List of people from Baltimore

This is a list of famous or notable people who were born in or lived in Baltimore, Maryland.

A

• Horace Abbott (1806–87), born in Sudbury, Massachusetts, moved to Baltimore in 1836, iron manufacturer, supplied the armor for the USS Monitor
• Arunah Shepherdson Abell (1806–1888), born in East Providence, Rhode Island, founder of the Baltimore Sun
• David T. Abercrombie (1867–1931), born in and raised in Baltimore, founder of Abercrombie & Fitch
• Don Abney (1923–2000), jazz pianist
• Rosalie Silber Abrams (1916–2009), first female and Jewish majority leader in the Maryland State Senate
• Henry Adams (1858 Germany – 1929 Baltimore), prominent mechanical engineer, co-founder of ASHVE
• Otto Eugene Adams (1889–1968), architect
• Charles Adler, Jr. (1899–1980), inventor
• Larry Adler (1914–2001), harmonica player
• Spiro Agnew (1918–1996), born in Baltimore County; Governor of Maryland and Vice-President of the United States under Richard Nixon
• John W. Albaugh (1837–1909), actor
• Franklin A. Alberger (1825–1877), Mayor of Buffalo, New York
• William Albert (1816–1879), member of the United States House of Representatives, born in Baltimore
• Grant Aleksander (born 1959), actor
• John Aler (born 1949), lyric tenor
• Hattie Alexander (1901–1968), pediatrician and microbiologist
• Robert Alexander (1863–1941), World War I general, commander of the 77th Infantry Division
• All Time Low, pop punk band formed in Baltimore by Jack Barakat, Rian Dawson, Alex Gaskarth, and Zack Merrick
• Yari Allnutt (born 1970), soccer player
• Cecilia Altonaga (born 1962), judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
• Rafael Alvarez (born 1958), journalist
• John Patrick Amedori (born 1987), actor
• Tori Amos (born 1963), born in North Carolina, grew up in Baltimore; singer, songwriter and pianist
• William H. Amoss (born 1936), politician, former Maryland State Senator
• Charles W. Anderson, awarded the Medal of Honor
• Curt Anderson (born 1949), politician, broadcast journalist, member of the Maryland House of Delegates
• Mignon Anderson (1892–1983), silent film actress
• Richard Snowden Andrews (1830–1903), architect, Confederate officer
• Peter Angelos (born 1929), born in Pittsburgh, attorney, owner of the Baltimore Orioles
• Felix Angus (1839–1925), Union Army general, editor and publisher of Baltimore American newspaper, buried under Black Aggie
• Carmelo Anthony (born 1984), born in New York, grew up in Baltimore; professional basketball player for the New York Knicks
• George Armistead (1780–1818), born in Virginia, Commander of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore
• Lewis Addison Armistead (1817–1863), born in North Carolina, Confederate general mortally wounded at Gettysburg, buried in Baltimore
• Annie Armstrong (1850–1938), Baptist missionary
• Bess Armstrong (born 1953), actress
• John S. Arnick (born 1933), politician, former member of the Maryland House of Delegates
• Howard Ashman (1950–1991), Academy Award-winning lyricist (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors)
• John Astin (born 1930), TV and film actor, Gomez Addams on The Addams Family television series
• Lisa Aukland (born 1957), professional bodybuilder and powerlifter
• Robert Austrian (1916–2007), physician, medical researcher, winner of the Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award
• Flo Ayres (born 1923), nationally known radio actress
• Leah Ayres (born 1957), actress

