Global Leaderboard 100 in view

Most Famous People from Canada

All 152,953
Canada 3,744
127 JB Justin Bieber Justin Bieber Canadian Singer b. 1994
136 LC Leonard Cohen Leonard Cohen Canadian Singer 1934–2016
173 CD Celine Dion Celine Dion Canadian Singer b. 1968
201 JC James Cameron James Cameron Canadian Film b. 1954
269 AL Avril Lavigne Avril Lavigne Canadian Singer b. 1984
494 JC Jim Carrey Jim Carrey Canadian Comedian b. 1962
545 BA Bryan Adams Bryan Adams Canadian Singer b. 1959
554 NY Neil Young Canadian Singer b. 1945
640 MJ Michael J. Fox Michael J. Fox Canadian Actor b. 1961
669 WS William Shatner William Shatner Canadian Actor b. 1931
671 KR Keanu Reeves Keanu Reeves Canadian Actor b. 1964
862 PA Pamela Anderson Pamela Anderson Canadian Actor b. 1967
880 MA Margaret Atwood Canadian Writer b. 1939
1,104 JM Joni Mitchell Joni Mitchell Canadian Singer b. 1943
1,156 DS Donald Sutherland Donald Sutherland Canadian Actor b. 1935
1,160 MB Michael Bublé Michael Bublé Canadian Singer b. 1975
1,161 ST Shania Twain Shania Twain Canadian Singer b. 1965
1,218 LN Leslie Nielsen Leslie Nielsen Canadian Actor 1926–2010
1,486 AP Anna Paquin Anna Paquin Canadian Actor b. 1982
1,501 WG Wayne Gretzky Wayne Gretzky Canadian Hockey b. 1961
1,514 KS Kiefer Sutherland Canadian Actor b. 1966
1,769 EP Ellen Page Ellen Page Canadian Actor b. 1987
1,777 AM Alice Munro Alice Munro Canadian Writer b. 1931
1,837 RR Ryan Reynolds Ryan Reynolds Canadian Actor b. 1976
1,930 FB Frederick Banting Frederick Banting Canadian Physician 1891–1941
2,207 MM Mike Myers Mike Myers Canadian Screenwriter b. 1963
2,232 NF Nelly Furtado Nelly Furtado Canadian Singer b. 1978
2,342 LM Lucy Maud Montgomery Lucy Maud Montgomery Canadian Writer 1874–1942
2,475 D Deadmau5 Deadmau5 Canadian Music b. 1981
2,897 EC Elisha Cuthbert Elisha Cuthbert Canadian Actor b. 1982
2,986 DV Denis Villeneuve Denis Villeneuve Canadian Film b. 1967
3,027 EL Evangeline Lilly Evangeline Lilly Canadian Actor b. 1979
3,083 EG Erving Goffman Erving Goffman Canadian Sociologist 1922–1982
3,196 JK John Kenneth Galbraith John Kenneth Galbraith Canadian Economist 1908–2006
3,208 RB Raymond Burr Raymond Burr Canadian Actor 1917–1993
3,227 MS Martin Short Martin Short Canadian Actor b. 1950
3,236 GF Glenn Ford Glenn Ford Canadian Actor 1916–2006
3,435 MK Margot Kidder Margot Kidder Canadian Actor 1948–2018
3,470 SM Shawn Mendes Shawn Mendes Canadian Singer b. 1998
3,516 CR Carly Rae Jepsen Carly Rae Jepsen Canadian Singer b. 1985
3,541 NC Neve Campbell Neve Campbell Canadian Actor b. 1973
3,726 RP Roddy Piper Roddy Piper Canadian Wrestler 1954–2015
3,843 DK Diana Krall Diana Krall Canadian Singer b. 1964
3,974 GH Gordie Howe Gordie Howe Canadian Hockey 1928–2016
4,123 E( Edge (wrestler) Edge (wrestler) Canadian Actor b. 1973
4,462 NH Natasha Henstridge Natasha Henstridge Canadian Actor b. 1974
4,567 AB Albert Bandura Albert Bandura Canadian Psychologist b. 1925
4,611 WL William Lyon Mackenzie King Canadian Politician 1874–1950
4,702 AT Alan Thicke Alan Thicke Canadian Songwriter 1947–2016
4,985 MC Michael Cera Michael Cera Canadian Actor b. 1988
5,269 CJ Chris Jericho Chris Jericho Canadian Singer b. 1970
5,709 JV Jacques Villeneuve Jacques Villeneuve Canadian Driver b. 1971
5,741 FW Fay Wray Fay Wray Canadian Actor 1907–2004
5,742 JC Jean Chrétien Jean Chrétien Canadian Politician b. 1934
5,785 CH Chris Hadfield Canadian Astronaut b. 1959
6,050 AC Alessia Cara Alessia Cara Canadian Singer b. 1996
6,103 TG Tom Green Tom Green Canadian Comedian b. 1971
6,472 GL Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Lightfoot Canadian Singer b. 1938
