List of people from California

This is a partial list of well-known people from California.

A

• Willie Aames – actor
• Paula Abdul – dancer/singer (American Idol)
• Ansel Adams – photographer
• Rick Adelman – NBA head coach (Houston Rockets)
• Jessica Alba – actress, model
• Helen Andelin – author (Fascinating Womanhood)
• Melissa Sue Anderson – actress
• Jennifer Aniston – actress (Friends)
• Christina Applegate – actress
• Jon Appleton – composer
• Eve Arden – actress
• Billie Joe Armstrong – musician, lead vocalist (Green Day)
• Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu – bassist (Korn)
• Maureen Arthur – actress (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying)
• Anastasia Ashman – writer
• Sean Astin – actor (The Lord of the Rings)
• Brad Ausmus – Major League Baseball player
• Tracy Austin – tennis player

B

• 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 – manager of the Cincinnati Reds
• Tyra Banks – model/actress (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
• Adrienne Barbeau – actress (Maude)
• Travis Barker – Blink 182
• Matt Barnes – NBA player
• Drew Barrymore – actress (50 First Dates)
• Summer Bartholomew – Miss USA 1975
• Michael Bay – director
• Amanda Beard – Olympic swimmer
• Beck – musician
• Captain Beefheart – musician
• Tory Belleci – film maker and model maker (MythBusters)
• Marcus Benjamin – (born in 1857) Early biographer at the Smithsonian Institution
• Candice Bergen – actress (Murphy Brown)
• Carolyn Beug – passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 11
• Thora Birch – actress
• Bradford Bishop – indicted murderer and at-large fugitive
• Bill Bixby – actor (The Incredible Hulk)
• Mel Blanc – cartoon voice actor
• Jack Black – actor (Tenacious D)
• Hank Blalock – baseball player (Texas Rangers)
• Betsy Bloomingdale – socialite
• David Blu (born David Bluthenthal) - professional basketball player (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
• Jonathan Blum – hockey player
• C-Bo – rapper
• Aaron Boone – Baseball player (Cleveland Indians)
• Barry Bonds – baseball player (San Francisco Giants)
• Bobby Bonds – baseball player (San Francisco Giants)
• Barry Bostwick – actor (Spin City, The Rocky Horror Picture Show)
• Bruce Bowen – NBA player (San Antonio Spurs)
• Tom Brady – football quarterback (New England Patriots)
• Benjamin Bratt – actor
• Nicholas Brendon – actor (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
• Jan Brewer - Politician and current governor of Arizona
• Stephen Breyer – Supreme Court Justice
• Beau Bridges – actor (The Fabulous Baker Boys)
• Jeff Bridges – actor (The Big Lebowski)
• Lloyd Bridges – actor (Sea Hunt, Airplane!)
• Adam Brody – actor (The O.C.)
• Albert Brooks – actor/director (Lost in America)
• Alton Brown – television host
• Jerry Brown – Governor of California (1975–1983), Mayor of Oakland
• Pat Brown – Governor of California (1959–1967)
• Willie Brown – 58th Speaker of the California Assembly, Mayor of San Francisco
• Lindsey Buckingham – musician (Fleetwood Mac)
• Bill Buckner – Baseball player
• Don Budge – Tennis player
• Hunter Burgan – Bass player for AFI
• Cruz Bustamante – California lieutenant governor
• Kari Byron – artist and television personality (MythBusters)

