List of people from California

California is a state in the western United States. It has more people than any other state in the United States. If California was a separate country, it would have the sixth largest economy in the world. California is probably the state with the most ethnic groups.

• 12th Planet – record producer, DJ

• Willie Aames – actor
• Paula Abdul – dancer and singer (American Idol)
• Ansel Adams – photographer
• Jay Adams - skateboarder and surfer
• Ben Affleck – film actor and director
• Jhene Aiko – singer
• Jessica Alba – actress, model
• Jesse Aliganga – US Marine
• AJ Allmendinger – NASCAR driver
• Herb Alpert – trumpeter, music executive
• Tony Alva - skateboarder and surfer
• Helen Andelin – author (Fascinating Womanhood)
• Anthony Anderson – actor
• Melissa Sue Anderson – actress
• Paul Thomas Anderson – filmmaker
• Jennifer Aniston – actress (Friends)
• Nicole Aniston – pornographic actress
• Odette Annable – actress
• Steve Aoki – music producer, DJ
• Christina Applegate – actress
• Jon Appleton – composer
• Anne Archer – actress
• Eve Arden – actress
• Billie Joe Armstrong – musician, vocalist (Green Day)
• Lucie Arnaz – actress
• Maureen Arthur – actress (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying)
• Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu – bassist (Korn)
• Anastasia Ashman – writer
• Sean Astin – actor (The Lord of the Rings)
• Jeff Atkinson – distance runner, Olympian
• Brad Ausmus – Major League Baseball player, manager
• Tracy Austin – tennis player

• Max Baer, Jr. – actor (Jethro Bodine of The Beverly Hillbillies)
• Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. – actor (Alvin and the Chipmunks)
• Diane Baker – actress (The Silence of the Lambs)
• Dusty Baker – MLB player and manager
• Banks – singer
• Tyra Banks – model and actress (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
• Adrienne Barbeau – actress (Maude)
• Sara Bareilles – singer
• Travis Barker – drummer (Blink-182)
• Matt Barnes – National Basketball Association player
• Drew Barrymore – actress (50 First Dates)
• Judith Barsi – actress/voiceover artist
• Summer Bartholomew – Miss USA 1975
• Earl W. Bascom – rodeo pioneer, Hall of Fame inductee, actor, international artist/sculptor
• Baby Bash – rapper
• Bassnectar – musician, record producer
• Michael Bay – film director
• Amanda Beard – Olympic swimmer
• Beck – musician
• Captain Beefheart – musician
• Ed Begley, Jr. – actor and activist
• Stephania Bell — ESPN analyst, physical therapist
• Camilla Belle – actress
• Tory Belleci – filmmaker and model maker (MythBusters)
• Marcus Benjamin (born 1857) – early biographer at Smithsonian Institution
• Candice Bergen – actress (Murphy Brown)
• Carolyn Beug – passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 11
• B.G. Knocc Out – rapper
• Mayim Bialik – actress (The Big Bang Theory)
• Barbara Billingsley – actress
• Rachel Bilson – actress (The O.C.)
• Thora Birch – actress
• Bradford Bishop – indicted murderer and at-large fugitive
• Bill Bixby – actor (The Incredible Hulk)
• Aloe Blacc – singer, musician
• Jack Black – actor (Tenacious D)
• Rebecca Black – singer
• Hank Blalock – baseball player (Texas Rangers)
• Mel Blanc – cartoon voice actor
• Sheila Bleck – IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Ken Block – rally driver, gymkhana driver
• Andy Bloom – Olympic shot putter
• Betsy Bloomingdale – socialite
• David Blu (born David Bluthenthal) – professional basketball player (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
• Jonathan Blum – hockey player
• Brian Boitano − Olympic gold medalist (figure skating)
• Barry Bonds – baseball player (San Francisco Giants)
• Bobby Bonds – baseball player (San Francisco Giants)
• Aaron Boone – baseball player (Cleveland Indians)
• Scott Borchetta – president/CEO and founder of Big Machine Records
• Barry Bostwick – actor (Spin City, The Rocky Horror Picture Show)
• Kate Bosworth – actress
• Lo Bosworth – television personality, author, and entrepreneur
• Bruce Bowen – National Basketball Association player (San Antonio Spurs)
• Brandon Boyd – singer, musician (Incubus)
• Timothy Bradley – boxer
• Tom Brady – football quarterback (New England Patriots)
• Debbie Bramwell-Washington – IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Benjamin Bratt – actor
• Ryan Braun – baseball player (Milwaukee Brewers)
• B-Real – rapper (Cypress Hill)
• Nicholas Brendon – actor (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
• Jan Brewer – Governor of Arizona
• Stephen Breyer – Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
• Brigita Brezovac – IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Beau Bridges – actor (The Fabulous Baker Boys, Stargate SG-1)
• Jeff Bridges – actor (The Big Lebowski)
• Lloyd Bridges – actor (Sea Hunt, Airplane!)
• Lance Briggs – football player
• Adam Brody – actor (The O.C.)
• James Brolin – actor
• Josh Brolin – actor (No Country For Old Men, Gangster Squad)
• Albert Brooks – film actor and director (Lost in America)
• Brotha Lynch Hung – rapper
• Alton Brown – television host
• Jerry Brown – Governor of California (1975–1983; 2011–present), Mayor of Oakland, California
• Pat Brown – Governor of California (1959–1967)
• Willie Brown – 58th Speaker of the California State Assembly, Mayor of San Francisco
• Teddy Bruschi – football player
• Lindsey Buckingham – musician (Fleetwood Mac)
• Bill Buckner – baseball player
• Don Budge – tennis player
• Hunter Burgan – bass player for AFI
• Bobby Burgess – Mouseketeer, dancer for Lawrence Welk Show
• Olivia Burnette – actress
• Tim Burton – film director
• Reggie Bush – football player
• Shoshana Bush – actress
• Sophia Bush – activist, spokesperson, and actress (One Tree Hill, Chicago P.D.)
• Jeanie Buss – sports executive
• Cruz Bustamante – Lieutenant Governor of California
• Win Butler – musician, songwriter (Arcade Fire)
• Amanda Bynes – actress
• Kari Byron – artist and television personality (MythBusters)

