42.3449° N, 71.0753° W

BOSTON

Most Famous People Born in Boston, United States

Notable people
3,663
Peak decade
1950s
Median birth year
1926
Most distinctive
Novelist 3.5×

America's oldest civic intelligentsia. Boston's notables are unusually concentrated in the 1700s and 1800s by American standards, and the distinctive shelves still read like a Yankee almanac — novelists, lawyers, military officers, mathematicians, and diplomats, the trades of a city where Harvard, the State House, and the Old North Church share a few square miles. The modern half tilts more conventionally toward Red Sox baseball, actors, and a deep college-bred music scene.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Boston during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1950s with 348 notable births.

What Boston Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Actor is Boston's biggest profession — 9% of all notables (314).

Boston over-indexes on novelist3.5× the global rate.

Boston under-produces football — only 0.2× the global rate.

  1. Actor314
  2. Politician312
  3. Writer149
  4. Lawyer135
  5. Baseball110
  6. Painter106
  7. Music102
  8. Football87
  1. Novelist503.5×
  2. Baseball1102.6×
  3. Officer632.6×
  4. Mathematician452.5×
  5. Lawyer1352.1×
  6. Music1021.9×
  7. Diplomat371.7×
  8. Actor3141.6×
  1. Football870.2×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Boston's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

16501700175018001850190019502000
  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Writing
  • Film & TV
  • Science
  • Music
  • Other
All3,663
Sort By

Showing 303 of 3,663 notable people

0009 ACTOR

Edward Norton

Born 1969

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0015 ACTOR

James Spader

Born 1960

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0022 SINGER

Donnie Wahlberg

Born 1969

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0024 ACTOR

Clark Gregg

Born 1962

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0029 ACTOR

Connie Britton

Born 1967

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0032 FILM

John Slattery

Born 1962

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0033 ACTOR

Jennifer Coolidge

Born 1961

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0035 SINGER

Bobby Brown

Born 1969

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0039 PLAYWRIGHT

Lisa Edelstein

Born 1967

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0048 FILM

Laura Poitras

Born 1964

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0056 MUSIC

Black Francis

Born 1965

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0058 GUITAR

Myles Kennedy

Born 1969

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0068 ACTOR

Jasmine Guy

Born 1962

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0074 ACTOR

John Michael Higgins

Born 1963

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0077 MUSIC

Guru (rapper)

1961 - 2010

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0093 ACTOR

Mike O'Malley

Born 1966

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0097 CARTOONIST

Scott McCloud

Born 1960

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0102 ACTOR

Scott Wolf

Born 1968

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0106 SCREENWRITER

William Monahan

Born 1960

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0133 WRITER

Piper Kerman

Born 1969

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0134 ACTOR

Jamie Walters

Born 1969

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0142 BANK

Peter R. Orszag

Born 1968

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0144 ACTOR

Callie Thorne

Born 1969

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0145 ACTOR

Blanchard Ryan

Born 1967

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0150 ACTOR

Guinevere Turner

Born 1968

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0153 BASEBALL

Jeff Bagwell

Born 1968

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0158 ACTOR

Christine Elise

Born 1965

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0163 ACTOR

Kevin Chapman

Born 1962

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0164 SCREENWRITER

Sean Gullette

Born 1968

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0171 SINGER

Evan Dando

Born 1967

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0175 COMEDIAN

John Pinette

1964 - 2014

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0181 ARTIST

Kurt Busiek

Born 1960

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0193 POLITICIAN

John E. Sununu

Born 1964

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0194 ACTOR

Stephen Dunham

1964 - 2012

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0196 SINGER

Stephin Merritt

Born 1966

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0213 HOCKEY

Tom Barrasso

Born 1965

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0214 SINGER

Tracy Bonham

Born 1967

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0230 WRITER

Chuck Hogan

Born 1967

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0231 SCREENWRITER

David Lindsay-Abaire

Born 1969

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0250 CHEMIST

Carolyn R. Bertozzi

Born 1966

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0255 ECONOMIST

J. Bradford DeLong

Born 1960

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0266 MUSIC

Danny Wood

Born 1969

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0291 ACTOR

Michelle Thomas

1969 - 1998

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0304 ENTREPRENEUR

Reed Hastings

Born 1960

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0310 PRODUCER

Benzino

Born 1965

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0322 SCULPTOR

Sarah Sze

Born 1969

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0331 SCREENWRITER

Joel Cohen (writer)