C

• Herb Caen – newspaper columnist (San Francisco Chronicle)
• John Cage – Composer
• Nicolas Cage- actor
• 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
• David Carr – football player
• David Carradine – actor (Kung Fu)
• Ever Carradine – actress (daughter of Robert Carradine)
• Keith Carradine – actor (Nashville)
• Robert Carradine – actor (Revenge of the Nerds)
• Pete Carroll – football coach (USC)
• Adam Carson – drummer of AFI
• Torry Castellano – drummer of The Donnas
• Cher – singer/actress/entertainer (Moonstruck)
• Joey Chestnut – competitive eater
• Julia Child – cook
• Margaret Cho – actress
• Amy Chow – Gymnast
• Lana Clarkson – actress (Fast Times at Ridgemont High)
• Sasha Cohen – figure skater
• Holly Marie Combs – actress
• Scout Taylor-Compton – actress (Halloween)
• Maureen Connolly – tennis player
• Mike Connors- actor (Mannix)
• Elisha Cook Jr. – actor (The Maltese Falcon)
• Coolio – rapper
• Miranda Cosgrove – actress, singer (iCarly)
• Kevin Costner – actor (Field of Dreams)
• Natalie Coughlin – Olympic swimmer
• Nikki Cox – actress (Las Vegas)
• Les Claypool – Bass player for Primus
• Alan Cranston – U.S. Senator from California
• William H. Crocker – philanthropist and founder of Crocker National Bank
• Joe Cronin – professional baseball player
• Ice Cube – musician, actor
• Jamie Lee Curtis – actress (Halloween)

D

• Iva Toguri D'Aquino (Tokyo Rose) – radio broadcaster during World War II
• Carson Daly – television host
• Harry Danning - Major League Baseball All Star catcher
• Ted Danson – actor (Cheers)
• Lindsay Davenport – tennis player
• Baron Davis – professional basketball player (Los Angeles Clippers)
• Terrell Davis – professional football player
• Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris – husband/wife directors (Little Miss Sunshine)
• Zack de la Rocha – singer
• Tom DeLonge – Blink 182
• Brad Delson – musician (Linkin Park)
• Emily_Deschanel – actress
• Cameron Diaz – actress (There's Something About Mary)
• Leonardo DiCaprio – actor
• Trent Dilfer – NFL quarterback
• Daz Dillinger – rapper
• Joe DiMaggio – baseball player
• Roy Edward Disney, billionaire, nephew of Walt Disney
• Tom Dumont – No Doubt's guitarist
• Nate Dogg – musician
• Snoop Dogg – rapper
• Canh Thong Do – Vietnamese American Activist
• Ami Dolenz actress (daughter of Mickey Dolenz)
• Mickey Dolenz – member of The Monkees
• Dr Dre – musician, rap producer
• Mac Dre – rapper
• Dresta – rapper
• K. Eric Drexler – engineer
• Hilary Duff – actress, singer
• Isadora Duncan – dancer
• Ann Dunnigan - translator, actor, teacher
• Robert Duvall – actor
• Jermaine Dye – baseball player (Chicago White Sox)

E

• Clint Eastwood – film actor and director (Million Dollar Baby)
• Eazy-E – rapper
• Dennis Eckersley – baseball player
• Zac Efron – American film and TV actor. Best known for his role in High School Musical
• Mc Eiht – actor, rapper

F

• Bill Fagerbakke – actor/voice actor (Patrick Star)
• Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris – husband/wife directors (Little Miss Sunshine)
• Heather Fargo – mayor of Sacramento, California
• Mia Farrow – actress
• Dianne Feinstein – US Senator, mayor (1978–1988) of San Francisco
• Stacy Ferguson – singer, actress, composer (The Dutchess), (Charlie Brown), (Fergalicious)
• Will Ferrell – actor
• Miguel Ferrer – actor (RoboCop)
• Carrie Fisher – actress
• Abigail Folger – American coffee heiress, socialite, and murder victim
• Dian Fossey – zoologist
• Jodie Foster – actress (The Silence of the Lambs)
• Allen Fox - tennis player (ranked as high as # 4) and coach
• Paulette Frankl – artist, biographer
• Robert Frost – poet
• Del tha Funkee Homosapien – rapper
• Edward Furlong – actor (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