• Scott Caan – actor
• Herb Caen – newspaper columnist (San Francisco Chronicle)
• John Cage – composer
• Nicolas Cage – actor
• Colbie Caillat – singer
• Cameron – professional wrestler, dancer
• Dolph Camilli – baseball player
• Ben Nighthorse Campbell – U.S. Senator from Colorado
• Nick Cannon – actor
• Mr. Capone-E – rapper
• Linda Cardellini – actress (Freaks and Geeks)
• Tucker Carlson – television host
• Adam Carolla – radio and television personality
• David Carr – football player
• David Carradine – actor (Kung Fu, Kill Bill)
• Ever Carradine – actress, daughter of Robert Carradine
• Keith Carradine – actor (Nashville)
• Robert Carradine – actor (Revenge of the Nerds)
• Pete Carroll – college and NFL football coach
• Adam Carson – drummer (AFI)
• Chris Carter – film producer, director and writer (The X-Files)
• Torry Castellano – drummer of The Donnas
• C-Bo – rapper
• Richard Chamberlain – actor
• Chanel West Coast – rapper, actress, model, television personality
• Brandi Chastain – soccer player
• Jessica Chastain – actress (Zero Dark Thirty)
• Cher – actress, entertainer and singer
• Joey Chestnut – competitive eater
• Julia Child – chef, author and TV personality
• Margaret Cho – actress, comedian
• Wasel Choi – artist and world traveler
• Amy Chow – gymnast
• Jamie Chung – actress
• Lana Clarkson – actress (Fast Times at Ridgemont High)
• Les Claypool – bass player (Primus)
• Sasha Cohen – figure skater
• Lillie Hitchcock Coit – firefighter
• Keyshia Cole – singer
• Natalie Cole – singer
• Jerry Coleman – decorated soldier and sportscaster
• Chris Colfer – actor (Glee), author (The Land of Stories)
• Holly Marie Combs – actress
• Maureen Connolly – tennis player
• Mike Connors – actor (Mannix)
• Lauren Conrad – television personality, fashion designer, and author
• Elisha Cook Jr. – actor (The Maltese Falcon)
• Coolio – rapper
• Miranda Cosgrove – actress, singer (iCarly)
• Kevin Costner – film actor and director (Field of Dreams)
• Natalie Coughlin – Olympic swimmer
• Nikki Cox – actress (Las Vegas)
• Alan Cranston – U.S. Senator from California
• Bryan Cranston – actor
• Laura Creavalle – Guyanese-born Canadian/American professional bodybuilder
• Richard Crenna – actor
• William H. Crocker – philanthropist and founder of Crocker National Bank
• James Cromwell – actor
• Joe Cronin – Hall of Fame baseball player, manager
• David Crosby – musician
• Cameron Crowe – filmmaker
• Kaley Cuoco – actress (The Big Bang Theory)
• Jamie Lee Curtis – actress (Halloween)

