38.8951° N, 77.0368° W

WASHINGTON

Most Famous People Born in Washington, United States

Notable people
3,084
Peak decade
1940s
Median birth year
1949
Most distinctive
Basket 4.3×

A federal city whose distinctive shelves are exactly what you'd expect — military officers, lawyers, journalists, and an unusually thick novelist column — alongside one of the country's deepest basketball and baseball benches. But Washington is also a Black cultural capital, and the most famous names born here are Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye, and Samuel L. Jackson, not politicians. The 19th-century tail is thinner than you'd expect; the city only really filled up after the New Deal.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1940s with 428 notable births.

What Washington Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Actor is Washington's biggest profession — 8% of all notables (258).

Washington over-indexes on basket4.3× the global rate.

Washington under-produces painter — only 0.6× the global rate.

  1. Actor258
  2. Politician236
  3. Football201
  4. Basket168
  5. Lawyer142
  6. Baseball116
  7. Writer99
  8. Journalist88
  1. Basket1684.3×
  2. Officer723.5×
  3. Novelist433.5×
  4. Baseball1163.3×
  5. Lawyer1422.6×
  6. Music882.0×
  7. Journalist881.8×
  8. Artist521.6×
  1. Painter480.6×
  2. Football2010.6×
  3. Politician2360.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

16501700175018001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Film & TV
  • Writing
  • Music
  • Science
  • Other
All3,084
Sort By

3,084 notable people

0301 ACTOR

Madlyn Rhue

1935 - 2003

Preview
0302 JOURNALIST

David A. Kennedy

1955 - 1984

Preview
0303 POLITICIAN

Jimmy Panetta

Born 1969

Preview
0304 ACTOR

Connie Mason

Born 1937

Preview
0305 ACTOR

Laura Wright

Born 1970

Preview
0306 FOOTBALL

Roy Lassiter

Born 1969

Preview
0307 PRESENTER

Roger Mudd

Born 1928

Preview
0308 NOVELIST

Isabel Briggs Myers

1897 - 1980

Preview
0309 JOURNALIST

Uki Goñi

Born 1953

Preview
0310 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

David S. Johnson

1945 - 2016

Preview
0311 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Merritt Ruhlen

Born 1944

Preview
0312 JOURNALIST

Mary Mapes

Born 1956

Preview
0313 POLITICIAN

Dan Walker (politician)

1922 - 2015

Preview
0314 ASTRONAUT

Lisa Nowak

Born 1963

Preview
0315 ACTOR

Arleen Sorkin

Born 1955

Preview
0316 SOCIOLOGIST

Harrison White

Born 1930

Preview
0317 OFFICER

Benjamin O. Davis Jr.

1912 - 2002

Preview
0318 POLITICIAN

Larry Hogan

Born 1956

Preview
0319 JOURNALIST

Alex Ross (music critic)

Born 1968

Preview
0320 WRITER

Robert Underwood Johnson

1853 - 1937

Preview
0321 JOURNALIST

David Brock

Born 1962

Preview
0322 BASEBALL

Denard Span

Born 1984

Preview
0323 CHEMIST

Tobin J. Marks

Born 1944

Preview
0324 SINGER

William DuVall

Born 1967

Preview
0325 ACADEMIC

Francis Birch (geophysicist)

1903 - 1992

Preview
0326 SPY

John Surratt

1844 - 1916

Preview
0327 ACTOR

Paul James (actor)

-

Preview
0328 ACTOR

Gabrielle Christian

Born 1984

Preview
0329 ACTOR

Vinton Hayworth

1906 - 1970

Preview
0330 ACTOR

Cotter Smith

Born 1949

Preview
0331 POLITICIAN

Joshua Bolten

Born 1954

Preview
0332 COMPOSER

Kelela

Born 1983

Preview
0333 OFFICER

Alfred Pleasonton

1824 - 1897

Preview
0334 COMPOSER

George Walker (composer)