G

Jason Giambi

John Grabow

Jake Gyllenhaal

• Warren G – rapper
• Guy Gabaldon – United States Marine Corps
• Lynx and Lamb Gaede – white nationalist twin singers and musicians
• Richard Gage (architect) – 9/11 Truth movement activist
• Trace Gallagher – journalist
• The Game – rapper
• Jeff Garcia – American football player
• Jerry Garcia – musician (Grateful Dead)
• Kyle Gass – musician (Tenacious D)
• Dirk Gates – network entrepreneur (Xirrus)
• Jason Giambi – professional baseball player (New York Yankees)
• Tyrese Gibson – actor
• 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
• Rube Goldberg – cartoonist
• Phillip Gonyea – drummer for Against All Will
• Drew Gooden – professional basketball player (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• Jeff Gordon – NASCAR driver
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt – actor
• Mark-Paul Gosselaar - actor
• John Grabow, Major League Baseball player (Chicago Cubs)
• Gloria Grahame – actress
• Joanie Greggains – radio show host, health and fitness expert.
• Beatrice Gray – actress
• Billy Gray – actor, motorcyclist
• Sasha Grey – American pornographic actress
• Merv Griffin – talk show host, singer, television producer (Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune)
• Florence Griffith-Joyner, track athlete
• Josh Groban – musician
• Marjoe Gortner – evangelical minister
• Vince Guaraldi – musician (A Charlie Brown Christmas)
• Kimberly Guilfoyle – television personality
• Tony Gwynn – Hall of Fame baseball player
• Jake Gyllenhaal – actor

H

• Walter A. Haas, Jr. CEO 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, 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)
• MC Hammer – musician
• Kirk Hammett – musician (Metallica)
• Daniel Handler – Lemony Snicket
• Colin Hanks – actor (King Kong)
• Tom Hanks – actor, director, producer
• Jeff Hanneman – guitarist (Slayer)
• Dan Haren – professional baseball player (Oakland Athletics)
• Mariska Hargitay – actress (Law & Order: SVU)
• Jeff B. Harmon – film producer, director, actor
• Henry Harrower – endocrinologist
• Josh Hartnett – actor
• Kevin Harvick – NASCAR driver
• Teri Hatcher – actress
• Davey Havok – lead singer of AFI
• Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins – professional skateboarder
• Julie Hayek – Miss USA 1983
• Dennis Haysbert – actor (24)
• William Randolph Hearst – newspaper publisher
• Patty Hearst – newspaper heiress (Symbionese Liberation Army)
• Lacie Heart – Porn actress and nude model
• Christy Hemme – professional wrestler and model
• Mariel Hemingway – actress (Manhattan)
• Pamela Hensley - actress
• Keith Hernandez – baseball player (New York Mets)
• James Hetfield – musician (Metallica)
• Jason Hirsh - baseball player
• Dustin Hoffman – actor
• Trevor Hoffman – professional baseball player (San Diego Padres)
• Brenda Holloway – singer and songwriter
• Mike Holmgren – football coach (Seattle Seahawks)
• Mark Hoppus – Blink 182
• Taylor Horn – singer and actress
• James Horner – composer
• Sam Horrigan – actor Little Giants
• Jerry Hsu- skateboarder
• William Hung – (American Idol)
• Helen Hunt – actress (Mad About You)
• Vanessa Anne Hudgens – American actress and singer. Best known for her role in High School Musical
• Kate Hudson – actress
• Terry Huntingdon – Miss USA 1959
• Tiffany Hwang – singer, Girls' Generation

I

• Gabriel Iglesias – comedian
• Grant Imahara – electronics and radio control expert (MythBusters)
• Danny Im – member of Korean music group, 1TYM
• Yasuhiro Ishimoto – photographer
• Phil Ivey – professional poker player

J

• Shirley Jackson – author
• Jesse G. James – actor, welder, and CEO of West Coast Choppers
• Gregg Jarrett – lawyer, journalist
• Jayden James – American pornographic actress
• Richard Jefferson – professional basketball player
• Fran Jeffries – actress (The Pink Panther)
• Steve Jobs – billionaire computer pioneer, co-founder of Apple Computer
• Dwayne Johnson (born 1972) – former professional wrestler best known as "The Rock"; now an actor (The Scorpion King)
• Jimmie Johnson – NASCAR driver and champion
• Keyshawn Johnson – retired professional football player
• Randy Johnson (born 1963) – baseball player (Arizona Diamondbacks)
• Angelina Jolie – actress
• Joe Jonas – guitarist,singer (The Jonas Brothers)
• Kevin Jonas – guitarist,back-up singer (The Jonas Brothers)
• Nicholas Jonas – guitarist, singer (The Jonas Brothers)
• Jerry Jones – owner, Dallas Cowboys
• Marion Jones – track athlete
• Jessica Jung – singer, Girls' Generation
• Krystal Jung – singer, F(x)