B

• David Bachrach (1845–1921), lived in Baltimore on Linden Avenue and Whitelock, photographer, took the only known photo of Lincoln giving the Gettysburg address, uncle to Gertrude Stein
• Penn Badgley (born 1986), born in Baltimore, actor, Dan Humphrey from Gossip Girl
• Russell Baker (born 1925), raised in Baltimore, writer, political columnist for The New York Times
• Louis Bamberger (1855–1944), businessman, department store owner, and philanthropist
• Joshua Barney (1759–1818), commodore in the United States Navy
• John Barth (born 1930), author
• Gary Bartz (born 1940), jazz saxophonist
• Bernadette Bascom (born 1962), R&B singer
• Marty Bass, WJZ-TV weatherman
• Sylvia Beach (1887–1962), owned Shakespeare and Company, key bookstore for expatriates in Paris
• Madison Smartt Bell (born 1957), novelist and professor at Goucher College
• Jacob Beser (1921–1992), only person to crew both atomic bomb missions in World War II
• Eubie Blake (1887–1983), composer of ragtime, jazz and popular music
• Clarence W. Blount (1921–2003), Maryland State Senate
• A. Aubrey Bodine (1906–1970), photojournalist for The Baltimore Sun
• Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues (born 1965), former professional basketball player with the Charlotte Hornets
• John R. Bolton (born 1958), former United States Ambassador to the United Nations
• Charles Joseph Bonaparte (1851–1921), US Attorney General, Secretary of the Navy, relative of Napoleon
• Keith Booth (born 1974), current Maryland Terrapins assistant coach and former Chicago Bulls player
• William S. Booze (1862–1933), former U.S. Congressman for Maryland's 3rd District
• Julie Bowen (Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer) (born 1970), film and TV actor
• Ryan Boyle (born 1981), MLL and NLL lacrosse player, graduate of the Gilman School
• Conrad Brooks (born 1931), B movie actor
• Kimberly Brooks, voice actress
• George William Brown, Mayor of Baltimore during Pratt Street Riot
• Rosey Brown (1932–2004), football star for the New York Giants; member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame; attended Morgan State University in Baltimore
• James M. Buchanan (1803–1876), Judge and United States Ambassador to Denmark
• Robert C. Buchanan (1811–1878), Union army general
• Tony Bunn (born 1957), jazz bassist, composer, producer
• Elizabeth Burmaster (born 1954), Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin
• Beverly Lynn Burns (born 1949), became the first woman Boeing 747 airline captain on July 18, 1984
• David Byrne (born 1952), songwriter for the new wave band Talking Heads, grew up in Baltimore County

C

• James M. Cain (1892–1977), author
• Cab Calloway (1907–1994), jazz singer and bandleader, raised in Baltimore
• Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (1605–1675), proprietary governor
• Leonard Calvert (1606–1647), first governor of the Province of Maryland
• Ben Cardin (born 1943), member of the United States Senate and former member of United States House of Representatives
• Meyer Cardin (1907–2005), Democratic state delegate (1936–38), former Judge Baltimore City Supreme Bench
• John Carroll (1735–1815), first Roman Catholic archbishop in the United States
• Ben Carson (born 1951), born and raised in Detroit, Michigan; noted neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital
• Hetty Cary (1836–1892), maker of one of the first three battle flags of the Confederacy
• Sam Cassell (born 1969), former professional basketball player.
• Brett Cecil (born 1986), Major League Baseball pitcher
• Dennis Chambers (born 1959), drummer (P-Funk All Stars, Steely Dan)
• Norman "Chubby" Chaney (1914–1936), short-lived child actor, Our Gang
• Josh Charles (1971), actor, Sports Night, The Good Wife, Dead Poets Society
• Charley Chase (Parrott) (1893–1940), silent and sound film comedian, director
• Samuel Chase (1741–1811), signer of Declaration of Independence and US Supreme Court judge
• John Christ (born 1965), rock musician, Danzig classic lineup guitarist
• Tom Clancy (1947–2013), author of The Hunt for Red October
• Martha Clarke (born 1944), modern choreographer
• Mary Pat Clarke (born 1941), Baltimore City Council
• Kevin Clash (born 1960), puppeteer best known for portrayal of Elmo on Sesame Street
• Charles Pearce Coady (1868–1934), U.S. Congressman (D) for Maryland's 3rd District, 1913–1921
• COMP (born 1985), rapper
• Claribel Cone (1864–1929), with sister Etta, collected art of Matisse, Picasso, and Van Gogh
• Hans Conried (1917–1982), comic character actor and voice actor
• Kenny Cooper (born 1984), professional soccer player who currently plays for 1860 Munich in 2. Fußball-Bundesliga
• Miriam Cooper (1891–1976), silent film actress, co-starred in Birth of a Nation
• Nathan Corbett (born 1992), actor (The Wire, Half Nelson)
• Thomas Cromwell Corner (1865–1938), portrait artist
• Elijah E. Cummings (born 1951), U.S. Congressman (D) for Maryland's 7th District
• Harvey Cushing (1869–1939), pioneer neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital

