of This American Life, distributed by Public Radio International; cousin of Philip Glass
• Philip Glass (born 1937), minimalist composer
• Jacob Glushakow (1914–2000), painter
• Duff Goldman (born 1974), food artist, cake baker, television personality
• Minna Gombell (1892–1973), stage and film actress
• Tamir Goodman (born 1982), basketball player
• Jaimy Gordon (born 1944), author, winner of National Book Award for Fiction
• Shan Goshorn (1957–2018), artist
• Brian Gottfried (born 1952), tennis player, reached No. 3 in the world in 1977
• Elmer Greensfelder (1892–1966), playwright
• George Griffin (1849–1897), freed slave and confidant of Mark Twain

H

• Virginia Hall (1906–1982), OSS agent
• Stavros Halkias (born 1989), stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and podcaster
• Edith Hamilton (1867–1963), "the greatest woman classicist"
• Elaine Hamilton-O'Neal (1920–2010), artist, born in Catonsville near Baltimore; graduated from Baltimore's Maryland Institute College of Art
• Louis Hamman (1877–1946), physician and namesake of Hamman's sign, Hamman's syndrome and Hamman-Rich syndrome
• Mary Hamman (1907–1984), writer and editor, daughter of Louis Hamman
• Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961), detective writer of Maltese Falcon, born in Maryland and worked as a detective in Baltimore
• Steve Handelsman (born 1948), journalist
• Frances Harper (1825–1911), abolitionist leader
• Elaine D. Harmon (1919–2015), aviator
• Ken Harris (1963–2008), city councilman
• Kyle Harrison (born 1983), lacrosse player
• David Hasselhoff (born 1952), actor
• Marcus Hatten (born 1980), basketball player
• Moshe Hauer (), Orthodox rabbi
• Emily Spencer Hayden (1869–1949), photographer
• Raymond V. Haysbert (1920–2010), business executive and civil rights leader
• Maya Hayuk (born 1969), fine artist and muralist
• Mo'Nique Hicks (born 1967), comedian, television and film actress from Woodlawn, Maryland
• Alger Hiss (1904–1996), State Department official, accused of being a Soviet spy and convicted of perjury
• Henry Hochheimer (1818–1912), rabbi
• Katie Hoff (born 1989), Olympic medalist swimmer and multiple World Aquatics Championships gold medalist; lives in Baltimore
• Billie Holiday (1915–1959), born Eleanora Fagan Gough, jazz singer
• Sidney Hollander (1881–1972), humanitarian and civil and political rights activist
• Henry Holt (1840–1926), publisher, founded Henry Holt & Company in 1873
• Johns Hopkins (1795–1873), Quaker businessman, abolitionist and philanthropist whose bequest established Johns Hopkins University
• John Eager Howard (1752–1827), soldier, governor of Maryland, namesake of Howard County, Maryland
• William Henry Howell (1860–1945), physiologist who pioneered the use of heparin as a blood anti-coagulant
• Christopher Hughes (1786–1849), diplomat
• Sarah T. Hughes (1896–1985), federal judge who swore in Lyndon B. Johnson aboard Air Force One after the Kennedy assassination

I

• Joseph Iglehart (1891–1979), financier
• Moses Ingram (born 1994), actress

J

• Lillie Mae Carroll Jackson (1889–1975), pioneer civil rights activist, organizer of Baltimore branch of NAACP
• Debbie Jacobs (born 1955), singer
• Thomas Jane (born 1969), actor
• Harry Jeffra (1914–1988), professional boxer, world bantamweight champion
• Ariell Johnson (born 1983), business owner
• Bryant Johnson (born 1981), professional football player with San Francisco 49ers
• Delano Johnson (born 1988), football player
• Natalie Joy Johnson (born 1978), film and stage actress, singer and dancer
• Brionna Jones (born 1995) WNBA power forward
• Cyrus Jones (born 1993), former professional football player
• LaKisha Jones (born 1980), singer
• Thomas David Jones (born 1955), astronaut with doctorate in planetary science
• Brian Jordan (born 1967), Major League Baseball player, briefly a pro footballer
• Jerome H. Joyce (1865–1924), president of Aero Club of Baltimore
• JPEGMafia (born 1989), music producer, experimental hip hop artist

