Most Famous People from Greece

100 Greeks in view out of 916

All 152,953
Greece 919
Aristotle
Aristotle Greek Biologist -383 – -322
#26
Plato
Plato Greek Philosopher -427 – -347
#36
Homer
Homer Greek Poet
#209
Socrates
Socrates Greek Philosopher -470 – -399
#240
Archimedes
Archimedes Greek Mathematician -287 – -212
#398
Hippocrates
Hippocrates Greek Physician -460 – -370
#535
E
Epicurus Greek Philosopher -341 – -269
#628
Sophocles
Sophocles Greek Writer -497 – -406
#838
Heraclitus
Heraclitus Greek Philosopher -535 – -470
#1,013
Aeschylus
Aeschylus Greek Writer -525 – -456
#1,069
Sappho
Sappho Greek Poet -640 – -570
#1,113
Plutarch
Plutarch Greek Essayist 45 – 127
#1,144
Aesop
Aesop Greek Storyteller -620 – -564
#1,219
A
Aristophanes Greek Writer -446 – -385
#1,351
Democritus
Democritus Greek Philosopher -460 – -360
#1,366
Vangelis
Vangelis Greek Composer Born 1943
#1,449
Demosthenes
Demosthenes Greek Politician -384 – -322
#1,650
Hesiod
Hesiod Greek Poet
#1,698
Thucydides
Thucydides Greek Historian -460 – -397
#1,902
Xenophon
Xenophon Greek Historian -430 – -354
#1,976
A
Anaximander Greek Philosopher -610 – -546
#2,320
Eratosthenes
Eratosthenes Greek Mathematician -276 – -194
#2,642
Parmenides
Parmenides Greek Philosopher -501 – -470
#2,764
Nana Mouskouri
Nana Mouskouri Greek Singer Born 1934
#2,789
Aristotle Onassis
Aristotle Onassis Greek Shipping 1906 – 1975
#3,328
Mikis Theodorakis
Mikis Theodorakis Greek Songwriter Born 1925
#3,390
Polybius
Polybius Greek Mathematician -200 – -118
#3,619
Anaxagoras
Anaxagoras Greek Mathematician -500 – -428
#3,677
Gorgias
Gorgias Greek Philosopher -483 – -375
#3,945
Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos Greek Politician 1864 – 1936
#4,031
Xenophanes
Xenophanes Greek Philosopher -570 – -475
#4,292
Yanni
Yanni Greek Pianist Born 1954
#4,376
Pyrrhus of Epirus
Pyrrhus of Epirus Greek King -318 – -272
#4,824
Hipparchus
Hipparchus Greek Astronomer -190 – -120
#5,278
Iannis Xenakis
Iannis Xenakis Greek Composer 1922 – 2001
#5,314
Ioannis Kapodistrias
Ioannis Kapodistrias Greek Politician 1776 – 1831
#5,408
Irene Papas
Irene Papas Greek Actor Born 1926
#5,837
Diodorus Siculus
Diodorus Siculus Greek Historian -90 – -30
#6,154
Giorgos Seferis
Giorgos Seferis Greek Poet 1900 – 1971
#6,422
Apollonius of Perga
Apollonius of Perga Greek Mathematician -262 – -190
#6,884
Antisthenes
Antisthenes Greek Philosopher -444 – -365
#6,904
Elena Paparizou
Elena Paparizou Greek Singer Born 1982
#6,987
George II of Greece
George II of Greece Greek King 1890 – 1947
#8,073
Pedanius Dioscorides
Pedanius Dioscorides Greek Physician 40 – 90
#8,085
Ioannis Metaxas
Ioannis Metaxas Greek Politician 1871 – 1941
#8,418
Anacreon
Anacreon Greek Poet -570 – -485
#8,731
YR
Yiannis Ritsos Greek Poet 1909 – 1990
#9,158
Konstantinos Karamanlis
Konstantinos Karamanlis Greek Politician 1907 – 1998
#9,277
Eudoxus of Cnidus
Eudoxus of Cnidus Greek Mathematician -408 – -355
#9,352
Pausanias (geographer)
Pausanias (geographer) Greek Geographer 110 – 180
#9,641
Georgios Papadopoulos
Georgios Papadopoulos Greek Militar 1919 – 1999
#9,847
Chrysippus
Chrysippus Greek Philosopher -281 – -208
#10,125
Epaminondas
Epaminondas Greek Politician -418 – -362
#10,286
Posidonius
Posidonius Greek Mathematician -135 – -51
#10,897
Antiochus III the Great
Antiochus III the Great Greek Sovereign -241 – -187
#12,152
Rigas Feraios
Rigas Feraios Greek Writer 1757 – 1798
#12,221
Sakis Rouvas
Sakis Rouvas Greek Singer Born 1972
#12,230
Simonides of Ceos
Simonides of Ceos Greek Poet -556 – -468