D

• Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. (1903–1987), Mayor of Baltimore, US Representative, father of Nancy Pelosi
• Brian Dannelly, director (Saved!, Weeds, United States of Tara)
• Clay Davenport, sabermetrician and computer programmer for NOAA
• Henrietta Vinton Davis (1860–1941), elocutionist, dramatist, and impersonator
• Angela Dawson, community activist murdered at age 36 along with her family in 2002
• Dan Deacon (born 1981), electronic musician
• Buddy Deane (1924–2003), disc jockey, host of TV dance show that inspired the movie Hairspray.
• Olive Dennis (1885–1957), railroad engineer
• Divine (1945–1988), drag queen persona of Glen Milstead, actor and singer
• Juan Dixon (born 1978), basketball player at University of Maryland, College Park and pro ranks
• Sheila Dixon (born 1951), first female mayor of Baltimore
• Stephen Dixon (born 1936), author
• Mary Dobkin (1902–1987), baseball coach
• James Lowry Donaldson (1814–1885), Union army general
• Henry Grattan Donnelly (1850–1931), author and playwright
• Art Donovan (1924–2013), Baltimore Colts, Pro Football Hall of Famer
• Joey Dorsey (born 1983), professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets
• Frederick Douglass (1818–1895), abolitionist, statesman, orator, editor, author, prominent figure in African American history
• Dru Hill, R&B singing group
• W.E.B. Du Bois (1868–1963), founder of NAACP, lived in Baltimore 1939-1950
• Mildred Dunnock (1901–1991), Oscar-nominated theater, film and television actress
• Ferdinand Durang (c. 1785 – 1831), actor, best known as the first person to sing publicly Francis Scott Key's "The Star-Spangled Banner"
• Adam Duritz (born 1964), singer with Counting Crows
• Charles S. Dutton (born 1951), actor

E

• Robert Ehrlich (born 1957), former US Congressman, 60th Governor of Maryland
• Milton S. Eisenhower (1899–1985), president of Johns Hopkins University 1956–1967
• Louis E. Eliasberg (1896–1976), financier and numismatist known for assembling the only complete collection of U.S. coins ever
• Cass Elliot (1941–1974), born Ellen Naomi Cohen, singer, member of The Mamas & the Papas
• Donald B. Elliott, member of Maryland House of Delegates
• Joan Erbe (born 1926), painter and sculptor
• Cal Ermer (1923–2008), Minnesota Twins manager
• Ellery Eskelin (born 1959), jazz saxophonist, raised in Baltimore
• Damon Evans (born 1949), actor best known as the second to portray Lionel Jefferson on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons

F

• Diane Fanning, true crime author and novelist
• Anna Faris (born 1976), actress best known for her role in Scary Movie, born but not raised in Baltimore
• Steven Fischer (born 1972), film producer, two-time Emmy Award nominee, raised in northeast Baltimore City
• George Fisher, vocalist for death metal band Cannibal Corpse
• F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940), author
• Jane Frank (1918–1986), abstract expressionist artist, painter, sculptor, mixed media and textile artist, pupil of Hans Hofmann
• George A Frederick (1842–1924), architect of Baltimore City Hall
• Antonio Freeman (born 1972), football wide receiver, most notably for the Green Bay Packers
• Mona Freeman (born 1926), actress, most notably for Black Beauty in 1946
• William H. French (1815–1881), Union army general
• Bill Frisell (born 1951), jazz guitarist and composer

G

• Joe Gans (1874–1910), Lightweight Boxing Champion
• John Work Garrett (1820–1884), banker, philanthropist, and president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O)
• Mary Garrett (1854–1915), suffragist and philanthropist
• Lee Gatch (1902–1968), abstract artist
• Rudy Gay (born 1986), basketball player at University of Connecticut and with the Memphis Grizzlies
• Herb Gerwig (born 1931), professional wrestler of the 1960s and 1970s known as Killer Karl Kox
• James Gibbons (1834–1921), cardinal, 9th Roman Catholic Archbishop of Baltimore
• Garretson W. Gibson (1832–1910), President of Liberia 1900-1904
• Horatio Gates Gibson (1827–1924), Union army general
• Adam Gidwitz (born 1982), children's book author
• Duane Gill (born 1953), former WWE Wrestler (as Gillberg), currently operates a wrestling school and resides in Severn, Maryland
• Anita Gillette (born 1936), actress and game show personality
• Dondre Gilliam (born 1977), football player
• Ira Glass (born 1959), radio personality; host of This American Life, distributed by Public Radio International; cousin of Philip Glass
• Philip Glass (born 1937), minimalist composer
• Jacob Glushakow (1914–2000), painter
• Duff Goldman (born 1974), food artist, cake baker, television personality
• Tamir Goodman (born 1982), basketball player
• Jaimy Gordon (born 1944), author, winner of the National Book Award for Fiction
• Brian Gottfried (born 1952), former tennis player, reached Nº3 in the world in 1977