1922 - 2018

Preview
0335 ACTOR

Scott Krinsky

Born 1968

Preview
0336 TERRORIST

David Headley

Born 1960

Preview
0337 POLITICIAN

Bob Wise

Born 1948

Preview
0338 WRITER

Sterling Allen Brown

1901 - 1989

Preview
0339 WRESTLER

Sonjay Dutt

Born 1982

Preview
0340 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

John Vlissides

1961 - 2005

Preview
0341 BASKET

Treveon Graham

Born 1993

Preview
0342 ARCHAEOLOGIST

Herbert Eustis Winlock

1884 - 1950

Preview
0343 WRITER

Uzodinma Iweala

Born 1982

Preview
0344 ACTOR

Demetrius Grosse

Born 1981

Preview
0345 WRESTLER

Velveteen Dream

Born 1995

Preview
0346 WRITER

Kami Garcia

Born 1972

Preview
0347 ACTOR

Bert Roach

1891 - 1971

Preview
0348 CRIMINAL

Frank Morris

1926 - 1962

Preview
0349 FILM

Monta Bell

1891 - 1958

Preview
0350 PAINTER

Eugene J. Martin

1938 - 2005

Preview
0351 NOVELIST

Stephen L. Carter

Born 1954

Preview
0352 ACTOR

Wheeler Oakman

1890 - 1949

Preview
0353 KILLER

Zodiac Killer

Born 1968

Preview
0354 COMPOSER

Will Marion Cook

1869 - 1944

Preview
0355 COMPOSER

Ted Koehler

1894 - 1973

Preview
0356 MUSIC

Michael Tait

Born 1966

Preview
0357 AFFAIR WITH

Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd

1891 - 1948

Preview
0358 NOVELIST

E. D. E. N. Southworth

1819 - 1899

Preview
0359 ACTOR

Ali Wentworth

Born 1965

Preview
0360 POLITICIAN

Jay Carney

Born 1965

Preview
0361 WRITER

Zak Bagans

Born 1977

Preview
0362 MATHEMATICIAN

Anatole Katok

1944 - 2018

Preview
0363 FOOTBALL

Willie Wood (American football)

1936 - 2020

Preview
0364 AUTHOR

Margaret Edson

Born 1961

Preview
0365 WRITER

Ted White (author)

Born 1938

Preview
0366 BASKET

Louis Bullock

Born 1976

Preview
0367 ATHLETIC

Rosângela Santos

Born 1990

Preview
0368 COMPOSER

Kenneth Ascher

Born 1944

Preview
0369 BASKET

Eddie Jordan (basketball)

Born 1955

Preview
0370 ARMY

Earle Wheeler

1908 - 1975

Preview
0371 BUSINESS

Andrew Fastow

Born 1961

Preview
0372 WRITER

Paula Danziger

1945 - 2004

Preview
0373 ACTOR

Roger Aaron Brown

Born 1949

Preview
0374 MILITAR

Benjamin O. Davis Sr.

1877 - 1970

Preview
0375 SINGER

Eric Hutchinson

Born 1980

Preview
0376 BASKET

DerMarr Johnson

Born 1980

Preview
0377 PLAYER

Treat Huey

Born 1985

Preview
0378 WRITER

Jean Craighead George

1919 - 2012

Preview
0379 JOURNALIST

Ali Abunimah

Born 1971

Preview
0380 PHILOSOPHER

Douglas Kellner

Born 1943

Preview
0381 BASKET

Dickey Simpkins

Born 1972

Preview
0382 SCHOLAR

Fred Donner

Born 1945

Preview
0383 POET

Mattie Stepanek

1990 - 2004

Preview
0384 REPRESENTATIVE

Brian Sims

Born 1978

Preview
0385 POLITICIAN

Jiří Dienstbier Jr.