• Carson Daly – television host
• Caroline D'Amore - musician, actress, model
• Spencer Daniels – actor
• Harry Danning – Major League Baseball All Star catcher
• Ted Danson – actor (Cheers)
• Iva Toguri D'Aquino (Tokyo Rose) – radio broadcaster during World War II
• Lindsay Davenport – tennis player
• Baron Davis – professional basketball player
• Jonathan Davis – singer, musician (Korn)
• Terrell Davis – professional football player
• Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris – husband and wife film directors (Little Miss Sunshine)
• Oscar De La Hoya – boxer
• Zack de la Rocha – activist, singer (Rage Against The Machine)
• Jayme Dee – singer, musician
• Tom DeLonge – singer, musician (Blink-182)
• Brad Delson – musician (Linkin Park)
• Bo Derek – actress
• Laura Dern – actress
• DeMar DeRozan – professional basketball player
• Emily Deschanel – actress
• Zooey Deschanel – actress, singer
• Dev – singer
• Cameron Diaz – actress (There's Something About Mary)
• Leonardo DiCaprio – actor
• Joan Didion – writer
• Trent Dilfer – NFL quarterback
• Daz Dillinger – rapper
• Joe DiMaggio – baseball player
• Roy Edward Disney – billionaire, nephew of Walt Disney
• DJ Quik – rapper, producer
• Canh Thong Do – Vietnamese American activist
• Nate Dogg – musician
• Snoop Dogg – rapper
• Ami Dolenz – actress, daughter of Micky Dolenz
• Micky Dolenz – actor, musician, singer (The Monkees)
• Landon Donovan – soccer player
• Dr. Dre – musician, hip-hop producer, record producer
• Stacy Dragila – pole vaulter
• Mac Dre – rapper
• Dresta – rapper
• K. Eric Drexler – engineer
• Don Drysdale – baseball player
• Hilary Duff – actress, singer
• Tom Dumont – guitarist (No Doubt)
• Isadora Duncan – dancer
• Ann Dunnigan – translator, actor, teacher
• Robert Duvall – actor
• Jermaine Dye – baseball player (Chicago White Sox)

• Clint Eastwood – film actor and director (Million Dollar Baby)
• Eazy-E – rapper
• Dennis Eckersley – baseball player
• Aaron Eckhart – actor
• Anthony Edwards – actor
• Zac Efron – film and television actor (High School Musical)
• Danny Elfman – musician, composer
• Jenna Elfman – actress
• Sam Elliott – actor
• Anabel Englund – singer
• Chris Evans – convicted train robber
• Evidence – rapper

• Bill Fagerbakke – actor/voice actor (Patrick Star)
• Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton – wife and husband film directors (Little Miss Sunshine)
• Heather Fargo – Mayor of Sacramento, California
• Mia Farrow – actress
• David Faustino – actor (Married... with Children)
• Dianne Feinstein – US Senator from California, Mayor of San Francisco (1978–1988)
• Stacy Ferguson (Fergie) – singer, actress, composer (The Dutchess, Charlie Brown, Fergalicious)
• Shiloh Fernandez – actor
• Sky Ferreira – singer, model, actress
• Will Ferrell – actor
• Miguel Ferrer – actor (RoboCop)
• America Ferrera – actress
• Sally Field − actress (Norma Rae, Places in the Heart)
• Carrie Fisher – actress
• Peggy Fleming – figure skater
• Abigail Folger – coffee heiress, socialite, and murder victim
• Bridget Fonda – actress
• Lyndsy Fonseca – actress
• Jon Foreman – singer^[1]
• John Forker - actor
• Dian Fossey – zoologist
• Jodie Foster – actress (The Silence of the Lambs)
• Rickie Fowler – professional golfer
• Allen Fox – tennis player (ranked as high as # 4) and coach
• Dillon Francis – music producer, DJ
• Dave Franco – actor
• James Franco – actor
• Paulette Frankl – artist, biographer
• Bonnie Franklin – actress
• Missy Franklin – 2012 Olympic gold medalist (swimming)
• Suga Free – rapper
• Robert Frost – poet
• Del tha Funkee Homosapien – rapper
• Edward Furlong – actor (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

• Becky G – singer
• Warren G – rapper
• G-Eazy – rapper, producer
• Guy Gabaldon – United States Marine Corps
• Lynx and Lamb Gaede – white nationalist twin singers and musicians
• Richard Gage – 9/11 Truth movement activist
• Trace Gallagher – journalist
• The Game – rapper
• Eric Garcetti – mayor of Los Angeles
• Jeff Garcia – football player
• Jerry Garcia – musician (Grateful Dead)
• Wolfgang Gartner – music producer, DJ
• Kyle Gass – musician (Tenacious D)
• Dirk Gates – network entrepreneur (Xirrus)
• John Gavin – actor, ambassador
• Sage the Gemini – rapper
• Inara George – singer, musician (The Bird and the Bee)
• Jason Giambi – professional baseball player (New York Yankees)
• Tyrese Gibson – actor
• Frank Gifford – football player and sportscaster
• Brad Gilbert – tennis coach
• Melissa Gilbert – actress (Little House on the Prairie), producer
• Sara Gilbert – actress (Roseanne)
• Lillian Moller Gilbreth – engineer (Cheaper by the Dozen)
• Danny Glover – actor
• Donald Glover – actor, singer
• Rube Goldberg – cartoonist
• Phillip Gonyea – drummer, percussionist (Against The Will)
• Adrian Gonzalez – baseball player
• Drew Gooden – professional basketball player (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• Jeff Gordon – NASCAR driver
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt – actor
• Robby Gordon – NASCAR driver
• Marjoe Gortner – evangelical minister
• Mark-Paul Gosselaar – actor
• John Grabow – Major League Baseball player (Chicago Cubs)
• Gloria Grahame – actress
• Andy Grammer – singer
• Farley Granger – actor
• Ulysses S. Grant – 18th President of the United States of America^[2][3]
• Stephen Girard Whipple, 49er, newspaper editor, Union Army officer, and politician^[4]
• Brian Grazer – Oscar-winning film and television producer
• Beatrice Gray – actress
• Billy Gray – actor, motorcyclist
• Paul Gray – musician (Slipknot)
• Joanie Greggains – radio show host, health and fitness expert
• Sasha Grey – pornographic actress
• Nash Grier - viner, youtuber and actor
• Merv Griffin – talk show host, singer, television producer (Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune)
• Florence Griffith-Joyner – track athlete
• RL Grime – music producer
• Josh Groban – singer
• Vince Guaraldi – musician (A Charlie Brown Christmas)
• Kimberly Guilfoyle – television personality
• Natalie Gulbis – golfer
• Brett Gurewitz – guitarist (Bad Religion)
• Tony Gwynn – Hall of Fame baseball player
• Jake Gyllenhaal – actor