K

• Ryan Kalish – major league baseball outfielder
• Tony Kanal – bassist with No Doubt
• Gabe Kapler – major league baseball outfielder
• Chris Kattan – actor, comedian
• Julie Kavner – actress
• Diane Keaton – actress, director, producer
• Anthony Kennedy – Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
• Kirk Kerkorian – Billionaire investor and philanthropist
• Jason Kidd – NBA player
• Val Kilmer – actor
• Billie Jean King – tennis player
• Regina King – actress
• Kerry King – guitarist (Slayer)
• Maxine Hong Kingston – author
• B.G. Knocc Out – rapper
• Nathan Kress – actor (iCarly)
• Mike Krukow – baseball pitcher/announcer (San Francisco Giants)
• Lisa Kudrow – actress (Friends)
• Michelle Kwan – figure skater

L

• Shia LaBeouf – actor
• Adam Lambert – singer (American Idol)
• Rick Law – illustrator/producer
• Bruce Lee – martial artist
• Jason Lee – actor (My Name is Earl)
• Janet Leigh – actress
• Jennifer Jason Leigh – actress (Fast Times at Ridgemont High)
• Brad Lesley – baseball player/cast member on Takeshi's Castle
• Adam Levine – musician (lead singer of pop/rock group Maroon 5)
• Monica Lewinsky
• Huey Lewis – musician (Huey Lewis and the News)
• Juliette Lewis – actress
• Rob Liefeld – comic book writer
• Heather Locklear – actress
• Jack London – author (The Call of the Wild)
• George Lopez – actor/comedian (George Lopez)
• Mario López – actor (Saved by the Bell)
• Greg Louganis- Olympic Diver
• Courtney Love – musician
• Jon Lovitz – actor
• George Lucas – billionaire filmmaker (Star Wars)
• Athena Lundberg – Playmate of the Month for January 2006
• Brotha Lynch Hung – rapper
• Ray Lynch – actor
• Cheryl Lynn – singer

M

• Mack 10 – rapper (Westside Connection)
• Theodore Harold Maiman - Inventor of Ruby Laser Systems Laser
• Daron Malakian – Guitarist for System of a Down
• Ricky Manning, Jr. - Football player
• Cheech Marin – actor
• Bobby Martinez - Pro surfer Reef
• Shannon Marketic – Miss USA 1992
• Bob Mathias – decathlete
• Leigh McCloskey - actor, artist (Dallas)
• Pete McCloskey – politician
• Willie McCool – astronaut, killed on Columbia
• Willie McGee – baseball player
• Jeremy McGrath – supercross racer
• Mark McGwire – baseball player
• Robert McNamara – former United States Secretary of Defense
• Katharine McPhee – singer
• Casey Mears – NASCAR driver
• Edwin Meese – US Attorney General (1985–1988)
• Rodney Melville – judge
• Casey Merrill – football running back
• 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/actress (Cabaret)
• Shemar Moore – actor
• John Morrison – wrestler (Los Angeles)
• Terry Moore – actress Mighty Joe Young
• Marilyn Monroe – sex symbol, actress (Some Like It Hot)
• George Moscone mayor (1976—1978)
• Bill Mumy – child actor (Lost in Space)
• Eddie Murray – baseball player (Baltimore Orioles)
• Dave Mustaine – musician (Megadeth)
• Chris Mordetzky – wrestler
• Jason Mraz - singer

N

• Randy Newman – composer, musician
• Gavin Newsom – mayor (2004–present) of San Francisco, California
• Lorenzo Neal – Pro Bowl football player
• Richard Nixon – President of the United States
• Young Noble – rapper
• Isamu Noguchi - artist
• Lyn Nofziger – author/journalist/press secretary (Ronald Reagan)

O

• Willis O'Brien – movie special effects artist
• Lefty O'Doul – baseball player
• Dagmar Oakland – Actress of stage and screen
• Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen – actresses and entrepreneurs
• Omarion – musician
• Tatum O'Neal – actress
• Haley Joel Osment – actor
• Christi O'Connor – television journalist