K

• K-Swift (1978–2008), born Khia Edgerton, club/radio DJ, producer, radio personality at WERQ
• David Kairys (born 1943), Professor of Law at Temple University School of Law
• Al Kaline (1934–2020), Major League Baseball player for Detroit Tigers; Hall of Famer, never played in minor leagues
• Camara Kambon (born 1973), film composer, songwriter, music producer, pianist
• John Kassir (born 1957), actor, voice of Crypt Keeper in TV's Tales from the Crypt
• David Katz (1993–2018), Jacksonville Landing shooter
• Chris Keating (born 1982), lead singer and songwriter for band Yeasayer
• William Henry Keeler (1931–2017), Archbishop Emeritus of Baltimore and Cardinal of Roman Catholic Church
• Stacy Keibler (born 1979), actress, former professional wrestler for WWE
• Thomas Kelso (Ireland 1784–1878), wealthy merchant, founder of Kelso Home, philanthropist
• John Pendleton Kennedy (1795–1870), U.S. Secretary of the Navy, congressman, speaker of Maryland General Assembly, author, led effort to end slavery in Maryland
• James Lawrence Kernan (1838–1912), Yiddish theater manager and philanthropist
• Stu Kerr (1928–1994), television personality and weatherman
• Ernest Keyser (1876–1959), sculptor
• Stanton Kidd (born 1992), basketball player for Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Greg Kihn (1949–1924), pop musician
• David J. Kim (born 1979), publisher of Teen Ink, co-founder of C2 Education
• J. William Kime (1934–2006), commandant of U.S. Coast Guard, 1990–1994
• D.King (born 1989), rapper
• Mel Kiper Jr. (born 1960), football analyst
• Benjamin Klasmer (1891–1949), musician
• Jim Knipple (born 1977), professional stage director
• Tate Kobang (born 1992), real name Joshua Goods, rapper
• Adam Kolarek (born 1989), pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization
• Jeff Koons (born 1955), artist and sculptor, graduate of Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore
• Ruth Krauss (1901–1993), author of children's books
• Steve Krulevitz (born 1951), American-Israeli tennis player

L

• Henrietta Lacks (1920–1951), namesake of HeLa cell line
• Mary Lange (ca. 1784–1882), founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence and a school for free black children
• Bucky Lasek (born 1972), pro skateboarder
• Maysa Leak (born 1966), jazz singer
• Jerry Leiber (1933–2011), lyricist ("Hound Dog", "Stand by Me", "Poison Ivy", "Is That All There Is?", "Kansas City")
• Noah Lennox (born 1978), known as Panda Bear, sings and plays drums and electronics in band Animal Collective
• Ivan Leshinsky (born 1947), American-Israeli basketball player
• Barry Levinson (born 1942), screenwriter, Academy Award-winning film director, producer of film and television
• Kevin Levrone (born 1968), IFBB professional bodybuilder, musician, actor and health club owner
• Hank Levy (1927–2001), jazz composer, founder of Towson University's jazz program
• Reggie Lewis (1965–1993), professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics
• Reginald F. Lewis (1942–1993), businessman
• Kevin Liles (born 1968), record executive; former president of Def Jam Recordings and vice president of The Island Def Jam Music Group
• Eli Lilly (1838–1898), soldier, pharmaceutical chemist, industrialist, entrepreneur, founder of Eli Lilly and Company
• Laura Lippman (born 1959), author of detective fiction
• Doug Llewelyn (born 1938), reporter and television personality, born in Baltimore
• Alan Lloyd (1943–1986), composer, born in Baltimore
• Walter Lord (1917–2002), non-fiction author
• Los (born 1982), real name Carlos Coleman, rapper
• Morris Louis (1912–1962), abstract expressionist painter
• G. E. Lowman (1897–1965), clergyman and radio evangelist
• Chris Lucas, country singer with LoCash
• Katharine Lucke (1875–1962), organist and composer
• Edmund C. Lynch (1885–1938), business leader graduate of Boys' Latin, Johns Hopkins and co-founder of Merrill Lynch & Co.