H

• Edith Hamilton (1867–1963), "the greatest woman Classicist"
• Elaine Hamilton (1920–2010), artist born in Catonsville in Baltimore metro area
• Elaine Hamilton-O'Neal (born 1920), artist, born in Catonsville near Baltimore; graduated from Baltimore's Maryland Institute College of Art
• Louis Hamman (1877–1946), physician and namesake of Hamman's sign, Hamman's syndrome and Hamman-Rich syndrome
• Mary Hamman (1907–1984), writer and editor, daughter of Louis Hamman
• Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961), detective writer of Maltese Falcon, born in Maryland and worked as a detective in Baltimore
• Steve Handelsman (born 1948), journalist
• Ken Harris (born 1963), City Councilman
• David Hasselhoff (born 1952), actor
• Emily Spencer Hayden (1869–1949), photographer
• Raymond V. Haysbert (1920–2010), business executive and civil rights leader
• Maya Hayuk (born 1969), fine artist and muralist
• Mo'Nique Hicks (born 1967), comedienne, television and film actress from Woodlawn, Maryland
• Alger Hiss (1904–1996), State Department official, accused of being a Soviet spy and convicted of perjury
• Katie Hoff (born 1989), Olympic medalist swimmer and multiple World Aquatics Championships gold medalist; lives in Baltimore
• Billie Holiday (1915–1959), born Eleanora Fagan Gough, jazz singer
• Sidney Hollander, humanitarian and civil and political rights activist
• Henry Holt (1840–1926), publisher, founded Henry Holt & Company in 1873
• Johns Hopkins (1795–1873), Quaker businessman, abolitionist and philanthropist whose bequest established Johns Hopkins University
• John Eager Howard (1752–1827), soldier, Governor of Maryland, namesake of Howard County, Maryland
• William Henry Howell (1860–1945), physiologist who pioneered the use of heparin as a blood anti-coagulant
• Christopher Hughes (1786–1849), diplomat
• The Huntingtons, punk rock band

I

• Joseph Iglehart (1891–1979), financier

J

• Lillie Mae Carroll Jackson (1889–1975), pioneer civil rights activist, organizer of the Baltimore branch of the NAACP
• Harry Jeffra (born 1914), professional boxer, former World Bantamweight Champion
• Bryant Johnson (born 1981), professional football player with the San Francisco 49ers
• Natalie Joy Johnson (born 1978), film and stage actress, singer and dancer
• LaKisha Jones (born 1980), singer
• Thomas David Jones (born 1955), astronaut with doctorate in planetary science
• Brian Jordan (born 1967), pro baseball player, briefly a pro footballer

K

• David Kairys (born 1943), Professor of Law at Temple University School of Law
• Al Kaline (born 1934), Major League Baseball player for the Detroit Tigers; Hall of Famer, never played in the minor leagues
• John Kassir (born 1957), actor, voice of the Crypt Keeper in Tales from the Crypt
• William Henry Keeler (born 1931), Archbishop Emeritus of Baltimore and Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
• Stacy Keibler (born 1979), actress, former professional wrestler for WWE
• Thomas Kelso (Ireland 1784–1878), wealthy merchant, founder of the Kelso Home, philanthropist
• John Pendleton Kennedy (1795–1870), US Secretary of the Navy, Congressman, speaker of the Maryland General Assembly, author, led the effort to end slavery in Maryland
• James Lawrence Kernan (1838–1912), Yiddish theater manager and philanthropist
• Stu Kerr (1928–1994), television personality and weatherman
• Ernest Keyser (1876–1959), sculptor
• Greg Kihn (born 1950), pop musician
• J. William Kime (1934–2006), Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, 1990-1994
• Mel Kiper, Jr. (born 1960), football analyst
• Jim Knipple (born 1977), professional stage director
• Jeff Koons (born 1955), artist and sculptor, graduate of Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore
• K-Swift (1978–2008), born Khia Edgerton, club/radio DJ, remixer, MC, producer, and entrepreneur; radio personality at WERQ
• Ruth Krauss (1901–1993), author of children's books