Born 1969

Preview
0386 POLITICIAN

Chet Culver

Born 1966

Preview
0387 FILM

Caveh Zahedi

Born 1960

Preview
0388 MUSIC

GoldLink

Born 1993

Preview
0389 CIRCUS

Jackie Stallone

1921 - 2020

Preview
0390 POLITICIAN

David C. Broderick

1820 - 1859

Preview
0391 BASKET

Charles Smith (basketball, born 1967)

Born 1967

Preview
0392 ACTOR

Marie de Villepin

Born 1986

Preview
0393 EARL

Princess Anne of Denmark

1917 - 1980

Preview
0394 MATHEMATICIAN

Evelyn Boyd Granville

Born 1924

Preview
0395 ACTOR

Madeleine Potter

Born 1958

Preview
0396 JOURNALIST

Steve Coll

Born 1958

Preview
0397 FOOTBALL

Desmond Armstrong

Born 1964

Preview
0398 PLAYER

Harold Solomon

Born 1952

Preview
0399 GENETICIST

Philip Leder

1934 - 2020

Preview
0400 ASTRONAUT

Frederick D. Gregory

Born 1941

Preview
0401 ACTOR

Michelle Nicastro

1960 - 2010

Preview
0402 POLITICIAN

Brune Poirson

Born 1982

Preview
0403 BASKET

Johnny Dawkins

Born 1963

Preview
0404 PHOTOGRAPHER

Cady Noland

Born 1956

Preview
0405 RAPPER

Wax (rapper)

Born 1980

Preview
0406 MUSIC

Butch Warren

1939 - 2013

Preview
0407 ACTOR

Gaelan Connell

Born 1989

Preview
0408 OFFICER

William H. Rupertus

1889 - 1945

Preview
0409 POET

Dudley Randall

1914 - 2000

Preview
0410 SAXOPHONIST

Otto Hardwick

1904 - 1970

Preview
0411 BASKET

Randolph Childress

Born 1972

Preview
0412 MUSIC

DJ Kool

Born 1959

Preview
0413 LAWYER

Courtney Whitney

1897 - 1969

Preview
0414 MUSIC

Ronnie Dyson

1950 - 1990

Preview
0415 ACTOR

Tucker Smallwood

Born 1944

Preview
0416 MATHEMATICIAN

Joseph L. Walsh

1895 - 1973

Preview
0417 MUSIC

Osie Johnson

1923 - 1966

Preview
0418 NOVELIST

Jane Lindskold

Born 1962

Preview
0419 BASKET

Michael Sweetney

Born 1982

Preview
0420 OFFICER

Eugene B. Fluckey

1913 - 2007

Preview
0421 BASKET

Rebekkah Brunson

Born 1981

Preview
0422 ACTOR

John Harmon (actor)

1905 - 1985

Preview
0423 SINGER

Thalia Zedek

Born 1961

Preview
0424 BASKET

Sharrod Ford

Born 1982

Preview
0425 ACTIVIST

David Nolan (libertarian)

1943 - 2010

Preview
0426 FILM

Maria Maggenti

Born 1962

Preview
0427 FOOTBALL

Brian Westbrook

Born 1979

Preview
0428 JOURNALIST

Jim Acosta

Born 1971

Preview
0429 JOURNALIST

Brit Hume

Born 1943

Preview
0430 FILM

Trish Sie

Born 1976

Preview
0431 BASKET

Melo Trimble

Born 1995

Preview
0432 ACTOR

Josh Stamberg

Born 1970

Preview
0433 BASKET

Chris Johnson (basketball, born 1985)

Born 1985

Preview
0434 PRODUCER

Rich Harrison

Born 1975

Preview
0435 MUSIC

Steven Bernstein (musician)

Born 1961

Preview
0436 BASKET

Jerome Williams (basketball)

Born 1973

Preview
0437 GEOLOGIST

William Ruddiman

Born 1943

Preview
0438 ART CRITIC

Barbara Rose

Born 1937

Preview
0439 FOOTBALL

Shawne Merriman

Born 1984

Preview
0440 SINGER

Denyce Graves

Born 1964

Preview
0441 BASKET

Austin Carr

Born 1948

Preview
0442 JOURNALIST

Isabel Wilkerson

Born 1961

Preview
0443 SCULPTOR

Jim Sanborn

Born 1945

Preview
0444 SKATER

Michael Weiss (figure skater)