M

• Marvin Mandel (1920–2015), former governor of Maryland, assumed office upon resignation of Spiro Agnew
• Ann Manley (c. 1828 – after 1870), brothel proprietor
• Mario (born 1986), born Mario Dewar Barrett, singer, grew up in Gwynn Oak, Maryland in Baltimore County
• Todd Marks (born 1976), local businessman and entrepreneur
• Thurgood Marshall (1908–1993), first African-American U.S. Supreme Court Justice
• Joseph Maskell (1939–2001), Catholic priest accused of sexual abuse
• Nancy Mowll Mathews (born 1947), art historian, curator, and author
• Aaron Maybin (born 1988), football player for Buffalo Bills, picked in 2009 NFL draft
• Ernest G. McCauley (1889–1969), aviation pioneer
• Shane McClanahan (born 1997), pitcher and 2-time All-Star for the Tampa Bay Rays
• Angel McCoughtry (born 1986), basketball player; first overall pick in 2009 WNBA draft by Atlanta Dream
• Jim McKay (James Kenneth McManus, 1921–2008), television sports journalist, Olympic and Wide World of Sports host
• Theodore R. McKeldin (1900–1974), governor of Maryland
• Randolph Harrison McKim (1842–1920), American Episcopal clergy and writer
• Georgie A. Hulse McLeod (1827–1890), author, educator, temperance activist
• H.L. Mencken (1880–1956), journalist and social critic known as "the Sage of Baltimore"
• Ottmar Mergenthaler (1854–1899), inventor of linotype machine that revolutionized the art of printing
• Joe Metheny (1955–2017), murderer and suspected serial killer
• Kweisi Mfume (born 1948), former CEO of NAACP and U.S. congressman
• Barbara Mikulski (born 1936), U.S. senator
• Isaiah Miles (born 1994), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Jamie Miller (born c. 1975), musician, drummer for Bad Religion
• Steve Miller (1950–2024), author of science-fiction stories and novels
• Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. (1911–1984), civil rights leader
• Juanita Jackson Mitchell (1913–1992), civil rights lawyer and activist
• Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr. (born 1967), Baltimore City Council, grandson of civil rights leaders Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. and Juanita Jackson Mitchell
• Parren Mitchell (1922–2007), former U.S. congressman
• Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery (1824–1901), duellist, fencing master, mercenary and author
• Garry Moore (Thomas Garrison Morfit, 1915–1993), early television host, I've Got a Secret
• Lenny Moore (born 1933), running back, Baltimore Colts, member of Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Phil Moore (born 1961), host of Nick Arcade
• John E. Morrison (1918–201), US Air Force major general
• Bessie Moses (1893–1965), gynecologist, obstetrician and birth control advocate
• Sean Mosley (born 1989), basketball player for Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. of Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Nick Mullen (born 1988), comedian best known as the host for the podcast Cum Town
• Billy Murphy Jr. (born 1943) lawyer and judge
• Carl J. Murphy (1889–1967) newspaper editor, journalist
• George B. Murphy Jr. (1906–1986) newspaper editor, journalist, civil rights leader
• John H. Murphy Sr. (1840–1922) African American newspaper publisher
• Robert Murray (1822–1913), Surgeon General of the United States Army
• William H. Murphy Sr. (1917–2003), African American judge, lawyer, and civil rights activist
• Max Muscle (1963–2019), born John Czawlytko, professional wrestler known for appearances in WCW in 1990s
• Clarence Muse (1889–1979), actor

N

• Anita Nall (born 1976), Olympic gold medalist swimmer
• Ogden Nash (1902–1971), iconic poet and humorist
• Mildred Natwick (1905–1994), stage, film and television actress
• Gary Neal (born 1984), professional basketball player
• John Needles (1786–1878), Quaker abolitionist, master craftsman of fine furniture
• James Crawford Neilson (1816–1900), architect
• Jeff Nelson (born 1966), professional baseball player, middle relief pitcher
• Harry Nice (1877–1941), 50th governor of Maryland
• Joe Nice (born c. 1976), dubstep DJ, moved to Baltimore from Southampton at the age of two
• Brian Nichols (born 1971), known for 2005 killing spree
• Edward Norton (born 1969), actor, 3-time Academy Award nominee
• Brandon Novak (born 1978), skateboarder and member of Viva La Bam
• Ego Nwodim (born 1988), actress and comedian