Born 1963

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0339 SCREENWRITER

George Nolfi

Born 1960

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0347 COMPOSER

Michael Land

Born 1961

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0360 ACTOR

John Enos III

Born 1962

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0364 WRESTLING

Nancy Benoit

1964 - 2007

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0435 DRIVER

Jeff Burton

Born 1967

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0454 MUSIC

Kane Roberts

Born 1962

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0471 WRITER

David Meerman Scott

Born 1961

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0514 MATHEMATICIAN

Amie Wilkinson

Born 1968

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0531 BASKET

Dana Barros

Born 1967

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0548 COMPOSER

Larry Goldings

Born 1968

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0550 DIPLOMAT

Mark Andrew Green

Born 1960

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0552 ACTOR

Martha Hackett

Born 1961

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0575 ARTIST

Lauren Greenfield

Born 1966

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0577 MATHEMATICIAN

Bjorn Poonen

Born 1968

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0592 MUSIC

Pat Badger

Born 1967

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0595 ACTOR

Tom Long (actor)

1968 - 2020

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0596 DESIGNER

Vincent Connare

Born 1960

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0597 SKATER

Kitty Carruthers

Born 1961

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0630 HOCKEY

Ted Donato

Born 1969

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0653 MUSIC

Michael Jenkins Moynihan

Born 1969

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0657 BIOLOGIST

Michael Eisen

Born 1967

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0664 ACTOR

Robert Wahlberg

Born 1967

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0665 MATHEMATICIAN

Andrea Bertozzi

Born 1965

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0672 MUSIC

Marc Ferrari

Born 1962

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0677 NOVELIST

Amor Towles

Born 1964

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0694 WRITER

Lydia Millet

Born 1968

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0697 ACTOR

Jennifer Jostyn

Born 1968

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0700 PRODUCER

Michael Bivins

Born 1968

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0747 SINGER

Lisbeth Scott

Born 1968

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0763 NOVELIST

William Landay

Born 1963

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0775 BUSINESS

Abigail Johnson

Born 1961

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0833 ACTOR

Brian Goodman

Born 1963

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0855 WRITER

Ted Dewan

Born 1961

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0861 BUSINESS

Christopher G. Kennedy

Born 1963

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0863 ACTOR

Peter Mackenzie

Born 1961

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0873 HOCKEY

Darren Turcotte

Born 1968

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0886 ACTOR

Lois Ayres

Born 1963

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0888 WRITER

Michael Thomas (author)

Born 1967

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0902 MUSIC

John Fields (record producer)

Born 1968

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0929 BASKET

Michelle Edwards (basketball)

Born 1966

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0939 PAINTER

R. H. Quaytman

Born 1961

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0963 BALLET

Damian Woetzel

Born 1967

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0973 POLITICIAN

Edward M. Kennedy Jr.

Born 1961

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0982 BOXER

Peter McNeeley

Born 1968

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0988 ACTOR

Amy Hunter

Born 1966

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1017 HOCKEY

Brian Noonan

Born 1965

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1026 ACTOR

Leif Tilden

Born 1964

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1036 HOCKEY

John Torchetti

Born 1964

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1045 ACADEMIC

W. Tecumseh Fitch

Born 1963

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1046 HOCKEY

Paul Stanton

Born 1967

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1071 MATHEMATICIAN

Bryna Kra

Born 1966

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1078 AUTHOR

Jennifer Steil

Born 1968

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1081 ACTOR

Clayton Nemrow

Born 1965

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1116 ARTIST

Liz Deschenes

Born 1966

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1126 TELEVISION

Busty Heart

Born 1961

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1129 ASTRONAUT

Stephanie Wilson

Born 1966

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1156 ACTIVIST

Anthony Shriver

Born 1965

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1169 BASKET

Bruce Pearl

Born 1960

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1181 PROFESSOR

Stephen Shore (professor)