L

• Henrietta Lacks (1920–1951), namesake of the HeLa cell line
• Bucky Lasek (born 1972), pro skateboarder
• Maysa Leak (born 1966), jazz singer
• Jerry Leiber (1933–2011), lyricist ("Hound Dog", "Stand by Me", "Poison Ivy", "Is That All There Is?", "Kansas City")
• Noah Lennox (born 1978), known as Panda Bear, sings and plays drums and electronics in the band Animal Collective
• Barry Levinson (born 1942), screenwriter, film director, and producer of film and television
• Kevin Levrone (born 1968), former IFBB professional bodybuilder, musician, actor and health club owner
• Hank Levy (1927–2001), jazz composer, founder of Towson University's jazz program
• Reggie Lewis (1965–1993), former professional basketball player
• Reginald F. Lewis (1942–1993), businessman
• Kevin Liles (born 1968), record executive; former president of Def Jam Recordings; former executive vice president of The Island Def Jam Music Group
• Eli Lilly (1838–1898), soldier, pharmaceutical chemist, industrialist, entrepreneur, founder of the Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical corporation
• Laura Lippman (born 1959), author of detective fiction
• Morris Louis (1912–1962), abstract expressionist painter
• G. E. Lowman (1897–1965), clergyman and radio evangelist
• Katharine Lucke (1875–1962), organist and composer

M

• Marvin Mandel (born 1920), former Governor of Maryland, assumed office upon resignation of Spiro Agnew
• William C. March (1923–2002), African American entrepreneur; founder of March Funeral Homes in Baltimore, the largest African American funeral services company in the US
• Mario (born 1986), born Mario Dewar Barrett, singer, grew up in Gwynn Oak, Maryland in Baltimore County
• Thurgood Marshall (1908–1993), first African American US Supreme Court Justice
• Nancy Mowll Mathews, art historian, curator, and author
• London May (born 1967), musician, drummed for Baltimore punk bands Reptile House, Samhain, and Tiger Army
• Aaron Maybin (born 1988), football player for the Buffalo Bills, picked in the 2009 NFL Draft
• Angel McCoughtry (born 1986), basketball player; first overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft by the Atlanta Dream
• Jim McKay (James Kenneth McManus, 1921–2008), television sports journalist
• Theodore R. McKeldin (1900–1974), Governor of Maryland
• H.L. Mencken (1880–1956), journalist and social critic known as "the Sage of Baltimore"
• Ottmar Mergenthaler (1854–1899), inventor of the Linotype machine that revolutionized the art of printing
• Kweisi Mfume (born 1948), former CEO of the NAACP, former US Congressman
• Barbara Mikulski (born 1936), United States Senator
• Steve Miller (born 1950), author of science fiction stories and novels
• Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. (1911–1984), civil rights leader
• Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr. (born 1967), Baltimore City Council, grandson of civil rights leader Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr.
• Parren Mitchell (1922–2007), former U.S. Congressman
• Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery (1824–1901), duellist, fencing master, mercenary and author
• Garry Moore (Thomas Garrison Morfit, 1915–1993), early television host
• Lenny Moore (born 1933), running back, Baltimore Colts, member of Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Bessie Moses (1893–1965), gynecologist, obstetrician and birth control advocate
• Eddie Murray (born 1956), first baseman, Baltimore Orioles, member of Baseball Hall of Fame
• Max Muscle (born 1963), born John Czawlytko, professional wrestler known for his appearances in WCW in the mid-late 1990s
• Clarence Muse (1889–1979), actor

N

• Anita Nall, Olympic gold medalist swimmer
• Ogden Nash (1902–1971), poet
• James Crawford Neilson (1816–1900), architect
• Jeff Nelson (born 1966), professional baseball player, middle relief pitcher
• Harry Nice (1877–1941), 50th Governor, Maryland
• Joe Nice, dubstep DJ, moved to Baltimore from Southampton at the age of two
• Edward Norton (born 1969), actor who co-starred in Fight Club, The Italian Job, and The Incredible Hulk
• Brandon Novak (born 1978), skateboarder and member of Viva La Bam