O

• Ric Ocasek (1949–2019), vocalist and frontman for The Cars
• Rashard Odomes (born 1996), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Madalyn Murray O'Hair (1919–1995), activist
• Frank O'Hara (1926–1966), poet
• Johnny Olszewski (born 1982), U.S. representative for Maryland and Baltimore County Executive
• Martin O'Malley (born 1963), born in Washington, D.C., mayor of Baltimore, 61st governor of Maryland
• Ken Ono (born 1968), mathematician, grew up in Towson
• Dorothea Orem (1914–2007), nursing theorist, creator of self-care deficit nursing theory

P

• William Paca (1740–1799), signatory to Declaration of Independence; governor of Maryland
• Tim Page (born 1954), winner of Pulitzer Prize for Criticism; biographer of Dawn Powell
• Jim Palmer (born 1945), born in New York, Baseball Hall of Fame starting pitcher for Baltimore Orioles 1965–84
• James A. Parker (19221994), African-American foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of State
• Nicole Ari Parker (born 1971), actress
• Bob Parsons (born 1950), entrepreneur; founder and CEO of Go Daddy
• Travis Pastrana (born 1983), freestyle motocross, x-treme sports professional, spokesman for Red Bull
• Randy Pausch (1960–2008), former professor of computer science, human–computer interaction, and design at Carnegie Mellon University
• Felicia Pearson (born 1980), actress, community volunteer, and convicted drug dealer nicknamed "Snoop", who played the eponymous character (Snoop Pearson) on The Wire
• Nancy Pelosi (born 1940), U.S. representative from California since 1987, Speaker of the House
• Clarence M. Pendleton Jr. (1930–1988), chairman of U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 1981 until death in 1988; worked in Model Cities Program in Baltimore, 1968–1970
• Vincent Pettway (born 1965), boxer, light middleweight boxing champion
• Michael Phelps (born 1985), swimmer from Baltimore County, multiple world-record holder, winner of more gold medals (23) and total medals (28) than any other Olympian
• Tom Phoebus (1942–2019), MLB pitcher
• Jada Pinkett Smith (born 1971), actress and singer
• Greg Plitt (1977–2015), fitness model and actor
• Art Poe, member of College Football Hall of Fame
• Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), iconic poet, short story writer, editor and critic
• Edgar Allan Poe (1871–1961), attorney general of Maryland, 1911–1915
• Gresham Poe (1880–1956), football head coach at Virginia in 1903
• John P. Poe, Sr. (1836–1909), attorney general of Maryland, 1891–1895
• Johnny Poe (1874–1915), college football player and coach, soldier of fortune
• Jack Pollack (1899–1977), politician and criminal
• Gordon Porterfield, playwright, actor, poet and educator
• David Portner (born 1979), musician and lead singer of experimental avant-garde artpop band Animal Collective
• Parker Posey (born 1968), actress, known for Dazed and Confused, Waiting for Guffman, Scream 3, Best in Show
• Emily Post (1872–1960), author of etiquette books
• Walter de Curzon Poultney (1845–1929), art collector and socialite
• Boog Powell (born 1941), born in Florida, baseball player for Orioles and Baltimore restaurant owner
• Enoch Pratt (1808–1896), businessman and philanthropist; founded Enoch Pratt Free Library, one of oldest free public libraries in U.S.
• Thomas Rowe Price Jr. (1898–1983), businessman, founder of Baltimore-based investment counsel firm T. Rowe Price
• Helen Dodson Prince (1905–2002), astronomer who pioneered work in solar flares
• Ernest W. Prussman (1921–1944), Medal of Honor recipient
• Rain Pryor (born 1969), actress
• Greg Puciato (born 1980), musician, singer, author

