Global Leaderboard 100 in view

Most Famous People from Romania

All 152,953
Romania 1,313
661 NC Nicolae Ceaușescu Nicolae Ceaușescu Romanian Politician 1918–1989
1,443 NC Nadia Comăneci Nadia Comăneci Romanian Gymnast b. 1961
1,676 EI Eugène Ionesco Eugène Ionesco Romanian Playwright 1909–1994
1,843 ME Mircea Eliade Mircea Eliade Romanian Anthropologist 1907–1986
2,385 ME Mihai Eminescu Mihai Eminescu Romanian Actor 1850–1889
2,589 TT Tristan Tzara Tristan Tzara Romanian Collector 1896–1963
2,868 CB Constantin Brâncuși Constantin Brâncuși Romanian Sculptor 1876–1957
2,952 EC Emil Cioran Emil Cioran Romanian Writer 1911–1995
3,475 IA Ion Antonescu Ion Antonescu Romanian Politician 1882–1946
3,572 VT Vlad the Impaler Vlad the Impaler Romanian Sovereign 1431–1476
4,818 MI Michael I of Romania Michael I of Romania Romanian Monarch 1921–2017
4,890 SS Sebastian Stan Romanian Actor b. 1982
5,057 GE George Enescu George Enescu Romanian Composer 1881–1955
5,362 IL Ion Luca Caragiale Ion Luca Caragiale Romanian Playwright 1852–1912
6,143 I Inna Inna Romanian Singer b. 1986
6,265 CI Carol II of Romania Carol II of Romania Romanian Sovereign 1893–1953
6,548 IC Ion Creangă Ion Creangă Romanian Writer 1837–1889
6,861 CI Carol I of Romania Carol I of Romania Romanian Monarch 1839–1914
7,884 AG Angela Gheorghiu Angela Gheorghiu Romanian Singer b. 1965
8,774 SC Sergiu Celibidache Sergiu Celibidache Romanian Conductor 1912–1996
9,421 EC Elena Ceaușescu Elena Ceaușescu Romanian Politician 1916–1989
9,518 MS Mihail Sadoveanu Mihail Sadoveanu Romanian Novelist 1880–1961
10,009 DC Dimitrie Cantemir Dimitrie Cantemir Romanian Anthropologist 1676–1723
10,074 EO Elisabeth of Wied Elisabeth of Wied Romanian Queen 1843–1916
10,708 LB Lucian Blaga Lucian Blaga Romanian Poet 1895–1961
10,844 CZ Corneliu Zelea Codreanu Corneliu Zelea Codreanu Romanian Politician 1899–1938
10,994 II Ion Iliescu Ion Iliescu Romanian Politician b. 1930
11,032 GZ Gheorghe Zamfir Gheorghe Zamfir Romanian Conductor b. 1941
12,755 KM Kira Muratova Kira Muratova Romanian Film 1934–2018
14,287 MT Michael the Brave Michael the Brave Romanian Prince 1558–1601
14,314 MP Michael Praetorius Michael Praetorius Romanian Composer 1571–1621
14,776 GG Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej Romanian Politician 1901–1965
15,349 AM Adrian Mutu Adrian Mutu Romanian Football b. 1979
15,486 CM Cristian Mungiu Romanian Screenwriter b. 1968
17,302 GB Gabriel Bethlen Gabriel Bethlen Romanian Prince 1580–1629
17,473 NG Nicolae Grigorescu Nicolae Grigorescu Romanian Painter 1838–1907
17,957 CC Cristian Chivu Cristian Chivu Romanian Football b. 1980
19,020 LR Liviu Rebreanu Liviu Rebreanu Romanian Writer 1885–1944
19,611 TM Titu Maiorescu Titu Maiorescu Romanian Diplomat 1840–1917
19,913 SS Saul Steinberg Saul Steinberg Romanian Artist 1914–1999
20,410 GH Gheorghe Hagi Gheorghe Hagi Romanian Football b. 1965
20,894 AP Ana Pauker Ana Pauker Romanian Politician 1893–1960
21,379 CR Christian Rakovsky Christian Rakovsky Romanian Revolutionary 1873–1941
22,478 NS Nichita Stănescu Romanian Poet 1933–1983
22,713 AB Ana Blandiana Romanian Poet b. 1942
23,145 ED Eugen Doga Eugen Doga Romanian Composer b. 1937
24,750 SN Sergiu Nicolaescu Sergiu Nicolaescu Romanian Film 1930–2013
26,568 PG Petru Groza Petru Groza Romanian Politician 1884–1958
26,699 RL Radu Lupu Romanian Pianist b. 1945
27,215 EL Edward Luttwak Romanian Economist b. 1942
28,949 GB George Bacovia Romanian Poet 1881–1957
29,104 IB Ion Barbu Ion Barbu Romanian Poet 1895–1961
29,310 CP Ciprian Porumbescu Ciprian Porumbescu Romanian Composer 1853–1883
30,503 VB Victor Brauner Victor Brauner Romanian Painter 1903–1966
30,622 II Ion I. C. Brătianu Ion I. C. Brătianu Romanian Politician 1864–1927
32,361 ȘL Ștefan Luchian Ștefan Luchian Romanian Painter 1868–1916
32,868 PM Peter Mogila Peter Mogila Romanian Priest 1596–1646
33,863 MS Marin Sorescu Marin Sorescu Romanian Poet 1936–1996