• Walter A. Haas, Jr. – chief executive officer of Levi Strauss & Co.
• Steven C. Hackett – economist (Humboldt State University)
• Gene Hackman – actor (The French Connection)
• Sammy Hagar – musician (Van Halen)
• Merle Haggard – country music singer
• Joseph Hahn – painter, film director, musician (Linkin Park)
• Jackie Earle Haley – actor (Bad News Bears)
• Mark Hamill – actor (Star Wars)
• Laird Hamilton – surfer
• Harry Hamlin – actor (Clash of the Titans)
• Armie Hammer – actor
• Kirk Hammett – musician (Metallica)
• Daniel Handler – Lemony Snicket
• Colin Hanks – actor (King Kong)
• Tom Hanks – film actor, director, producer
• Peter D. Hannaford – political advisor to Ronald W. Reagan, author^[5]
• Jeff Hanneman – guitarist (Slayer)
• Dan Haren – professional baseball player (Oakland Athletics)
• Mariska Hargitay – actress (Law & Order: SVU)
• Jeff B. Harmon – film producer, director, actor
• Mark Harmon – actor
• Henry Harrower – endocrinologist
• Kevin Harvick – NASCAR driver
• Teri Hatcher – actress
• Henry Hathaway – film director
• Davey Havok – lead singer of AFI
• Tony Hawk – skateboarder
• Kristy Hawkins – IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins – professional skateboarder
• Julie Hayek – Miss USA 1983
• Dennis Haysbert – actor (24)
• Jenna Haze – pornographic actress
• Patty Hearst – actress and newspaper heiress (Symbionese Liberation Army)
• William Randolph Hearst – newspaper publisher
• Lacie Heart – pornographic actress and nude model
• Ian Hecox – youtuber
• Simon Helberg – actor, comedian (The Big Bang Theory)
• Christy Hemme – professional wrestler and model
• Mariel Hemingway – actress (Manhattan)
• Pamela Hensley – actress
• Keith Hernandez – baseball player
• Barbara Hershey – actress
• James Hetfield – musician (Metallica)
• Jonah Hill – actor
• Jason Hirsh – baseball player
• Hit-Boy – rapper, record producer
• Dustin Hoffman – actor
• Trevor Hoffman – professional baseball player (San Diego Padres)
• Dexter Holland – singer, musician (The Offspring)
• Brenda Holloway – singer and songwriter
• Josh Holloway – actor (Lost)
• Mike Holmgren – football coach (Seattle Seahawks)
• Mark Hoppus – singer, musician (Blink-182)
• Hopsin – rapper, actor, record producer
• Taylor Horn – singer and actress
• James Horner – composer
• Sam Horrigan – actor (Little Giants)
• Nichkhun Horvejkul – Thai-American singer and rapper of 2PM
• Bryce Dallas Howard – actress
• C. Thomas Howell – actor (The Outsiders, Red Dawn, Southland)
• Jerry Hsu – skateboarder
• Vanessa Hudgens – actress and singer (High School Musical)
• Kate Hudson – actress
• Phil Hughes – baseball player
• Yolanda Hughes-Heying – IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Barry Hunau – illustrator
• William Hung – American Idol contestant
• Helen Hunt – actress
• Terry Huntingdon – Miss USA 1959
• Anjelica Huston – actress
• Nyjah Huston – professional skateboarder
• Timothy Hutton – actor
• Tiffany Hwang – singer (Girls' Generation)

• Crooked I – rapper
• Ice Cube – musician, actor
• Gabriel Iglesias – comedian
• Danny Im – member of Korean music group 1TYM
• Grant Imahara – electronics and radio control expert (MythBusters)
• Don Imus – radio personality
• Allison Iraheta – singer (American Idol)
• Kathy Ireland – model
• Chris Isaak – musician, actor
• Yasuhiro Ishimoto – photographer
• Phil Ivey – professional poker player