Q

• Robin Quivers (born 1952), sidekick of TV and radio personality Howard Stern

R

• Hasim Rahman (born 1972), boxer, former World Heavyweight Champion
• Frederick Ramsay, UMSM academic and administrator, mystery writer
• Jane Randall, contestant on America's Next Top Model, Cycle 15, and an IMG model
• James Ransone (1979–2025), actor, The Wire, Generation Kill, Sinister, adult Eddie Kaspbrak from It Chapter Two
• John Rawls (1921–2002), professor of political philosophy at Harvard, author
• Sam Ray (born 1991), musician, EDM project Ricky Eat Acid, and founder of band American Pleasure Club, formerly known as Teen Suicide
• Lance Reddick (1962–2023), actor, Col. Cedric Daniels from The Wire
• Chris Renaud (born 1966), animator and illustrator; co-director of The Lorax and Despicable Me; voice of many Minions
• Bryan Reynolds (born 1995), outfielder and All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Hilary Rhoda (born 1987), fashion model
• Adrienne Rich (1929–2012), poet, writer, teacher, and feminist
• Hester Dorsey Richardson (1862–1933), author
• Charles Carnan Ridgely (1760–1829), 15th governor of Maryland
• Charles G. Ridgely (1784–1848), United States Navy officer
• Billy Ripken (born 1964), born in Havre de Grace, Maryland, second baseman for Baltimore Orioles
• Cal Ripken Jr. (born 1960), born in Havre de Grace, infielder for Baltimore Orioles, member of Hall of Fame
• Cal Ripken Sr. (1935–1999), coach and manager of Baltimore Orioles
• Brooks Robinson (1937–2023), born Little Rock, Arkansas, third baseman for Baltimore Orioles 1955–77, member of Hall of Fame
• Lenny B. Robinson (1963–2015), born in Baltimore, charity worker who dressed up as superhero Batman
• Frank Robinson (1935–2019), born in Beaumont, Texas, outfielder for Baltimore Orioles, member of Hall of Fame
• Chrisean Rock (born 2000), rapper
• Martin Rodbell (1925–1998), biochemist and molecular endocrinologist; won 1994 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Josh Roenicke (born 1982), baseball player in Cincinnati Reds organization
• Eddie Rommel (1897–1970), Major League Baseball pitcher and umpire
• Adeke Rose, poet, psychoanalyst and teacher
• Carroll Rosenbloom (1907–1979), owner of Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams
• Matt Rosendale (born 1960), Montana state politician and businessman
• Alec Ross (born 1971), author and former senior advisor for Innovation to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
• Axl Rotten (1971–2016), professional wrestler
• Francis Peyton Rous (1879–1970), pathologist who won Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Christopher Rouse (1949–2019), composer, Pulitzer Prize winner
• James Rouse (1914–1996), pioneering real estate developer, civic activist, and philanthropist
• Mike Rowe (born 1962), host of Discovery Channel program Dirty Jobs
• Ruckus, born Claude Marrow, professional wrestler
• Ruff Endz, R&B duo consisting of members David "Davinch" Chance and Dante "Chi" Jordan from Baltimore; best known for songs "No More" and "Someone to Love You"
• Mike Ruocco (born 1983), singer-songwriter of bands Plunge and Cinder Road; bassist of SR-71
• Dutch Ruppersberger (born 1946), U.S. congressman (D)
• Harry W. Rusk (1852–1926), U.S. congressman (D) for Maryland's 3rd District, 1886–1897
• Elizabeth Lownes Rust (1835–1899), philanthropist, humanitarian, Christian missionary
• Babe Ruth (1895–1948), iconic baseball player for New York Yankees, member of Baseball Hall of Fame
• Ida Mary Barry Ryan (1854–1917), philanthropist
• Rye Rye (born 1990), real name Ryeisha Berrain, dancer and rapper