P

• Gwyneth Paltrow – actress
• Leon Panetta – White House Chief of Staff under Bill Clinton
• Jerry Paris – actor (The Dick Van Dyke Show)
• Richard Park – ice hockey forward, New York Islanders
• Harry Partch – composer
• George S. Patton – soldier
• Gary Payton – professional basketball player (Miami Heat)
• Gregory Peck – actor
• Sam Peckinpah – director
• Katy Perry – singer
• Michelle Pfeiffer – actress
• Laci Peterson – murder victim
• Paul Pierce – professional basketball player (Boston Celtics)
• Jim Plunkett – football quarterback (Oakland Raiders)
• Chad Power – martial artist
• Freddie Prinze, Jr. – actor
• Tayshaun Prince – professional basketball player (Detroit Pistons)
• Jade Puget – musician (AFI)

R

• Taylor Rain – Porn actress and nude model
• B-Real – rapper (Cypress Hill)
• Robert Redford – actor (Barefoot in the Park)
• Mason Reese – child actor
• Maria Remenyi – Miss USA 1966
• MC Ren – rapper
• Dane Reynolds – Pro surfer(Quiksilver)
• Christina Ricci – actress (The Addams Family)
• Michael Richards – actor (Seinfeld)
• Nicole Richie – actress
• Sally Ride – astronaut (STS-7 and STS-41-G)
• Isiah Rider – basketball player
• Cathy Rigby – gymnast/actress (Peter Pan)
• Jason Ritter – actor (son of John Ritter; grandson of Tex Ritter)
• Tony Robbins – life coach
• Julia Robinson – mathematician
• Dana Rohrabacher – member of the United States House of Representatives
• Jimmy Rollins – baseball player
• Jim Rome – sports radio talk show host
• Josiah Royce – philosopher
• Marla Ruzicka – activist (Green Party (United States))

S

• CC Sabathia – baseball player
• Pierre Salinger – White House Press Secretary under John F. Kennedy
• Andy Samberg – comedian (SNL)
• Eugene Schmitz – San Francisco Mayor
• Rob Schneider actor/comedian
• Liev Schreiber – actor
• Charles R. Schwab – CEO
• Cathy Scott – true crime author (The Killing of Tupac Shakur)
• Junior Seau – American football player
• Tom Seaver – Hall of Fame baseball player
• Richard Serra – sculptor
• Tony Serra – civil rights attorney
• Harry Shearer – actor and comedian (Spinal Tap)
• Larry Sherry - major league baseball 1959 World Series MVP
• Mike Shinoda – painter, musician, producer, singer/rapper (Linkin Park and Fort Minor)
• Too Short – rapper
• Alicia Silverstone – actress
• O.J. Simpson – football player
• Charles Martin Smith – actor (American Graffiti)
• Roger Smith – actor (77 Sunset Strip)
• Samuel H. Smith – president emeritus of Washington State University
• Duke Snider – baseball player
• Gary Snyder – poet
• Suzanne Somers – actress (Three's Company)
• Brenda Song – actress
• Gary Soto – poet
• Robert Stack – actor (Airplane!)
• Walt Stack – First Nike "Just Do It" advertisement subject (San Francisco)
• Leland Stanford, Jr. – namesake of Stanford University
• Steven Stayner
• Danielle Steele – author
• Gwen Stefani – singer
• John Steinbeck – author (Of Mice and Men)
• George Stevens – film director/producer/writer
• Cynthia Stevenson – actress (Dead Like Me)
• Ted Stickles – world-class swimmer
• Terri Stickles – Olympic swimmer
• Saleisha Stowers – model
• David Strathairn – actor
• Robert W. Straub – Oregon governor 1975–1979 (Governors of Oregon)
• Darryl Strawberry – baseball player
• Lynn Swann – football player
• Jodie Sweetin – actress (Full House)
• Bob Swenson – football player