• Shirley Jackson – author
• Etta James – singer
• Jesse James – actor, welder, and chief executive officer of West Coast Choppers
• Gregg Jarrett – lawyer, journalist
• BC Jean – singer
• Richard Jefferson – professional basketball player
• Fran Jeffries – actress (The Pink Panther)
• Steve Jobs – computer pioneer, co-founder of Apple Computer
• Anjelah Johnson – actress, comedian
• Dwayne Johnson – professional wrestler best known as "The Rock"; now an actor (The Scorpion King)
• Jimmie Johnson – NASCAR driver and champion
• Kevin Johnson – basketball player and politician
• Keyshawn Johnson – football player
• Randy Johnson – baseball player
• Angelina Jolie – actress
• Jerry Jones – owner of the Dallas Cowboys
• Marion Jones – track athlete
• Matt L. Jones – actor, comedian (Breaking Bad)
• Rashida Jones – actress
• Tamala Jones – actress
• Ashley Judd – actress
• Jessica Jung – singer (Girls' Generation)
• Krystal Jung – singer (f(x))

• Pauline Kael – film critic
• Colin Kaepernick – NFL quarterback San Francisco 49ers
• Ryan Kalish – major league baseball outfielder
• Tony Kanal – bassist with No Doubt
• Gabe Kapler – major league baseball outfielder
• Khloé Kardashian – socialite and reality-television personality
• Kim Kardashian – socialite and reality-television personality
• Kourtney Kardashian – socialite and reality-television personality
• Chris Kattan – actor, comedian
• Julie Kavner – actress
• Diane Keaton – film actress, director, producer
• Keb' Mo' – blues singer-songerwriter and guitarist
• Sally Kellerman – actress
• Minka Kelly – actress
• Anthony Kennedy – Supreme Court Justice
• Dom Kennedy – rapper
• Kirk Kerkorian – investor and philanthropist
• Kesha – singer
• Jason Kidd – NBA player and coach
• Val Kilmer – actor
• Elle King – singer, actress
• Kerry King – guitarist (Slayer)
• Regina King – actress
• Maxine Hong Kingston – author
• Thomas Kinkade – artist
• Matthew Knight – actor
• Suge Knight – record producer, music executive (Death Row Records)
• Nathan Kress – actor (iCarly)
• Kayden Kross – pornographic actress
• Mike Krukow – baseball pitcher and announcer (San Francisco Giants)
• Lisa Kudrow – actress (Friends)
• Greg Kurstin – musician, producer (The Bird and the Bee)
• Michelle Kwan – figure skater
• Iris Kyle – 10-time overall Ms. Olympia professional bodybuilder

• Shia LaBeouf – actor
• Remy LaCroix – pornographic actress
• Kendrick Lamar – rapper
• Adam Lambert – singer (American Idol)
• Ryan Lavarnway – major-league baseball catcher (Los Angeles Dodgers)
• Rick Law – illustrator and producer
• Tony Lazzeri – baseball player
• Amy Lee – musician (lead singer of Evanescence)
• Bruce Lee – martial artist
• Jason Lee – actor (My Name is Earl)
• Cathy LeFrançois – IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Janet Leigh – actress
• Jennifer Jason Leigh – actress (Fast Times at Ridgemont High)
• Kawhi Leonard – basketball player
• Brad Lesley – baseball player, cast member on Takeshi's Castle
• Adam Levine – musician (lead singer of pop/rock group Maroon 5)
• Monica Lewinsky – White House intern
• Huey Lewis – musician (Huey Lewis and the News)
• Juliette Lewis – actress
• Rob Liefeld – comic book writer
• Seven Lions – musician
• David Lipsky – golfer
• Blake Lively – actress (Gossip Girl)
• Heather Locklear – actress
• Jack London – author (The Call of the Wild)
• Lauren London – television personality, actress, and model
• Evan Longoria – baseball player
• George Lopez – actor and comedian (George Lopez)
• Mario López – actor (Saved by the Bell)
• Nancy Lopez – golfer
• Erik Lorig – football player (New Orleans Saints)
• Greg Louganis – Olympic diver
• Courtney Love – musician
• Kevin Love – basketball player
• Jon Lovitz – actor
• George Lucas – filmmaker (Star Wars)
• Lorna Luft – singer and actress
• Athena Lundberg – Playmate of the Month (January 2006)
• Ray Lynch – actor
• Cheryl Lynn – singer