S

• Pat Sajak (born 1946), television personality, Wheel of Fortune host; resides in Maryland
• Al Sanders (1941–1995), TV news anchor WJZ-TV; died in Baltimore
• John Sarbanes (born 1962), U.S. representative for Maryland
• Paul Sarbanes (1933–2020), born in Salisbury, Maryland, former member of Maryland House of Delegates from Baltimore, U.S. congressman, U.S. senator
• William Donald Schaefer (1921–2011), mayor of Baltimore, 58th governor of Maryland, and 32nd Comptroller of Maryland
• Jason Schappert (born 1988), aviator, born in Baltimore
• Kurt L. Schmoke (born 1949), former mayor of Baltimore, current president of the University of Baltimore
• Gina Schock (born 1957), rock drummer The Go Go's, songwriter and actress
• Dwight Schultz (born 1947), actor, played H.M. Murdock in The A-Team series and Lt. Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Josh Selby (born 1991), pro basketball player, former No. 1 high school prospect in U.S. according to Rivals.com
• Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774–1821), established schools, founded first U.S. religious community of apostolic women, Sisters of Charity (Archdiocese of Baltimore)
• Tupac Shakur (1971–1996), hip hop performer and rapper, lived on Greenmount Ave in East Baltimore for two years
• Karl Shapiro (1913–2000), U.S. poet laureate 1946–47, born in Baltimore
• Philip Sharp (born 1942), U.S. representative from Indiana; born in Baltimore
• Richard Sher (1948–2015), WJZ-TV newscaster, Oprah Winfrey co-host
• Daniel Shiffman (born 1973), programmer, member of the board of directors of the Processing Foundation, associate arts professor
• Pam Shriver (born 1962), professional tennis player and broadcaster
• Sargent Shriver (1915–2011), born in Westminster, Maryland, politician, activist, driving force behind creation of Peace Corps
• Eli Siegel (1902–1978), poet, critic, founder of philosophy of Aesthetic Realism
• Jeff Siegel (born 1970), musician, writer, investment analyst and renewable energy expert; coined the phrase "green chip stocks"
• Hubert Simmons (1924–2009), Negro league baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Elite Giants
• David Simon (born 1960), journalist for The Baltimore Sun, author, television writer, producer, creator of The Wire
• Bessie Wallis Warfield Simpson (1896–1986), Duchess of Windsor
• Upton Sinclair (1878–1968), author of The Jungle, Pulitzer Prize winner, born in Baltimore
• Christian Siriano (born 1985), fashion designer; winner of fourth season of Project Runway; graduate of Baltimore School for the Arts
• Sisqó (born 1978), real name Mark Althavan Andrews, R&B and pop singer
• Cameron Snyder (1916–2010), sportswriter for The Baltimore Sun; winner of Dick McCann Memorial Award
• Maelcum Soul (1940–1986), bartender, artist's model, and actress
• Florence Garrettson Spooner (1840s–1935), social reformer
• Raymond A. Spruance (1886–1969), U.S. Navy admiral in World War II
• James Stafford (born 1932), cardinal of the Catholic Church; born in Baltimore
• Steele Stanwick (born 1989), former professional lacrosse player who won the Tewaaraton Trophy and the Jack Turnbull Award
• Melissa Stark (born 1973), television personality and sportscaster for NFL Network
• John Steadman (1927–2001), sportswriter
• Michael S. Steele (born 1958), lieutenant governor of Maryland, first African-American chairman of Republican National Committee
• Gertrude Stein (1874–1946), poet, art collector
• Andrew Sterett (1778–1807), U.S. Naval Officer during the Quasi-War, Captain of USS Enterprise
• Richard D. Steuart (1880–1951), historian, and journalist under the pseudonym Carroll Dulaney
• Harry P. Storke (1905–1985), US Army lieutenant general
• Victor Sulin (1942–2022), lawyer and politician
• Suter Sullivan (1872–1925), professional baseball player
• Rich Swann (born 1991), professional wrestler
• Donald Symington (1925–2013), actor
• Stuart Symington (1901–1988), first Secretary of the Air Force; U.S. senator from Missouri

T

• Evan Taubenfeld (born 1983), singer-songwriter
• Michael Tearson (born 1948), pioneer underground DJ, concert and special appearance host, author, recording artist and actor
• Mark Texiera (born 1980), player for New York Yankees 2009–16, 3-time All-Star
• Jon Theodore (born 1973), musician, The Mars Volta's former drummer, Avril Lavigne's former guitarist
• Martha Carey Thomas (1857–1935), educator, suffragist, second president of Bryn Mawr College
• Tracie Thoms (born 1975), actress
• A. Andrew Torrence (1902–1940), Illinois state representative
• Alessandra Torres (born 1980), visual artist
• F. Morris Touchstone (1897–1957), National Lacrosse Hall of Fame coach
• Anne Truitt (1921–2004), minimalist sculptor
• Michael Tucker (born 1944), actor, films and L.A. Law
• Joseph Tumpach (1912–1968), Illinois state representative
• Jack Turnbull (1910–1944), National Lacrosse Hall of Fame player
• Charles Yardley Turner (1850–1918), artist and muralist
• Jerry Turner (1929–1987), television news anchor
• Kathleen Turner (born 1954), actress, graduate of University of Maryland, Baltimore County
• Anne Tyler (born 1941), Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist (The Accidental Tourist)