Born 1961

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1188 BASKET

Medina Dixon

Born 1962

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1191 POLYMATH

Scott D. Anderson

1965 - 1999

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1194 COMPOSER

Joshua Fineberg

Born 1969

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1222 ENTREPRENEUR

Nova Spivack

Born 1969

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1237 NOVELIST

Matthew F. Jones

Born 1967

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1248 FILM

Matthew Greenfield

Born 1968

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1256 WRITER

Jacob Slichter

Born 1961

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1267 FILM

Peter Del Vecho

Born 1966

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1282 FILM

David Ian Salter

Born 1966

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1283 HOCKEY

Jim Vesey

Born 1965

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1291 AUTHOR

Joseph Nassise

Born 1968

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1302 SONGWRITER

Harvey Mason Jr.

Born 1968

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1312 POET

Ellen Hinsey

Born 1960

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1329 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Robert C. Lieberman

Born 1964

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1373 VIOLIN

Ariadne Daskalakis

Born 1969

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1387 JOURNALIST

Mark Leibovich

Born 1965

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1396 ACTOR

Toppsy Curvey

Born 1961

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1407 JOURNALIST

Benjamin Wittes

Born 1969

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1414 NOVELIST

James Greer

Born 1961

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1433 POLITICAL

David Bossie

Born 1965

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1436 ACTOR

Charlie Hides

Born 1964

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1462 ACTOR

Amy Farrington

Born 1966

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1488 COMICS

Amy Chu

Born 1968

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1507 PAINTER

Wendy Artin

Born 1963

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1520 JUMPER

Peter Wylde

Born 1965

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1529 PHOTOGRAPHER

Deborah Copaken

Born 1966

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1564 FOOTBALL

Joe Nash

Born 1960

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1570 HOCKEY

Tim Sweeney (ice hockey)

Born 1967

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1573 POLITICIAN

Philip Levine (politician)

Born 1962

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1587 DESIGNER

Jenna Lyons

Born 1969

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1588 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Daniel S. Weld

Born 1960

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1598 SKATER

Mark Mitchell (American figure skater)

Born 1968

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1599 POLITICAL

Eric Fehrnstrom

Born 1961

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1600 COMPOSER

Amos Elkana

Born 1967

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1617 WRITER

Jess Nevins

Born 1966

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1623 PAINTER

Makoto Fujimura

Born 1960

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1627 ACTOR

Benjamin John Parrillo

Born 1969

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1637 PAINTER

Phil Hale

Born 1963

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1647 FOOTBALL

Tom McHale (American football)

1963 - 2008

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1655 SINGER

Eileen Rose

Born 1965

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1656 AUTHOR

Howard Bryant

Born 1968

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1657 LAWYER

Gregory G. Katsas

Born 1964

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1659 ACTOR

Karyn Bryant

Born 1968

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1679 WRITER

Chris Lynch

Born 1962

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1688 MUSIC

Dale Resteghini

Born 1968

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1691 ACTOR

Nancy Pimental

Born 1965

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1693 FILM

Kate Davis (director)

Born 1960

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1700 JUDGE

Stephen A. Higginson

Born 1961

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1711 POLITICIAN

Rodolfo Padilla Sunseri

Born 1960

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1727 LAWYER

Lisa Monaco

Born 1968

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1728 LAWYER

Marc Rotenberg

Born 1960

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1735 DIPLOMAT

Sarah Sewall

Born 1961

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1739 ACTOR

Ant (comedian)