33,871 AA Alexandru Averescu Alexandru Averescu Romanian Officer 1859–1938
34,022 GC George Coșbuc George Coșbuc Romanian Poet 1866–1918
34,539 TB Traian Băsescu Traian Băsescu Romanian Politician b. 1951
34,828 MI Marcel Iureș Marcel Iureș Romanian Actor b. 1951
35,428 GM Gheorghe Mureșan Gheorghe Mureșan Romanian Basket b. 1971
35,558 EC Eugenio Coșeriu Eugenio Coșeriu Romanian Linguist 1921–2002
36,055 IS Ioan Slavici Ioan Slavici Romanian Writer 1848–1925
36,888 CB Constantin Brâncoveanu Constantin Brâncoveanu Romanian Prince 1654–1714
38,140 HS Horia Sima Horia Sima Romanian Politician 1907–1993
38,432 MI Mircea I of Wallachia Mircea I of Wallachia Romanian Grandson 1355–1418
38,705 GP Gheorghe Popescu Gheorghe Popescu Romanian Football b. 1967
39,617 CN Constantin Noica Constantin Noica Romanian Essayist 1909–1987
40,159 FA Florin Andone Florin Andone Romanian Football b. 1993
40,390 LB László Bölöni László Bölöni Romanian Football b. 1953
41,205 EL Emil Loteanu Emil Loteanu Romanian Film 1936–2003
42,848 VI Vlad II Dracul Vlad II Dracul Romanian Monarch 1395–1447
43,589 GA Gheorghe Asachi Gheorghe Asachi Romanian Writer 1788–1869
44,648 IH Ion Heliade Rădulescu Ion Heliade Rădulescu Romanian Poet 1802–1872
44,685 MA Mihai Antonescu Mihai Antonescu Romanian Politician 1904–1946
45,135 AV Alexandru Vaida-Voevod Alexandru Vaida-Voevod Romanian Politician 1872–1950
45,888 LP Lucian Pintilie Lucian Pintilie Romanian Actor 1933–2018
46,069 MP Marin Preda Marin Preda Romanian Writer 1922–1980
46,445 SS Solomon Schechter Solomon Schechter Romanian Academic 1847–1915
47,094 PD Patriarch Daniel of Romania Patriarch Daniel of Romania Romanian Church b. 1951
48,596 TV Tudor Vladimirescu Tudor Vladimirescu Romanian Politician 1780–1821
49,204 LS Lucian Sânmărtean Romanian Football b. 1980
50,059 NS Nicolae Stanciu (footballer (Born 1993)) Nicolae Stanciu (footballer (Born 1993)) Romanian Football b. 1993
50,536 AI Avram Iancu Avram Iancu Romanian Lawyer 1824–1872
51,617 BP Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu Romanian Linguist 1838–1907
51,994 TV Traian Vuia Traian Vuia Romanian Inventor 1872–1950
52,145 CV Constantin Virgil Gheorghiu Constantin Virgil Gheorghiu Romanian Writer 1916–1992
53,262 VH Vintilă Horia Romanian Writer 1915–1992
53,908 DS Daniela Silivaș Daniela Silivaș Romanian Gymnast b. 1972
54,549 BN Bănel Nicoliță Bănel Nicoliță Romanian Football b. 1985
54,616 VP Victor Pițurcă Victor Pițurcă Romanian Football b. 1956
54,624 IL Iasmin Latovlevici Iasmin Latovlevici Romanian Football b. 1986
55,180 IA Ion Agârbiceanu Ion Agârbiceanu Romanian Writer 1882–1963
55,522 RR Raul Rusescu Raul Rusescu Romanian Football b. 1988
56,062 VL Vasile Lupu Vasile Lupu Romanian Aristocrat 1595–1661
57,891 EO Elisabeth of Romania Elisabeth of Romania Romanian Princess 1894–1956
58,010 AP Adrian Păunescu Adrian Păunescu Romanian Poet 1943–2010
58,580 PG Paul Goma Paul Goma Romanian Novelist 1935–2020
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside Romania

1,313 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Centuries

One face per century — the most globally famous figure born in Romania during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births in Romania peaked in the 1950s with 157 people.

What Romania Is Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Sports is Romania's biggest group — 32% of all notables (422).

Romania over-indexes on writing — 1.6× the global rate.

Romania under-produces military — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Sports422
  2. Writing245
  3. Politics & Law213
  4. Science90
  5. Music75
  6. Religion69
  7. Other60
  8. Film & TV59
  1. Writing2451.6×
  1. Military250.5×
  2. Art & Design420.6×
  3. Other600.6×
  4. Film & TV590.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

  • Sports
  • Writing
  • Politics & Law
  • Science
  • Music
  • Religion
  • Other

Datelines

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