Global Leaderboard 100 in view

Most Famous People from Bulgaria

All 152,953
Bulgaria 547
2,138 ND Nina Dobrev Nina Dobrev Bulgarian Actor b. 1989
5,432 GD Georgi Dimitrov Georgi Dimitrov Bulgarian Politician 1882–1949
5,466 TZ Todor Zhivkov Todor Zhivkov Bulgarian Politician 1911–1998
6,801 HS Hristo Stoichkov Hristo Stoichkov Bulgarian Football b. 1966
7,415 FI Ferdinand I of Bulgaria Ferdinand I of Bulgaria Bulgarian Monarch 1861–1948
8,537 IV Ivan Vazov Ivan Vazov Bulgarian Poet 1850–1921
9,119 HB Hristo Botev Hristo Botev Bulgarian Poet 1848–1876
14,136 DB Dimitar Berbatov Dimitar Berbatov Bulgarian Football b. 1981
17,608 AS Aleksandar Stamboliyski Aleksandar Stamboliyski Bulgarian Politician 1879–1923
17,629 BB Boyko Borisov Boyko Borisov Bulgarian Politician b. 1959
19,363 SP Stiliyan Petrov Stiliyan Petrov Bulgarian Football b. 1979
21,287 SS Stefan Stambolov Bulgarian Politician 1854–1895
23,845 JP Jules Pascin Jules Pascin Bulgarian Painter 1885–1930
23,887 SI Simeon I of Bulgaria Simeon I of Bulgaria Bulgarian Sovereign 864–927
24,974 ZZ Zhelyu Zhelev Zhelyu Zhelev Bulgarian Politician 1935–2015
25,258 NG Nicolai Ghiaurov Nicolai Ghiaurov Bulgarian Singer 1929–2004
25,610 VB Valeri Bojinov Valeri Bojinov Bulgarian Football b. 1986
27,615 YY Yordan Yovkov Yordan Yovkov Bulgarian Writer 1880–1937
29,549 EP Elin Pelin Elin Pelin Bulgarian Writer 1877–1949
29,752 SO Samuel of Bulgaria Samuel of Bulgaria Bulgarian Sovereign 958–1014
29,833 GP Georgi Parvanov Georgi Parvanov Bulgarian Politician b. 1957
31,602 BF Bogdan Filov Bogdan Filov Bulgarian Anthropologist 1883–1945
32,036 CO Clement of Ohrid Clement of Ohrid Bulgarian Disciples 840–916
33,238 PS Pencho Slaveykov Pencho Slaveykov Bulgarian Poet 1866–1912
34,068 GD Gotse Delchev Gotse Delchev Bulgarian Revolutionary 1872–1903
34,669 AK Aleko Konstantinov Aleko Konstantinov Bulgarian Writer 1863–1897
35,550 OM Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov Bulgarian Philosopher 1900–1986
36,911 JO John of Rila John of Rila Bulgarian Monk 876–946
37,564 PY Peyo Yavorov Peyo Yavorov Bulgarian Poet 1878–1914
37,784 VC Valko Chervenkov Valko Chervenkov Bulgarian Politician 1900–1980
39,041 VK Vasil Kolarov Vasil Kolarov Bulgarian Politician 1877–1950
40,930 RK Raina Kabaivanska Raina Kabaivanska Bulgarian Singer b. 1934
42,693 GD Ghena Dimitrova Ghena Dimitrova Bulgarian Singer 1941–2005
43,970 KG Kimon Georgiev Kimon Georgiev Bulgarian Militar 1882–1969
44,509 YR Yordan Radichkov Yordan Radichkov Bulgarian Writer 1929–2004
44,937 LK Lyuben Karavelov Lyuben Karavelov Bulgarian Poet 1834–1879
45,575 GM Geo Milev Geo Milev Bulgarian Writer 1895–1925
45,933 LI Lili Ivanova Lili Ivanova Bulgarian Singer b. 1939
45,985 GD Grigor Dimitrov Grigor Dimitrov Bulgarian Player b. 1991
46,417 KM Krste Misirkov Krste Misirkov Bulgarian Historian 1874–1926
48,788 BD Blaga Dimitrova Bulgarian Poet 1922–2003
49,326 MP Martin Petrov Martin Petrov Bulgarian Football b. 1979
52,633 PD Peter Deunov Peter Deunov Bulgarian Philosopher 1864–1944
54,381 PO Paisius of Hilendar Paisius of Hilendar Bulgarian Presbyter 1722–1773
55,034 PM Petar Mladenov Petar Mladenov Bulgarian Politician 1936–2000
55,676 AT Aleksandar Tonev Aleksandar Tonev Bulgarian Football b. 1990
58,200 AT Aleksandar Tsankov Aleksandar Tsankov Bulgarian Fascist 1879–1959
59,970 SD Spas Delev Spas Delev Bulgarian Football b. 1989
61,832 YS Yane Sandanski Yane Sandanski Bulgarian Politician 1872–1915
62,470 GM Georgi Milanov (footballer) Georgi Milanov (footballer) Bulgarian Football b. 1992
64,096 LW Ljuba Welitsch Ljuba Welitsch Bulgarian Singer 1913–1996
66,060 PI Peter I of Bulgaria Peter I of Bulgaria Bulgarian Monarch 895–970
66,350 LZ Lyudmila Zhivkova Lyudmila Zhivkova Bulgarian Communist 1942–1981
66,771 AM Aleksandar Malinov Aleksandar Malinov Bulgarian Politician 1867–1938