Born 1967

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1759 CHEMIST

Christopher C. Cummins

Born 1966

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1786 ROWER

Richard Kennelly

Born 1965

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1796 ROWER

Jack Rusher

Born 1967

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1811 ARTIST

Elisabeth Subrin

Born 1964

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1823 FACULTY

Barron H. Lerner

Born 1960

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1828 PAINTER

Sophie Matisse

Born 1965

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1841 POET

Esta Spalding

Born 1966

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1851 ARTIST

Antonio Sacre

Born 1968

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1852 LAWYER

Margaret Stock

Born 1962

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1909 PHILANTHROPIST

Paul M. English

Born 1963

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1923 JOURNALIST

Liza Featherstone

Born 1969

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1935 ACTOR

Yvonne Jung

Born 1969

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1944 CEO

Peter Palandjian

Born 1964

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1978 ACTOR

Bernard Robichaud

Born 1960

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1996 FILM

David Riker

Born 1963

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1997 SPORT

Sean McDonough

Born 1962

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2000 POET

Joshua Weiner

Born 1963

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2010 BUSINESS

Vanu Bose

1965 - 2017

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2028 FILM

Dave Krinsky

Born 1963

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2041 ARCHITECT

Constance Adams

1964 - 2018

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2057 WRITER

Christoph Poschenrieder

Born 1964

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2064 NOVELIST

Sandra Newman

Born 1965

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2081 WRITER

Justin Beckett

Born 1963

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2085 COACH

John Thompson III

Born 1966

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2093 FOOTBALL

Darin Jordan

Born 1964

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2125 PHILOSOPHER

Joshua Glenn

Born 1967

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2155 LAWYER

Allison Dale Burroughs

Born 1961

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2160 TEACHER

Gary Loveman

Born 1960

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2186 POLITICIAN

Jeff Miller (California politician)

Born 1963

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2193 WRITER

Guido Giacomo Preparata

Born 1968

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2195 PRIEST

Tikhon Mollard

Born 1966

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2217 BIOCHEMIST

Elly Tanaka

Born 1965

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2224 SINGER

Claudia Gonson

Born 1968

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2255 HOCKEY

Cleon Daskalakis

Born 1962

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2291 LAWYER

David S. Cohen (attorney)

Born 1963

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2292 JOURNALIST

James Bennet (journalist)

Born 1966

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2300 BODYBUILDER

Mike Matarazzo

1965 - 2014

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2311 FILM

Andrew Marcus

Born 1960

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2315 FENCER

Caitlin Bilodeaux

Born 1965

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2328 ANIMATOR

Lev Yilmaz

Born 1969

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2332 ARTIST

Élodie Pong

Born 1966

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2334 FOOTBALL

Bill Brooks (American football)

Born 1964

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2342 CHESS

Sharon Ellen Burtman

Born 1968

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2347 ARTIST

Patrick O'Brien (artist)

Born 1960

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2364 HOCKEY

Don Parsons (ice hockey)

Born 1969

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2374 BASEBALL

Cameron Drew

Born 1964

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2384 FOOTBALL

David Norrie

Born 1963

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2385 WRITER

Debra Spark

Born 1962

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2393 ACTOR

Jill Tasker

Born 1966

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2423 SWIMMER

Scott Jaffe

Born 1969

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2451 POLITICIAN

Steven McLaughlin

Born 1963

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2459 SINGER

Stacy Earl

Born 1962

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2465 BUSINESS

Paul Calello

1961 - 2010

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2472 FOOTBALL

Darvell Huffman

Born 1967

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2486 POLITICIAN

Bruce Ayers

Born 1962

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2497 PAINTER

David Kracov

Born 1968

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2500 NOVELIST

Ann Bauer

Born 1966

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2511 ARCHITECT

Bruce Appleyard

Born 1965

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2519 PHYSICIST

Angela Olinto

Born 1961

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2527 MARTIAL ART

Chris Sanford

Born 1968

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2540 CHEMIST

Richard J. Green

Born 1964

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2550 POLITICIAN

Bradford Hill

Born 1967

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2554 RESEARCH

William Schafer

Born 1964

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2558 FOOTBALL

Roger Caron (American football)

Born 1962

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2574 EDITOR

Paul Coyne

Born 1964

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2596 ARTIST

David Thorne

Born 1960

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2602 HISTORIAN

Andrew Diamond (professor)

Born 1967

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2604 ARTIST

TJ Norris

Born 1965

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2617 ARTIST

Deborah Aschheim

Born 1964

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2638 LAWYER

George T. Conway III

Born 1963

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2642 SINGER

Eve Goldberg

Born 1967

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2644 LAWYER

Thomas P. O'Brien

Born 1960

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2663 TEACHER

Joasaph (McLellan)