• Mack 10 – rapper (Westside Connection)
• Theodore Harold Maiman – inventor of Ruby Laser Systems Laser
• Daron Malakian – musician, singer-songwriter, guitarist (System of a Down)
• Mia Malkova – pornographic actress
• Ricky Manning, Jr. – football player
• Josie Maran – actress and model
• Teena Marie – singer
• Cheech Marin – actor
• Shannon Marketic – Miss USA 1992
• McKayla Maroney – 2012 Olympic gold and silver medalist (artistic gymnastics)
• Dean Paul Martin – actor and musician
• Margaret Martin – professional bodybuilder
• Bobby Martinez – professional surfer
• Chris Masters – wrestler
• Tim Matheson – actor
• Bob Mathias – decathlete
• Misty May-Treanor – volleyball player
• Leigh McCloskey – actor, artist (Dallas)
• Pete McCloskey – politician
• Willie McCool – astronaut, killed in Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
• Maureen McCormick – actress
• Jennette McCurdy – actress, singer
• Audra McDonald – actress and singer
• Willie McGee – baseball player
• Ted McGinley – actor
• Jeremy McGrath – supercross racer
• Mark McGwire – baseball player
• Robert McNamara – former United States Secretary of Defense
• Katharine McPhee – singer, actress
• MC Eiht – actor, rapper
• MC Hammer – musician
• MC Ren – rapper
• Casey Mears – NASCAR driver
• Edwin Meese – United States Attorney General (1985–1988)
• Rodney Melville – judge
• Mike Mentzer, professional bodybuilder and 1979 Mr. Olympia heavyweight champion^[6]
• Lee Meriwether – actress and Miss America
• Casey Merrill – football running back
• AJ Michalka – actress, musician
• Aly Michalka – actress, singer
• Phil Mickelson – golfer
• Miguel – singer, producer
• Johnny Miller – golfer and TV commentator
• Jon Miller – sportscaster
• Marisa Miller – supermodel
• Penelope Ann Miller – actress
• Reggie Miller – basketball player (Indiana Pacers)
• Stanley Miller – chemist
• Norm Mineta – U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Transportation
• Liza Minnelli – singer and actress (Cabaret)
• Marilyn Monroe – sex symbol, actress (Some Like It Hot)
• Elizabeth Montgomery – actress (Bewitched)
• Shemar Moore – actor
• Terry Moore – actress (Mighty Joe Young)
• Alex Morgan – United States national women's soccer team striker
• John Morrison – wrestler
• George Moscone – Mayor of San Francisco
• Shane Mosley – boxer
• Elisabeth Moss – actress
• Bethany Mota – youtuber
• Jason Mraz – singer, musician
• Megan Mullally – actress
• Marcus Mumford – singer, musician (Mumford & Sons)
• Bill Mumy – child actor (Lost in Space)
• Noah Munck – actor (iCarly)
• Eddie Murray – baseball player (Baltimore Orioles)
• Lenda Murray – IFBB professional bodybuilder (Los Angeles)
• Dave Mustaine – musician (Megadeth)

• Anna Nalick – singer-songwriter
• Randy Newman – composer, musician
• Gavin Newsom – Mayor of San Francisco (2004–present)
• Joanna Newsom – singer, harpist
• Lorenzo Neal – Pro Bowl football player
• Richard Nixon – 37th President of the United States
• Lyn Nofziger – author, journalist and White House Press Secretary (under Ronald Reagan)
• Isamu Noguchi – artist
• Bradley Nowell – singer, musician (Sublime)

• Willis O'Brien – film special-effects artist
• Dagmar Oakland – stage and screen actress
• Frank Ocean – singer (Odd Future)
• Lefty O'Doul – baseball player
• Larisa Oleynik – actress
• Edward James Olmos – actor
• Elizabeth Olsen – actress
• Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen – actresses and entrepreneurs
• Omarion – musician, singer
• Ryan O'Neal – actor
• Tatum O'Neal – actress
• Heather O'Rourke – actress
• Emily Osment – actress, singer
• Haley Joel Osment – actor
• Jimmy Osmond − singer

• Carson Palmer – football quarterback
• Gwyneth Paltrow – actress
• Cathey Palyo – IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Leon Panetta – White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense
• Jerry Paris – film director and actor (The Dick Van Dyke Show)
• Grace Park – actress (Battlestar Galactica, Hawaii Five-0)
• Richard Park – ice hockey forward, New York Islanders
• Harry Partch – composer
• Audrina Patridge – television personality, television presenter, actress, and model
• George S. Patton – military commander
• Paula Patton – actress
• Corey Pavin – golfer
• Sara Paxton – actress, singer
• Gary Payton – professional basketball player
• Gregory Peck – actor
• Sam Peckinpah – film director
• Dustin Pedroia – baseball player
• Chris Penn – actor
• Sean Penn – actor
• Stacy Peralta- skateboarder, surfer and film director
• Melina Perez – professional wrestler
• Katy Perry – singer
• Michelle Pfeiffer – actress
• Paul Pierce – professional basketball player
• Chris Pine – actor
• Drew Pinsky – radio and television personality, physician, addiction medicine specialist
• Jim Plunkett – football quarterback (Oakland Raiders)
• Whitney Port – television personality, fashion designer, and author
• Chad Power – martial artist
• Stefanie Powers – actress
• Tristan Prettyman – singer, musician
• Tayshaun Prince – professional basketball player (Detroit Pistons)
• Freddie Prinze, Jr. – actor
• Jade Puget – musician (AFI)