T

• Amy Tan – writer (Joy Luck Club)
• Amber Tamblyn – actress (Joan of Arcadia)
• Russ Tamblyn – actor (West Side Story)
• Tess Taylor – reality TV star and Playboy Cyber Girl of the Year for 2010
• Shirley Temple – child actress
• Robin Thicke – singer
• Jennifer Tilly – actress
• Kenneth Tobey – actor
• Lisa Tucker – singer
• Aisha Tyler – actress

V

• Andie Valentino – a pornographic actress
• Antonio Villaraigosa 51st Los Angeles mayor.
• Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo – Mexican general, American politician
• Jhonen Vasquez – comic book writer/artist
• Ken Venturi – golfer
• Victoria Vetri – model and actress
• Roy Marlin Voris – World War II flying ace and Founder of the United States Navy Blue Angels

W

• 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 – Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court
• Caspar Weinberger – Secretary of Defense
• Bob Weir – musician (Grateful Dead)
• Jill Whelan – actress Airplane!
• Brandon Whitt – NASCAR driver
• John Williams – composer
• Paul Williams – architect
• Ted Williams – Hall of Fame baseball player
• Dontrelle Willis – baseball player (Florida Marlins)
• Rita Wilson – actress
• Tamara Witmer – model
• Victor Wong – actor
• Beatrice Wood – artist
• Natalie Wood – actress (This Property Is Condemned)
• Tiger Woods – golfer
• Steve Wozniak – inventor of the Apple Computer

Y

• Kristi Yamaguchi Professional Figure Skater
• Elliott Yamin – singer
• "Weird Al" Yankovic – Parodist, Musician
• Tina Yothers – actress (Family Ties)
• Adrian Young – No Doubt's drummer
• Yukmouth – rapper

Z

• Anthony Zerbe – actor
• Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. – Chief of Naval Operations

Groups of people

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

California transplants

• Juan Bautista de Anza, Spanish explorer
• Samuel Brannan, American newspaper publisher
• Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, Spanish explorer
• César Chávez, American labor leader
• Dr. Dre (born 1965), rapper and producer
• Lawrence Ellison, Oracle Corporation CEO, richest Californian
• John C. Frémont, American General, military Governor of California
• Domingo Ghirardelli, Italian chocolateer (Ghirardelli Chocolate Company)
• Chick Hearn (1916–2002), NBA Basketball announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers
• William Reddington Hewlett – co-founder of Hewlett-Packard
• Bob Hope (1903–2003), actor, singer, comedian
• James Lick, American real estate baron
• Steve Martin, Actor, director, comedian
• Johnny Mathis, singer (Chances Are (song))
• Thomas Mesereau, Celebrity criminal defense lawyer
• Joe Montana (born 1956), American football quarterback
• John Muir, American naturalist
• Joshua A. Norton, British self proclaimed Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico
• Buck Owens, Country music performer
• Gaspar de Portolà, Spanish explorer
• Ronald Reagan (1911–2004), 40th President of the United States
• Jackie Robinson (1919–1972) – Baseball Hall of Famer who broke Major League Baseball's 20th-century color line
• Carlos Santana, Mexican musician
• Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000), cartoonist
• Vin Scully (born 1927), announcer for Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers
• Glenn T. Seaborg, American chemist
• Junipero Serra, Spanish missionary
• Steven Spielberg, billionaire director
• Leland Stanford, American railroad baron, Governor of California, founder of Stanford University
• Kenneth Starr, lawyer, university law dean
• Levi Strauss, Bavarian clothing manufacturer
• John Sutter, Swiss real estate baron
• Mark Twain, American humorist and author
• Marjorie Thompson, British peace activist
• Sarah Winchester, American heiress, eccentric, builder of the Winchester Mystery House
• Charles Wood, musical theatre performer, original Hortensio in Cole Porter's 1948 hit Broadway musical, Kiss Me, Kate
• Chuck Yeager (born 1923), US Air Force test pilot
• Ace Young, Singer
• Steve Young (born 1961), American football player
• Lars Ulrich, musician (Metallica)
• Ashlynn Brooke, Porn Star
• Steve Jurvetson, Managing Director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ)
• Michael Savage (commentator), an American radio host, author, and political commentator

See also

• 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 San Diegans
• List of people associated with San Francisco