U

• Ultra Naté (born 1968), house music singer, songwriter, producer, DJ, club promoter, and entrepreneur
• Johnny Unitas (1933–2002), born in Pittsburgh; professional football player for the Baltimore Colts; in Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Leon Uris (1924–2003), novelist, author of Exodus

V

• Matthew VanDyke (born 1979), freedom fighter and Prisoner of War in 2011 Libyan Civil War
• Nikolai Volkoff (1947–2018), born in Croatia, Yugoslavia, WWE Hall of Fame wrestler, spent time in Baltimore area

W

• LaMonte Wade Jr. (born 1994), first baseman and outfielder for the San Francisco Giants
• Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (born 1995), basketball player for the Israeli team Maccabi Bnot Ashdod, and the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association
• Evan Sewell Wallace (1982–2017), Black Paisley Records, hip hop artist
• Henry Walters (1848–1931), rail magnate (Atlantic Coast Line) and founder of Walters Art Museum in Baltimore
• Dante Washington (born 1970), soccer player
• John Waters (born 1946), filmmaker
• John K. Waters (1906–1989), U.S. Army four-star general
• D. Watkins (born 1980), author
• Earl Weaver (1930–2013), born in St. Louis, Missouri, longtime manager of the Baltimore Orioles; Baseball Hall Of Fame inductee
• Chick Webb (1905–1939), jazz and swing drummer and bandleader; adopted Ella Fitzgerald
• Wendy Weinberg, Olympic medalist swimmer
• Matthew Weiner (born 1965), creator of TV series Mad Men
• Leonard "Boogie" Weinglass (born 1941), founder of Merry-Go-Round clothing empire; portrayed by actor Mickey Rourke in 1982 film Diner
• Harry Wendelstedt (1938–2012), umpire in Major League Baseball
• Terrance West (born 1991), former running back at Towson University and NFL player for the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, and Baltimore Ravens
• George Hoyt Whipple (1878–1976), graduated and taught medical school at Hopkins; won 1934 Nobel Prize in Medicine
• Reggie White (born 1970), football player
• Ruth White (born 1951), Olympic fencer
• Wade Whitney (born 1967), professional soccer player
• William Pinkney Whyte (1824–1908), U.S. senator, governor of Maryland, mayor of Baltimore
• Emma Howard Wight (1863–1935), author
• Bernard Williams (born 1978), gold medalist in 4 × 100 meter relay at 2000 Sydney Olympics
• LaQuan Williams (born 1988), wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens who attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
• Montel Williams (born 1956), television personality
• Reggie Williams (born 1964), professional basketball player
• Trevor Williams (born 1993), football player
• Mary Willis (born 1940), retired US Army brigadier general
• Ibbie McColm Wilson (1834–1908), poet
• Oprah Winfrey (born 1954), television personality, actress, producer; born in rural Mississippi and raised in Milwaukee; worked at WJZ-TV in Baltimore
• David Wingate (born 1963), professional basketball player
• Danny Wiseman (born 1967), professional ten-pin bowler and 12-time winner on the PBA Tour
• Edward Witten (born 1951), mathematical physicist and a leading researcher in string theory
• James Wolcott (born 1952), journalist and cultural critic
• Allan Woodrow (born 1964), author
• Eliza Woods (1872–1961), composer
• Bernie Wrightson (1948–2017), artist, known for horror illustrations and comic books
• Natalie Wynn (born 1988), YouTube personality

Y

• John H. Yardley (1926–2011), pathologist
• Steve Yeager (born 1948), award-winning filmmaker, writer, stage director and educator
• Joe Yingling (1867–1903), professional baseball pitcher

Z

• Geoff Zahn (born 1945), baseball pitcher
• Frank Zappa (1940–1993), singer, guitarist, composer and satirist
• Nick Zedd (1958–2022), filmmaker, author, and painter
• Joanna Zeiger (born 1970), Olympic and world champion triathlete, and author
• Bruce Zimmermann, pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles organization
• Marie Kunkel Zimmerman (1864–1953), soprano
• Lillian Zuckerman (1916–2004), actress

See also

References

External links