O

• Ric Ocasek (born 1949), vocalist and frontman for The Cars
• Madalyn Murray O'Hair (1919–1995), activist
• Frank O'Hara (1926–1966), poet
• Martin O'Malley (born 1963), born in Washington, D.C., Mayor of Baltimore, 61st Governor of Maryland
• Elaine O'Neal (born 1920), painter
• Ken Ono, mathematician, grew up in Towson
• Dorothea Orem (1914–2007), nursing theorist, creator of self-care deficit nursing theory

P

• William Paca (1740–1799), signatory to the Declaration of Independence; Governor of Maryland
• Tim Page (born 1954), winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism; biographer of Dawn Powell
• Jim Palmer (born 1945), born in New York, Baseball Hall of Fame starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles, 1965–84
• James A. Parker (1922–94), African-American foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of State
• Nicole Ari Parker (born 1971), actress
• Bob Parsons (born 1950), entrepreneur; founder and CEO of Go Daddy
• Travis Pastrana (born 1983), freestyle motocross, x-treme sports professional, spokesman for Red Bull
• Bernard H. Paul (1907–2005), puppeteer known for local television show Paul's Puppets
• Randy Pausch (1960–2008), former professor of computer science, human–computer interaction, and design at Carnegie Mellon University
• Nancy Pelosi (born 1940), U.S. Representative from California, former Speaker of the House
• Clarence M. Pendleton, Jr. (1930–1988), chairman of United States Commission on Civil Rights from 1981 until his death in 1988; worked in Model Cities Program in Baltimore, 1968-1970
• Vincent Pettway (born 1965), boxer, light middleweight boxing champion
• Michael Phelps (born 1985), swimmer from Baltimore County, multiple world-record holder, winner of more gold medals (18) and total medals (22) than any other Olympian
• Tom Phoebus (born 1942), MLB pitcher
• Jada Pinkett Smith (born 1971), actress and singer
• Mathew Pitsch, Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Fort Smith since 2015; former resident of Baltimore
• Greg Plitt (1977–2015), fitness model and actor
• Art Poe, member of College Football Hall of Fame
• Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), poet, short story writer, editor and critic
• Edgar Allan Poe (1871–1961), Attorney General of Maryland, 1911–1915
• Gresham Poe, football head coach at Virginia in 1903
• John P. Poe, Sr. (1836–1909), Attorney General of Maryland, 1891–1895
• Johnny Poe (1874–1915), college football player and coach, soldier of fortune
• Gordon Porterfield, playwright, actor, poet and educator
• David Portner (born 1979), musician and lead singer of experimental avant-garde artpop band Animal Collective
• Parker Posey (born 1968), actress, known for Dazed and Confused, Waiting for Guffman, Scream 3, Best in Show
• Emily Post (1872–1960), author of etiquette books
• Boog Powell (born 1941), Orioles baseball player and Baltimore restaurant owner
• Enoch Pratt (1808–1896), businessman and philanthropist; founded Enoch Pratt Free Library, one of the oldest free public libraries in U.S.
• Rain Pryor (born 1969), actress
• Greg Puciato (born 1980), musician, singer for experimental metal band The Dillinger Escape Plan