Born 1976

Preview
0445 ACTOR

Elizabeth Norment

1952 - 2014

Preview
0446 BOXER

Lamont Peterson

Born 1984

Preview
0447 ACTOR

Karen Strassman

Born 1975

Preview
0448 COMPOSER

David Van Tieghem

Born 1955

Preview
0449 BASKET

Sidney Lowe

Born 1960

Preview
0450 JOURNALIST

Katherine Boo

Born 1964

Preview
0451 PROFESSOR

Donald S. Lopez Jr.

Born 1952

Preview
0452 POLITICIAN

Cliff Stearns

Born 1941

Preview
0453 WRITER

L. Brent Bozell III

Born 1955

Preview
0454 LAWYER

Michael LeMoyne Kennedy

1958 - 1997

Preview
0455 PRIEST

Philip Hannan

1913 - 2011

Preview
0456 PRODUCER

Theo Parrish

Born 1972

Preview
0457 PALAEONTOLOGIST

Alpheus Hyatt

1838 - 1902

Preview
0458 BASKET

Roger Mason Jr.

Born 1980

Preview
0459 MATHEMATICIAN

Jack Edmonds

Born 1934

Preview
0460 ACADEMIC

Grover Furr

Born 1944

Preview
0461 POLITICIAN

Richard Bryan

Born 1937

Preview
0462 PLAYER

Tom Brown (tennis)

1922 - 2011

Preview
0463 DAUGHTER

Peggy Eaton

1799 - 1879

Preview
0464 SONGWRITER

Don Raye

1909 - 1985

Preview
0465 ACTOR

Jeannetta Arnette

Born 1954

Preview
0466 GENETICIST

Nancy Wexler

Born 1945

Preview
0467 SINGER

Slaid Cleaves

Born 1964

Preview
0468 FILM

Jonathan Nossiter

Born 1961

Preview
0469 ENTREPRENEUR

Bill France Jr.

1933 - 2007

Preview
0470 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Philippe C. Schmitter

Born 1936

Preview
0471 ACTOR

Judith Baldwin

Born 1946

Preview
0472 TRANSLATOR

William Weaver

1923 - 2013

Preview
0473 FOOTBALL

Theoson Siebatcheu

Born 1996

Preview
0474 CHESS

Larry Kaufman

Born 1947

Preview
0475 MATHEMATICIAN

David A. Cox

Born 1948

Preview
0476 HISTORIAN

Walter A. McDougall

Born 1946

Preview
0477 BASKET

Delonte West

Born 1983

Preview
0478 JOURNALIST

Joshua Foer

Born 1982

Preview
0479 BASKET

David Hawkins (basketball)

Born 1982

Preview
0480 BIOCHEMIST

Patrick O. Brown

Born 1954

Preview
0481 JOURNALIST

Floyd Gibbons

1887 - 1939

Preview
0482 POLITICIAN

Hamilton Fish IV

1926 - 1996

Preview
0483 PRODUCER

DJ Babu

Born 1974

Preview
0484 ACTOR

Caitlin Glass

Born 1981

Preview
0485 PHILOSOPHER

Tim Maudlin

Born 1958

Preview
0486 CHEMIST

David A. Evans

Born 1941

Preview
0487 GUITAR

Tosin Abasi

Born 1983

Preview
0488 BASEBALL

Nate Freiman

Born 1986

Preview
0489 ATHLETIC

John Taylor (athlete)

1883 - 1908

Preview
0490 ARMY

Samuel Arnold (conspirator)