6,858 MS Mack Sennett Mack Sennett Canadian Film 1880–1960
7,023 JD John Diefenbaker John Diefenbaker Canadian Politician 1895–1979
7,130 TK Taylor Kitsch Taylor Kitsch Canadian Actor b. 1981
7,220 LM Loreena McKennitt Loreena McKennitt Canadian Singer b. 1957
7,276 KZ Kevin Zegers Kevin Zegers Canadian Actor b. 1984
7,301 F( Feist (singer) Feist (singer) Canadian Singer b. 1976
7,347 BG Bruce Greenwood Bruce Greenwood Canadian Actor b. 1956
7,575 MO Michael Ondaatje Michael Ondaatje Canadian Poet b. 1943
7,583 WL Wilfrid Laurier Wilfrid Laurier Canadian Politician 1841–1919
7,790 BM Brian Mulroney Brian Mulroney Canadian Politician b. 1939
8,056 KW Katheryn Winnick Katheryn Winnick Canadian Actor b. 1977
8,089 GG Graham Greene (actor) Graham Greene (actor) Canadian Actor b. 1952
8,168 EV Emily VanCamp Emily VanCamp Canadian Actor b. 1986
8,553 CD Cœur de pirate Cœur de pirate Canadian Singer b. 1989
8,687 BP Barry Pepper Barry Pepper Canadian Actor b. 1970
8,814 SB Sebastian Bach Sebastian Bach Canadian Singer b. 1968
8,868 BJ Ben Johnson (sprinter) Ben Johnson (sprinter) Canadian Athletic b. 1961
8,965 AJ A. J. Cook A. J. Cook Canadian Actor b. 1978
9,012 WO William Osler William Osler Canadian Physician 1849–1919
9,327 AM Anne Murray Anne Murray Canadian Singer b. 1945
9,386 AE A. E. van Vogt A. E. van Vogt Canadian Writer 1912–2000
9,443 BO Bobby Orr Bobby Orr Canadian Hockey b. 1948
9,550 AT Amanda Tapping Amanda Tapping Canadian Actor b. 1965
9,601 LE Linda Evangelista Linda Evangelista Canadian Model b. 1965
9,604 SC Sidney Crosby Sidney Crosby Canadian Hockey b. 1987
9,921 CB Conrad Bain Conrad Bain Canadian Actor 1923–2013
10,350 ST Shannon Tweed Shannon Tweed Canadian Actor b. 1957
10,376 AC Amanda Crew Amanda Crew Canadian Actor b. 1986
10,476 MD Marie Dressler Marie Dressler Canadian Actor 1868–1934
10,554 KC Kim Campbell Kim Campbell Canadian Politician b. 1947
10,756 DC Douglas Coupland Douglas Coupland Canadian Writer b. 1961
11,409 KD Kevin Durand Kevin Durand Canadian Actor b. 1974
11,562 RB Robert Borden Robert Borden Canadian Politician 1854–1937
11,607 YK Yousuf Karsh Yousuf Karsh Canadian Photographer 1908–2002
11,639 RL René Lévesque René Lévesque Canadian Politician 1922–1987
11,770 NB Norman Bethune Norman Bethune Canadian Physician 1890–1939
11,994 EW Estella Warren Canadian Actor b. 1978
12,111 ED Edward Dmytryk Edward Dmytryk Canadian Film 1908–1999
12,222 DL Daniel Lanois Daniel Lanois Canadian Singer b. 1951
12,624 SD Stéphane Dion Canadian Politician b. 1955
12,709 AB Adam Beach Adam Beach Canadian Actor b. 1972
12,950 TH Tricia Helfer Tricia Helfer Canadian Actor b. 1974
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside Canada

3,744 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births in Canada peaked in the 1940s with 337 people.

What Canada Is Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Politics & Law is Canada's biggest group — 33% of all notables (1,222).

Canada over-indexes on business — 1.6× the global rate.

Canada under-produces military — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Politics & Law1,222
  2. Sports976
  3. Film & TV325
  4. Writing303
  5. Music199
  6. Science165
  7. Other155
  8. Art & Design132
  1. Business741.6×
  2. Politics & Law1,2221.6×
  1. Military660.4×
  2. Religion1060.5×
  3. Science1650.6×
  4. Other1550.6×
  5. Art & Design1320.6×
  6. Writing3030.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Film & TV
  • Writing
  • Music
  • Science
  • Other

Datelines

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