1962 - 2009

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2671 BASKET

Jimmy Patsos

Born 1966

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2685 ACADEMIC

Michael Rao

Born 1967

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2691 BASEBALL

Jim Bowden

Born 1961

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2725 SINGER

Jacquelyn Piro Donovan

Born 1965

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2745 POLITICIAN

Maryanne Lewis

Born 1963

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2750 WRITER

Jennifer Skiff

Born 1961

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2778 PAINTER

Deborah Martin

Born 1961

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2792 ECONOMIST

Abraham Wickelgren

Born 1969

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2809 SINGER

Charlemaine

Born 1967

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2835 NOVELIST

John D. Harvey

Born 1968

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2840 LAWYER

Tamara W. Ashford

Born 1968

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2850 BASEBALL

Javier Ortiz (outfielder)

Born 1963

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2854 WRITER

Tom Lampert

Born 1962

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2864 SPORT

Dan Simonds

Born 1965

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2870 ACTIVIST

Jay Ruderman

Born 1966

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2872 PHOTOGRAPHER

Andrea Robbins

Born 1963

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2914 POLITICIAN

Susan Tracy

Born 1960

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2926 NOBLE

William Lobkowicz

Born 1961

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2929 JAZZ

Rob Bargad

Born 1962

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2930 POLITICIAN

Michael G. Bellotti

Born 1963

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2941 FOOTBALL

Jessie Small

Born 1966

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2954 JOURNALIST

David Barstow

Born 1963

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2963 ACTOR

Erik Betts

Born 1967

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2964 JOURNALIST

Jay Blotcher

Born 1960

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2969 BASEBALL

Jim Hunter (baseball)

Born 1964

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2973 JOURNALIST

Joseph Kahn (journalist)

Born 1964

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2979 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Sarah Birch

Born 1963

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2992 POLITICIAN

Mary Z. Connaughton

Born 1960

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3006 WRITER

Alexandra Chasin

Born 1961

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3017 WRITER

Gregory Norman Bossert

Born 1962

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3019 BUSINESS

Joy Covey

1963 - 2013

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3050 COACH

Fran Papasedero

1969 - 2003

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3059 FILMMAKER

John Seward Johnson III

Born 1966

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3074 HOCKEY

Joe Howard (sledge hockey)

Born 1966

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3081 BASEBALL

Paul Carey (baseball)

Born 1968

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3086 ACTOR

Paul Wahlberg

Born 1964

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3091 EXECUTIVE

Mortimer J. Buckley

Born 1969

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3095 PRODUCER

Frank Swart

Born 1961

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3114 HOCKEY

Billy O'Dwyer

Born 1960

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3124 ACTOR

Donald Foley

1963 - 2011

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3148 POLITICIAN

Paul J. Gannon

Born 1960

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3152 RADIO

Gene Lavanchy

Born 1964

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3170 BASEBALL

Kenny Greer

Born 1967

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3184 EXECUTIVE

Jonathan Rotenberg

Born 1963

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3188 POLICE

Beating of Michael Cox

Born 1965

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3213 ASTRONOMER

Douglas Tybor Durig

Born 1961

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3235 EXECUTIVE

John Curran (businessman)

Born 1964

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3238 MUSIC

Eric Zinman

Born 1963

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3240 SINGER

Michael Connaire

Born 1968

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3247 GOVERNMENT

Cedric Cromwell

Born 1965

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3259 POLITICIAN

John M. Tobin Jr.

Born 1969

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3280 WRITER

Jane F. Barry

Born 1966

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3282 MUSIC

John Goetchius

Born 1965

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3288 THEATRE

David Saint

Born 1963

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3300 WRITER

Adriana Langer

Born 1964

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3338 BOXER

Joey DeGrandis

Born 1969

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3348 FOOTBALL

Ken Kaplan

Born 1960

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3352 ATHLETE

Lawrence Keyte

Born 1963

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3387 MISSING

Jeff A. Weiss

Born 1964

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3392 HOCKEY

Donna Lee (field hockey)

Born 1960

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3396 FOOTBALL

Steve Trapilo

1964 - 2004

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3424 MUSIC

Kevin Garant

Born 1963

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3461 POLITICIAN

Tony Barton (politician)

Born 1961

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3479 ACTOR

Jere Shea

Born 1965

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3523 BASEBALL

John Kiely (baseball)

Born 1964

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3534 POLITICIAN

Kelly Timilty

1962 - 2012

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3546 PSYCHOLOGIST

Claire Wiseman

Born 1965

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3551 NOVELIST

Ray Daniel (author)

Born 1962

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