• Kathleen Quinlan – actress

• Frances Rafferty – actress
• Max Rafferty – former California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, author and columnist
• Taylor Rain – pornographic actress and nude model
• Robert Redford – film actor and director
• Mason Reese – child actor
• Autumn Reeser - actress (The O.C.)
• Andy Reid – football coach
• Maria Remenyi – Miss USA 1966
• Jeremy Renner – actor
• Dane Reynolds – professional surfer (Quiksilver)
• Christina Ricci – actress (The Addams Family)
• Ariana Richards – actress
• Michael Richards – actor (Seinfeld)
• Nicole Richie – actress
• Sally Ride – astronaut (STS-7 and STS-41-G)
• Isiah Rider – basketball player
• Cathy Rigby – gymnast and actress (Peter Pan)
• Molly Ringwald – actress
• Jason Ritter – actor (son of John Ritter; grandson of Tex Ritter)
• Jenni Rivera – singer
• Naya Rivera – actress and singer
• Tim Robbins – actor
• Tony Robbins – life coach
• Jackie Robinson – first African-American player in Major League Baseball in the modern era
• Julia Robinson – mathematician
• Aaron Rodgers – NFL quarterback Green Bay Packers
• Dana Rohrabacher – member of the United States House of Representatives
• Jimmy Rollins – baseball player
• Jim Rome – sports radio host
• Rebecca Romijn – model, actress
• Tony Romo – football quarterback
• Kyla Ross – 2012 Olympic gold medalist (artistic gymnastics)
• Alexander Rossi – Formula One driver
• Josiah Royce – philosopher
• Pete Rozelle – NFL commissioner
• Keri Russell – actress
• Rene Russo – actress
• Marla Ruzicka – activist (Green Party)

• Bob Smale - pianist

• George Takei – actor (Star Trek)
• Amber Tamblyn – actress (Joan of Arcadia)
• Russ Tamblyn – actor (West Side Story)
• Amy Tan – writer (The Joy Luck Club)
• Tess Taylor – reality-television personality and Playboy Cyber Girl of the Year (2010)
• Scout Taylor-Compton – actress (Halloween)
• TeeFlii – rapper, producer
• Aimee Teegarden – actress, model
• Shirley Temple – child film star, former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia
• Reggie Theus – basketball player and coach
• Robin Thicke – singer
• Joanna Thomas – IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Pat Tillman – football player and soldier
• Jennifer Tilly – actress
• Kenneth Tobey – actor
• Alessandra Torresani – actress
• Alan Trammell – baseball player
• Danny Trejo - actor
• Lisa Tucker – singer
• Tyga – rapper
• Aisha Tyler – actress
• Tyler, The Creator – rapper, record producer (Odd Future)

• Chase Utley – baseball player

• Jasmine V – singer
• Karen Valentine – actress
• Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo – Mexican general, American politician
• Elle Varner – singer
• Jhonen Vasquez – comic-book writer and artist
• Casey Veggies – rapper
• Stephen Venard – lawman
• Julieta Venegas – singer, musician
• Ken Venturi – golfer
• Gwen Verdon – actress
• Victoria Vetri – model and actress
• Robert M. Viale – U.S. Medal of Honor recipient
• Antonio Villaraigosa – 51st Mayor of Los Angeles
• Roy Marlin Voris – World War II flying ace and founder of the United States Navy Blue Angels

• Lindsay Wagner – actress
• Bill Walsh – football coach
• Laurie Walters – actress (Eight Is Enough)
• Bill Walton – Hall of Fame basketball player
• Luke Walton – basketball player
• Andre Ward – 2004 Summer Olympics gold medal-winning boxer
• Earl Warren – 30th Governor of California, 14th Chief Justice of the United States (1953–1969)
• Jered Weaver – baseball player
• Ryn Weaver – singer
• Caspar Weinberger – United States Secretary of Defense
• Bob Weir – musician (Grateful Dead)
• Brian Welch – musician, guitarist (Korn)
• Russell Westbrook – basketball player
• Jill Whelan – actress (Airplane!)
• Shaun White – snowboarder
• Brandon Whitt – NASCAR driver
• Sidney Wicks – basketball player
• will.i.am – rapper, singer, record producer, and entrepreneur (The Black Eyed Peas)
• Emily Williams – early-20th-century architect
• Esther Williams – actress
• John Williams – composer
• Paul Williams – architect
• Serena Williams – tennis player
• Venus Williams – tennis player
• Ted Williams – Hall of Fame baseball player
• Dontrelle Willis – baseball player (Florida Marlins)
• Helen Wills – tennis player
• Brian Wilson – musician (The Beach Boys)
• Carl Wilson – musician (The Beach Boys)
• Rita Wilson – actress
• Ariel Winter – actress, model (Modern Family)
• Tamara Witmer – model
• Zachary Wohlman – boxer
• Victor Wong – actor (Big Trouble in Little China)
• Victor Wong – actor (King Kong)
• Kevin Woo – singer, television personality (U-Kiss)
• Beatrice Wood – artist
• Natalie Wood – actress (This Property Is Condemned)
• John Wooden – college basketball coach
• Cynthia Woodhead – swimmer
• Shailene Woodley – actress
• Tiger Woods – golfer
• Steve Wozniak – inventor of the Apple Computer