67,024 GG Georgi Gospodinov Bulgarian Screenwriter b. 1968
69,541 DP Dimitar Peshev Bulgarian Politician 1894–1973
72,251 AD Ahmed Dogan Ahmed Dogan Bulgarian Politician b. 1954
73,962 DG Dora Gabe Dora Gabe Bulgarian Poet 1888–1983
79,913 AL Andrey Lyapchev Andrey Lyapchev Bulgarian Minister 1866–1933
80,715 RP Rosen Plevneliev Rosen Plevneliev Bulgarian Politician b. 1964
82,802 VS Vladislav Stoyanov Vladislav Stoyanov Bulgarian Football b. 1987
83,739 ĐR Đoko Rosić Đoko Rosić Bulgarian Actor 1932–2014
85,575 ZL Zdravko Lazarov Zdravko Lazarov Bulgarian Football b. 1976
87,932 IM Iliyan Mitsanski Bulgarian Football b. 1985
89,202 AY Anton Yugov Anton Yugov Bulgarian Politician 1904–1991
89,502 DB Dimitar Blagoev Dimitar Blagoev Bulgarian Politician 1856–1924
89,514 PZ Petar Zhekov Petar Zhekov Bulgarian Football b. 1944
90,644 DP Dimitar Penev Dimitar Penev Bulgarian Football b. 1945
92,614 PO Plamen Oresharski Plamen Oresharski Bulgarian Politician b. 1960
94,329 IK Ivan Krastev Ivan Krastev Bulgarian Political Scientist b. 1965
97,190 DG Dame Gruev Dame Gruev Bulgarian Politician 1871–1906
99,401 ZS Zahari Stoyanov Zahari Stoyanov Bulgarian Writer 1850–1889
99,637 PH Petar Hubchev Petar Hubchev Bulgarian Football b. 1964
105,990 IC Ivaylo Chochev Ivaylo Chochev Bulgarian Football b. 1993
106,328 TA Todor Aleksandrov Bulgarian Freedom Fighter 1881–1924
106,840 NG Nicola Ghiuselev Nicola Ghiuselev Bulgarian Singer 1936–2014
107,400 ZZ Zahari Zograf Bulgarian Painter 1810–1853
110,858 VI Vladimir I. Georgiev Bulgarian Linguist 1908–1986
111,092 VI Valentin Iliev Valentin Iliev Bulgarian Football b. 1980
111,116 IK Iliyan Kiryakov Bulgarian Football b. 1967
113,627 GB Georgi Bliznashki Georgi Bliznashki Bulgarian Politician b. 1956
113,663 IP Ivaylo Petkov Ivaylo Petkov Bulgarian Football b. 1976
116,058 ST Stanko Todorov Stanko Todorov Bulgarian Politician 1920–1996
118,949 KM Khristo Markov Bulgarian Athletic b. 1965
119,996 PM Plamen Markov Plamen Markov Bulgarian Football b. 1957
121,207 KG Kiril Georgiev Kiril Georgiev Bulgarian Chess b. 1965
122,650 MO Maxim of Bulgaria Maxim of Bulgaria Bulgarian Priest 1914–2012
125,196 IM Ivan Milev Bulgarian Painter 1897–1927
125,376 KF Kolyu Ficheto Bulgarian Architect 1800–1881
125,570 TG Tsvetan Genkov Tsvetan Genkov Bulgarian Football b. 1984
127,545 CO Constantine of Kostenets Bulgarian Author 1380–1431
127,855 VD Vladimir Dimitrov Vladimir Dimitrov Bulgarian Painter 1882–1960
130,218 MH Marian Hristov Marian Hristov Bulgarian Football b. 1973
130,240 RV Rangel Valchanov Rangel Valchanov Bulgarian Film 1928–2013
130,943 GK Georgi Kyoseivanov Bulgarian Politician 1884–1960
131,067 EB Eugene Bossilkov Eugene Bossilkov Bulgarian Priest 1900–1952
131,388 TS Theodosii Spassov Theodosii Spassov Bulgarian Composer b. 1961
132,305 KD Kiril Despodov Kiril Despodov Bulgarian Football b. 1996
133,636 PZ Petar Zanev Petar Zanev Bulgarian Football b. 1985
134,404 VO Vladimir of Bulgaria Vladimir of Bulgaria Bulgarian Sovereign b. 850
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside Bulgaria

547 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births in Bulgaria peaked in the 1960s with 60 people.

What Bulgaria Is Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Sports is Bulgaria's biggest group — 40% of all notables (217).

Bulgaria over-indexes on sports — 1.9× the global rate.

Bulgaria under-produces science — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Sports217
  2. Politics & Law110
  3. Writing72
  4. Film & TV30
  5. Other24
  6. Art & Design24
  7. Science20
  8. Music18
  1. Sports2171.9×
  1. Science200.5×
  2. Military130.6×
  3. Music180.6×
  4. Religion170.6×
  5. Other240.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Writing
  • Film & TV
  • Art & Design
  • Science
  • Other

Datelines

The biggest birthplaces of fame — every city is a doorway.