Q

• Robin Quivers, sidekick of TV and radio personality Howard Stern

R

• Hasim Rahman, boxer, former Heavyweight World Champion
• Jane Randall, contestant on America's Next Top Model, Cycle 15, and an IMG model
• John Rawls (1921–2002), professor of political philosophy at Harvard, author
• Lance Reddick, actor, Col. Cedric Daniels from The Wire
• Chris Renaud, animator and illustrator; co-director of The Lorax and Despicable Me; voice of Dave, Josh, Tim, and several other Minions
• Hilary Rhoda, fashion model
• Adrienne Rich (1929–2012), poet, writer, teacher, and feminist
• Charles Carnan Ridgely (1760–1829), 15th Governor of Maryland
• Billy Ripken (born 1964), born in Havre de Grace, Maryland, second baseman for Baltimore Orioles
• Cal Ripken, Jr. (born 1960), born in Havre de Grace, infielder for Baltimore Orioles, member of Hall of Fame
• Cal Ripken, Sr. (1935–1999), coach and manager of Baltimore Orioles
• Brooks Robinson (born 1937), born Little Rock, Arkansas, third baseman for Baltimore Orioles 1955–77, member of Hall of Fame
• Frank Robinson (born 1935), born in Beaumont, Texas, outfielder for Baltimore Orioles, member of Hall of Fame
• Martin Rodbell (1925–1998), biochemist and molecular endocrinologist; won 1994 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Josh Roenicke, baseball player in the Cincinnati Reds organization
• Eddie Rommel, American League pitcher and umpire
• Carroll Rosenbloom, owner of Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams
• Axl Rotten (born 1971), professional wrestler
• Francis Peyton Rous (1879–1970), pathologist who won Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Christopher Rouse (born 1949), composer, Pulitzer Prize winner
• James Rouse (1914–1996), pioneering real estate developer, civic activist, and philanthropist
• Mike Rowe (born 1962), host of Discovery Channel program Dirty Jobs
• Ruckus, born Claude Marrow, Professional wrestler
• Ruff Endz, R&B duo consisting of members David "Davinch" Chance and Dante "Chi" Jordan from Baltimore; best known for songs "No More" and "Someone to Love You"
• Mike Ruocco (born 1983), singer-songwriter of bands Plunge and Cinder Road; bassist of SR71
• Dutch Ruppersberger (born 1946), member of the United States House of Representatives (D)
• Harry W. Rusk, U.S. Congressman (D) for Maryland's 3rd District, 1886–1897
• Babe Ruth (1895–1948), iconic baseball player for the New York Yankees, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
• Rye Rye (born 1990), real name Ryeisha Berrain, dancer and rapper

S

• Pat Sajak, television personality, Wheel of Fortune host
• Al Sanders, TV news anchor
• Paul Sarbanes (born 1933), born in Salisbury, Maryland, former member of the Maryland House of Delegates from Baltimore, former United States Congressman, former United States Senator
• William Donald Schaefer (1921–2011), Mayor of Baltimore, 58th Governor of Maryland, and 32nd Comptroller of Maryland
• Jason Schappert, aviator, born in Baltimore
• Kurt L. Schmoke (born 1949), former Mayor of Baltimore
• Gina Schock (born 1957), rock drummer The Go Go's, songwriter and actress
• Dwight Schultz (born 1947), actor, played H.M. Murdock in The A-Team series and Lt. Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Josh Selby, point guard for University of Kansas basketball team, No. 1 high school prospect in U.S. according to Rivals.com
• Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774–1821), established schools and founded first US religious community of apostolic women, the Sisters of Charity (in the Archdiocese of Baltimore)
• Tupac Shakur (1971–1996), hip hop performer and rapper, lived on Greenmount Ave in East Baltimore for two years
• Karl Shapiro (1913–2000), US Poet Laureate 1946–47, born in Baltimore
• Richard Sher, WJZ-TV newscaster, Oprah Winfrey co-host
• Pam Shriver (born 1962), professional tennis player and broadcaster
• Sargent Shriver (1915–2011), born in Westminster, Maryland, politician, activist, driving force behind the creation of the Peace Corps
• Eli Siegel (1902–1978), poet, critic, founder of philosophy Aesthetic Realism
• Jeff Siegel (born 1970), musician, writer, investment analyst and renewable energy expert; coined the phrase "green chip stocks"
• David Simon (born 1960), journalist for The Baltimore Sun, author, television series writer, producer, and creator (notably for The Wire)
• Bessie Wallis Warfield Simpson (1896–1986), Duchess of Windsor
• Upton Sinclair, author of The Jungle, Pulitzer Prize winner, born in Baltimore
• Christian Siriano (born 1985), fashion designer; winner of fourth season of Project Runway; graduate of Baltimore School for the Arts
• Sisqó (born 1978), real name Mark Althavan Andrews, R&B and pop singer
• Cameron Snyder (1916–2010), sportswriter for The Baltimore Sun; winner of Dick McCann Memorial Award
• Raymond A. Spruance (1886–1969), United States Navy admiral in World War II
• Melissa Stark (born 1973), television personality and sportscaster for NFL Network
• John Steadman (1927–2001), sportswriter
• Michael S. Steele (born 1958), Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, first African American chairman of the Republican National Committee
• Gertrude Stein (1874–1946), art collector
• Andrew Sterett (1778–1807), US Naval Officer during the Quasi-War, Captain of USS Enterprise
• Donald Symington (born 1925), actor
• Stuart Symington (1901–1988), first Secretary of the Air Force; US Senator from Missouri