#12,642
Pyrrho
Pyrrho Greek Philosopher -365 – -275
#13,388
Vicky Leandros
Vicky Leandros Greek Singer Born 1949
#13,995
Theodoros Kolokotronis
Theodoros Kolokotronis Greek Militar 1770 – 1843
#14,008
A
Archilochus Greek Poet -680 – -645
#14,294
Katina Paxinou
Katina Paxinou Greek Actor 1900 – 1973
#14,578
Constantine II of Greece
Constantine II of Greece Greek King Born 1940
#14,783
Georgios Papandreou
Georgios Papandreou Greek Politician 1888 – 1968
#14,860
P
Polykleitos Greek Sculptor Died 420
#15,106
Basil Zaharoff
Basil Zaharoff Greek Trader 1849 – 1936
#15,409
Alcaeus of Mytilene
Alcaeus of Mytilene Greek Poet Died -580
#15,459
MH
Manos Hatzidakis Greek Composer 1925 – 1994
#15,605
Georgios Papanikolaou
Georgios Papanikolaou Greek Physician 1883 – 1962
#15,866
A
Athenaeus Greek Writer 170 – 223
#16,258
Spyridon Louis
Spyridon Louis Greek Runner 1873 – 1940
#16,561
Leonidas I
Leonidas I Greek King -540 – -480
#17,469
Theofanis Gekas
Theofanis Gekas Greek Football Born 1980
#17,515
Kostis Palamas
Kostis Palamas Greek Poet 1859 – 1943
#17,862
Xenocrates
Xenocrates Greek Philosopher -396 – -314
#17,897
Agathocles of Syracuse
Agathocles of Syracuse Greek King -361 – -289
#18,034
Demetrius Vikelas
Demetrius Vikelas Greek Writer 1835 – 1908
#19,493
Marcion of Sinope
Marcion of Sinope Greek Christianity 85 – 160
#19,664
Bartholomew I of Constantinople
Bartholomew I of Constantinople Greek Cleric Born 1940
#20,015
Alexandros Papadiamantis
Alexandros Papadiamantis Greek Novelist 1851 – 1911
#20,048
Bacchylides
Bacchylides Greek Poet -516 – -451
#21,270
Manolis Glezos
Manolis Glezos Greek Politician 1922 – 2020
#21,327
Cleanthes
Cleanthes Greek Philosopher -330 – -232
#21,696
Lysippos
Lysippos Greek Sculptor -390 – -300
#21,802
Gregory Thaumaturgus
Gregory Thaumaturgus Greek Priest 213 – 270
#22,029
Antipope Alexander V
Antipope Alexander V Greek Priest 1339 – 1410
#22,235
TO
Theognis of Megara Greek Poet -570 – -485
#22,329
Giorgos Karagounis
Giorgos Karagounis Greek Football Born 1977
#22,335
Alcman
Alcman Greek Poet Born -600
#22,577
M
Myron Greek Sculptor Died -440
#22,604
P
Philostratus Greek Writer 170 – 250
#22,868
Heraclides Ponticus
Heraclides Ponticus Greek Philosopher -385 – -322
#23,124
Athenagoras I of Constantinople
Athenagoras I of Constantinople Greek Ecumenical 1886 – 1972
#23,615
Kostas Karyotakis
Kostas Karyotakis Greek Writer 1896 – 1928
#24,540
Stesichorus
Stesichorus Greek Poet -630 – -555
#25,065
A(
Antiphon (orator) Greek Politician -480 – -411
#25,307
Epimenides
Epimenides Greek Philosopher
#25,370
NG
Nikolaos Gyzis Greek Painter 1842 – 1901
#26,964
Haris Alexiou
Haris Alexiou Greek Singer Born 1950
#27,275

By the numbers

Inside Greece

919 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births in Greece peaked in the 1950s with 61 people.

What Greece Is Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Writing is Greece's biggest group — 21% of all notables (188).

Greece over-indexes on writing — 1.7× the global rate.

Greece under-produces film & tv — only 0.6× the global rate.

  1. Writing188
  2. Politics & Law164
  3. Sports157
  4. Other68
  5. Religion62
  6. Military60
  7. Music58
  8. Science56
  1. Writing1881.7×
  2. Royalty131.5×
  3. Military601.5×
  1. Film & TV410.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

15001550160016501700175018001850190019502000
  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Writing
  • Music
  • Religion
  • Military
  • Other

Top Cities

Biggest birthplaces in this slice — click any to explore.