1834 - 1906

Preview
0491 EDITOR

Melville Bell Grosvenor

1901 - 1982

Preview
0492 ACTOR

Andrea Baker

-

Preview
0493 SCREENWRITER

Richard Schayer

1880 - 1956

Preview
0494 POET

Leonora Speyer

1872 - 1956

Preview
0495 ACTOR

Aaron D. Spears

Born 1971

Preview
0496 MATHEMATICIAN

Robert McEliece

1942 - 2019

Preview
0497 HISTORIAN

Julia Dent Cantacuzène Spiransky-Grant

1876 - 1975

Preview
0498 BOTANIST

Ynes Mexia

1870 - 1938

Preview
0499 SWIMMER

Melissa Belote

Born 1956

Preview
0500 POLITICIAN

Fred A. Seaton

1909 - 1974

Preview
0501 LINGUIST

Jerrold Katz

1932 - 2002

Preview
0502 SINGER

Damian Kulash

Born 1975

Preview
0503 ACADEMIC

Gretchen Daily

Born 1964

Preview
0504 POLITICIAN

Walter Fauntroy

Born 1933

Preview
0505 COMICS

Tom King (comics)

Born 1978

Preview
0506 JOURNALIST

John Dickerson (journalist)

Born 1968

Preview
0507 BASKET

Anthony Dobbins

Born 1981

Preview
0508 BASKET

Tim Legler

Born 1966

Preview
0509 ACTOR

Marta Heflin

1945 - 2013

Preview
0510 PRIEST

Aloysius Schwartz

1930 - 1992

Preview
0511 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Betty Meggers

1921 - 2012

Preview
0512 SPRINT

Derek Mills

Born 1972

Preview
0513 FILM

Rick Prelinger

Born 1953

Preview
0514 HISTORIAN

Marshall Clagett

1916 - 2005

Preview
0515 ASTRONAUT

Robert L. Stewart

Born 1942

Preview
0516 POLITICIAN

Ricardo Arias

1912 - 1993

Preview
0517 ATHLETIC

C. J. Hunter

Born 1968

Preview
0518 ACTOR

Pat Flaherty (actor)

1897 - 1970

Preview
0519 MATHEMATICIAN

Euphemia Haynes

1890 - 1980

Preview
0520 AUTHOR

Karen Rose

Born 1964

Preview
0521 MUSIC

Teddy Smith

1932 - 1979

Preview
0522 BUSINESS

Eric Johnston

1896 - 1963

Preview
0523 POLITICIAN

Carolina Punset

Born 1971

Preview
0524 BASKET

Michael Smith (basketball, born 1972)

Born 1972

Preview
0525 NOVELIST

Scott Spencer (writer)

Born 1945

Preview
0526 DRIVER

Bill France Sr.

1909 - 1992

Preview
0527 NOVELIST

Leslie Jamison

Born 1983

Preview
0528 ACTOR

Hayley Sales

Born 1986

Preview
0529 ACTOR

Sara Downing

Born 1979

Preview
0530 BOXER

Gary Russell Jr.

Born 1988

Preview
0531 AUTHOR

Richard Bruce Nugent

1906 - 1987

Preview
0532 MATHEMATICIAN

James Sethian

Born 1954

Preview
0533 NATURALIST

Stephen L. Johnson

Born 1951

Preview
0534 PHILOSOPHER

Keith Donnellan

1931 - 2015

Preview
0535 BOTANIST

Warren H. Wagner

1920 - 2000

Preview
0536 SCREENWRITER

David Mills (TV writer)

1961 - 2010

Preview
0537 ACTOR

Betty Gabriel

-

Preview
0538 RADIO

Ben Mankiewicz

Born 1967

Preview
0539 BASKET

Donell Taylor

Born 1982

Preview
0540 BOXER

Winky Wright

Born 1971

Preview
0541 MATHEMATICIAN

Audrey Terras

Born 1942

Preview
0542 MUSIC

Billy Kilson

Born 1962

Preview
0543 ARTIST

Greg Cannom

Born 1951

Preview
0544 SINGER

William DeVaughn

Born 1947

Preview
0545 SCREENWRITER

Robert Carson (writer)