T

• Evan Taubenfeld (born 1983)
• Michael Tearson (born 1948), pioneer underground DJ, concert and special appearance host, author, recording artist and actor
• Mark Texiera (born 1980), baseball player for the New York Yankees
• Jon Theodore (born 1973), musician, The Mars Volta's former drummer, Avril Lavigne's former guitarist
• Martha Carey Thomas (1857–1935), educator, suffragist, second President of Bryn Mawr College
• Tracie Thoms (born 1975), actress
• A. Andrew Torrence (1902–1940), Illinois state representative
• F. Morris Touchstone, National Lacrosse Hall of Fame coach
• Anne Truitt (1921–2004), minimalist sculptor
• Michael Tucker (born 1944), actor
• Joseph Tumpach (1912–1968), Illinois state representative
• Jack Turnbull (born 1910), National Lacrosse Hall of Fame player
• Charles Yardley Turner (1850–1918), artist and muralist
• Jerry Turner, television news anchor
• Kathleen Turner (born 1954), actress, graduated University of Maryland, Baltimore County
• Anne Tyler (born 1941), Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist (The Accidental Tourist)

U

• Johnny Unitas (1933–2002), born in Pittsburgh; professional football player for the Baltimore Colts; in Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Leon Uris (1924–2003), novelist, author of Exodus

V

• Matthew VanDyke (born 1979), freedom fighter and Prisoner of War in the 2011 Libyan Civil War
• Nikolai Volkoff (born 1947), born in Croatia, Yugoslavia, WWE Hall of Fame professional wrestler who has spent time in the Baltimore area

W

• Henry Walters (1848–1931), rail magnate (Atlantic Coast Line) and founder of Walters Art Museum in Baltimore
• Dante Washington (born 1970), professional soccer striker
• John Waters (born 1946), filmmaker
• John K. Waters (1906–1989), United States Army four-star general
• Earl Weaver (1930–2013), born in St. Louis, Missouri, longtime manager of the Baltimore Orioles; Baseball Hall Of Fame inductee
• Chick Webb (1905–1939), jazz and swing drummer and bandleader; adopted Ella Fitzgerald
• Matthew Weiner (born 1965), creator of TV series Mad Men
• Leonard "Boogie" Weinglass (born 1941), founder of Merry-Go-Round clothing empire; portrayed by actor Mickey Rourke in 1982 film Diner
• Harry Wendelstedt (1938–2012), umpire in Major League Baseball
• George Hoyt Whipple (1878–1976), graduated and taught medical school at Hopkins; won 1934 Nobel Prize in Medicine
• Reggie White (born 1970), American football player
• William Pinkney Whyte (1824–1908), US Senator, Governor of Maryland, Mayor of Baltimore
• Bernard Williams (born 1978), gold medalist in 4x100 meter relay at 2000 Sydney Olympics
• LaQuan Williams (born 1988), wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens who attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
• Montel Williams (born 1956), television personality
• Reggie Williams (born 1964), professional basketball player
• Oprah Winfrey (born 1954), television personality, actress, producer; born in rural Mississippi and raised in Milwaukee; worked at WJZ-TV in Baltimore
• David Wingate (born 1963), professional basketball player
• Danny Wiseman (born 1967), professional ten-pin bowler and 12-time winner on the PBA Tour
• Edward Witten (born 1951), mathematical physicist and a leading researcher in string theory
• James Wolcott (born 1952), journalist and cultural critic
• Bernie Wrightson (born 1948), artist, known for horror illustrations and comic books

Y

• John H. Yardley, pathologist
• Steve Yeager (born 1948), award-winning filmmaker, writer, stage director and educator
• Joe Yingling (1867–1903), professional baseball pitcher

Z

• Geoff Zahn (born 1945), baseball pitcher
• Frank Zappa (1940–1993), singer, guitarist, composer and satirist
• Lillian Zuckerman (1916–2004), actress