• Kristi Yamaguchi – professional figure skater
• Elliott Yamin – singer
• "Weird Al" Yankovic – parodist, musician
• YG – rapper
• Charlyne Yi – actress, comedian
• Tina Yothers – actress (Family Ties)
• Adrian Young – No Doubt's drummer
• Emily Mae Young – actress
• Nick Young – professional basketball player
• Young Noble – rapper
• Joon Yun – radiologist

• Frank J. Zamboni – inventor
• Zendaya – actress, singer
• Anthony Zerbe – actor
• Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. – Chief of Naval Operations
• Daphne Zuniga – actress

• AFI – rock band
• As I Lay Dying – metal band
• Audioslave – rock band
• Bad Religion – punk band
• The Bangles – pop band
• The Beach Boys – pop band
• The Bird and the Bee – indie duo
• Black Flag – hardcore band
• Blink-182 – pop/punk band
• The Byrds – folk rock band
• Circle Jerks – punk band
• Concrete Blonde – alternative band
• Counting Crows – rock band
• Creedence Clearwater Revival – rock band
• Cypress Hill – hip hop band
• The Donnas – rock band
• The Doors – rock band
• Eels – alternative band
• Faith no More – alternative band
• Fishbone – alternative band
• Flogging Molly – Celtic punk band
• Geraldine Fibbers – alternative band
• The Germs – punk band
• The Go-Go's – pop band
• The Grateful Dead – folk rock band
• Green Day – rock band
• Guns N' Roses – hard rock band
• Hollywood Undead – rap/metal band
• Hoobastank – rock band
• In Fear And Faith – metal band
• Incubus – rock band
• Jane's Addiction – alternative band
• Jefferson Airplane – rock band
• Julien-K – synth band
• Linkin Park – alternative rock band
• Mad at the World – Christian rock band
• Maroon 5 – rock band
• Megadeth – metal band
• Metallica – metal band
• Minutemen – punk band
• The Monkees – pop band
• Mötley Crüe – hard rock band
• N.W.A. – hip hop band
• No Doubt – ska-punk band
• The O.C. Supertones – ska band
• The Offspring – rock band
• Oingo Boingo – new wave band
• Orgy – synth band
• P.O.D. – rock band
• Rage Against the Machine – rap/metal band
• Ratt – hard rock band
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – rock band
• Slayer – metal band
• Stone Temple Pilots – hard rock band
• Sublime – ska-punk, dub band
• Suicidal Tendencies – punk/metal band
• Suicide Silence – metal band
• Switchfoot – rock band
• System of a Down – metal band
• Tesla – hard rock band
• Third Eye Blind – rock band
• Thrice – rock band
• Van Halen – hard rock band
• The Wallflowers – rock band
• X – alternative/punk band

• Samuel Brannan – newspaper publisher
• Ashlynn Brooke – pornographic actress
• Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo – Spanish explorer
• César Chávez – labor leader
• Juan Bautista de Anza – Spanish explorer
• Gaspar de Portolà – Spanish explorer
• Dr. Dre – rapper and producer
• Larry Ellison – co-founder of Oracle Corporation
• John C. Frémont – Military Governor of California
• Domingo Ghirardelli – chocolateer (Ghirardelli Chocolate Company)
• Chick Hearn – National Basketball Association announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers
• William Redington Hewlett – co-founder of Hewlett-Packard
• Bob Hope – actor, singer, comedian
• Steve Jurvetson – venture capitalist (a managing director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson)
• James Lick – real estate baron
• Steve Martin – actor, author, comedian and film director
• Johnny Mathis – singer ("Chances Are")
• Fritz Maytag – former owner of Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco and is Chairman of the Board of the Maytag Dairy Farms* Thomas Mesereau – criminal defense lawyer
• Joe Montana – National Football League quarterback
• John Muir – naturalist
• Joshua A. Norton – British self-proclaimed "Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico"
• Buck Owens – country music performer
• Ronald Reagan – actor and 40th President of the United States
• Jackie Robinson – Baseball Hall of Famer who broke Major League Baseball's 20th-century color line
• Carlos Santana – Mexican musician
• Michael Savage – author, political commentator and radio host
• Charles M. Schulz – cartoonist
• Vin Scully – announcer for Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers
• Glenn T. Seaborg – chemist
• Junipero Serra – Spanish missionary
• Steven Spielberg – film director
• Leland Stanford – railroad baron, Governor of California, founder of Stanford University
• Ken Starr – lawyer, university law dean
• Levi Strauss – Bavarian clothing manufacturer
• John Sutter – Swiss real estate baron
• Marjorie Thompson – British peace activist
• Mark Twain – humorist and author
• Sarah Winchester – heiress, eccentric, builder of the Winchester Mystery House
• Charles Wood – musical theatre performer (original Hortensio in Cole Porter's 1948 Broadway musical Kiss Me, Kate)
• Chuck Yeager – US Air Force test pilot
• Ace Young – singer
• Steve Young – National Football League quarterback
• Lars Ulrich – musician (Metallica)

• List of people associated with San Francisco
• List of people from Chula Vista, California
• List of people from Long Beach, California
• List of people from Los Angeles
• List of people from Orange County, California
• List of people from San Diego, California