1909 - 1983

Preview
0546 COMPOSER

Laurent de Wilde

Born 1960

Preview
0547 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Eric H. Cline

Born 1960

Preview
0548 ACTOR

Priscilla Bonner

1899 - 1996

Preview
0549 BASKET

Kenny Hasbrouck

Born 1986

Preview
0550 BASKET

Walt Williams

Born 1970

Preview
0551 NOVELIST

David Bischoff

1951 - 2018

Preview
0552 POLITICIAN

Adrian Fenty

Born 1970

Preview
0553 LAWYER

James P. Gray

Born 1945

Preview
0554 ACADEMIC

Dorit Aharonov

Born 1970

Preview
0555 TRUMPET

Ira Sullivan

1931 - 2020

Preview
0556 MODEL

Margaret Gorman

1905 - 1995

Preview
0557 BASKET

Len Ford

1926 - 1972

Preview
0558 ACTOR

Carl Harbaugh

1886 - 1960

Preview
0559 POLITICIAN

Vincent C. Gray

Born 1942

Preview
0560 ACTOR

Charles Baker (actor)

Born 1971

Preview
0561 MUSIC

Jack Nimitz

1930 - 2009

Preview
0562 DRUMMER

Ron Bushy

Born 1945

Preview
0563 BASKET

Adrian Branch

Born 1963

Preview
0564 HISTORIAN

Rayford Logan

1897 - 1982

Preview
0565 ACTRESS

Metinee Kingpayom

Born 1972

Preview
0566 JOCKEY

David O'Connor (equestrian)

Born 1962

Preview
0567 PLAYER

Shenay Perry

Born 1984

Preview
0568 SINGER

Harolyn Blackwell

Born 1955

Preview
0569 WRITER

Jude Milhon

1939 - 2003

Preview
0570 MUSIC

Franz Stahl

Born 1962

Preview
0571 JOURNALIST

Diane Rehm

Born 1936

Preview
0572 ACTOR

Alix Koromzay

Born 1969

Preview
0573 HISTORIAN

Anne d'Harnoncourt

1943 - 2008

Preview
0574 SINGER

Mary Timony

Born 1970

Preview
0575 BASEBALL

Emmanuel Burriss

Born 1985

Preview
0576 ACTOR

Álvaro Escobar

Born 1966

Preview
0577 WRITER

John Rockwell

Born 1940

Preview
0578 POLITICIAN

Julian Dixon

1934 - 2000

Preview
0579 SPRINT

Andy Stanfield

1927 - 1985

Preview
0580 SCREENWRITER

Channing Pollock (writer)

1880 - 1946

Preview
0581 BASEBALL

Ryan Hanigan

Born 1980

Preview
0582 MUSIC

Harry Allen (musician)

Born 1966

Preview
0583 POLITICIAN

Carlos Martínez de Irujo, Duke of Sotomayor

1802 - 1855

Preview
0584 AUTHOR

Susan Ford

Born 1957

Preview
0585 FOOTBALL

Byron Leftwich

Born 1980

Preview
0586 PHILOSOPHER

Duncan Kennedy (legal philosopher)

Born 1942

Preview
0587 FILM

Stan Lai

Born 1954

Preview
0588 AUTHOR

Jack Nichols (activist)

1938 - 2005

Preview
0589 POLITICIAN

Thomas Pratt (Maryland politician)

1804 - 1869

Preview
0590 SINGER

Tanya Blount

Born 1977

Preview
0591 ACTOR

Eslanda Goode Robeson

1895 - 1965

Preview
0592 BASKET

Moochie Norris

Born 1973

Preview
0593 WRITER

Chris Adrian

Born 1970

Preview
0594 RAPPER

Oddisee

Born 1985

Preview
0595 ENGINEER

Ron Jeffries

Born 1939

Preview
0596 AEROSPACE

Charles Kaman

1919 - 2011

Preview
0597 MUSIC

B.G., the Prince of Rap

-

Preview
0598 AUTHOR

Tony Horwitz

1958 - 2019

Preview
0599 ACTOR

Sandra Dickinson

Born 1948

Preview
0600 ACTOR

Margaret Seddon

1872 - 1968

Preview