List of people from California

This is a partial list of notable people from U.S. state of California.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A

Jennifer Aniston

Tracey Austin

• Willie Aames – actor
• Paula Abdul – dancer and 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)
• Ariane Andrew – professional wrestler/Valet for World Wrestling Entertainment
• 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

Beck

Jack Black

Ryan Braun

Jerry Brown

• 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 and actress (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
• Adrienne Barbeau – actress (Maude)
• Travis Barker – Blink-182
• Matt Barnes – National Basketball Association player
• Drew Barrymore – actress (50 First Dates)
• Summer Bartholomew – Miss USA 1975
• Earl W. Bascom – rodeo pioneer, Hall of Fame inductee, actor, international artist/sculptor
• Michael Bay – director
• Amanda Beard – Olympic swimmer
• Beck – musician
• Captain Beefheart – musician
• Tory Belleci – filmmaker and model maker (MythBusters)
• Marcus Benjamin (born 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)
• Andy Bloom – Olympic shot putter
• Betsy Bloomingdale – socialite
• David Blu (born David Bluthenthal) – professional basketball player (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
• Jonathan Blum – hockey player
• C-Bo – rapper
• Brian Boitano − Olympic gold medalist (figure skating)
• 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 – National Basketball Association player (San Antonio Spurs)
• Tom Brady – football quarterback (New England Patriots)
• Benjamin Bratt – actor
• Ryan Braun – baseball player (Milwaukee Brewers)
• Nicholas Brendon – actor (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
• Jan Brewer – Governor of Arizona
• Stephen Breyer – Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
• 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 and director (Lost in America)
• Josh Brolin – actor (No Country For Old Men)
• 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
• Lindsey Buckingham – musician (Fleetwood Mac)
• Bill Buckner – baseball player
• Don Budge – tennis player
• Hunter Burgan – bass player for AFI
• Cruz Bustamante – Lieutenant Governor of California
• Kari Byron – artist and television personality (MythBusters)

C

Cher

Sasha Cohen

Kevin Costner

• 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 (University of Southern California)
• Adam Carson – drummer of AFI
• Torry Castellano – drummer of The Donnas
• Jessica Chastain – actress (Zero Dark Thirty)
• Cher – actress, entertainer and singer
• 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

Leonardo DiCaprio

File:NateDogg1.jpg

Nate Dogg

Hilary Duff

• 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
• Terrell Davis – professional football player
• Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris – husband and wife film directors (Little Miss Sunshine)
• Zack de la Rocha – singer, activist
• 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 Micky Dolenz)
• Micky Dolenz – member of The Monkees
• Landon Donovan – soccer player
• 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)
• Dev – singer

E

• Clint Eastwood – film actor and director (Million Dollar Baby)
• Eazy-E – rapper
• Aaron Eckhart – actor
• Dennis Eckersley – baseball player
• Anthony Edwards – actor
• Zac Efron – film and television actor (High School Musical)
• Mc Eiht – actor, rapper
• Chris Evans – convicted train robber

F

• Bill Fagerbakke – actor/voice actor (Patrick Star)
• Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris – husband and wife film directors (Little Miss Sunshine)
• Heather Fargo – Mayor of Sacramento, California
• Mia Farrow – actress
• Dianne Feinstein – US Senator from California, Mayor of San Francisco (1978–1988)
• Stacy Ferguson – singer, actress, composer (The Dutchess), (Charlie Brown), (Fergalicious)
• Will Ferrell – actor
• Miguel Ferrer – actor (RoboCop)
• Sally Field − actress (Norma Rae), (Places in the Heart)
• Carrie Fisher – actress
• Abigail Folger – 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 – 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
• Brian Grazer – Oscar-winning film and television producer
• Joanie Greggains – radio show host, health and fitness expert
• Beatrice Gray – actress
• Billy Gray – actor, motorcyclist
• Sasha Grey – 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. – 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, 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 – actress and newspaper heiress (Symbionese Liberation Army)
• Lacie Heart – pornographic 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)
• Nichkhun Horvejkul – Thai-American singer and rapper of 2PM
• C. Thomas Howell – actor (The Outsiders (film), Red Dawn)
• Jerry Hsu – skateboarder
• Barry Hunau – illustrator
• William Hung – (American Idol)
• Helen Hunt – actress (Mad About You)
• Vanessa Hudgens – actress and singer (High School Musical)
• Kate Hudson – actress
• Terry Huntingdon – Miss USA 1959
• Timothy Hutton – actor
• 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
• Chris Isaak – musician, actor
• Yasuhiro Ishimoto – photographer
• Phil Ivey – professional poker player

J

Keyshawn Johnson

• Shirley Jackson – author
• Jesse James – actor, welder, and chief executive officer of West Coast Choppers
• Gregg Jarrett – lawyer, journalist
• Jayden James – pornographic actress
• Richard Jefferson – professional basketball player
• Fran Jeffries – actress (The Pink Panther)
• Steve Jobs – 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 – professional football player
• Randy Johnson – baseball player (Arizona Diamondbacks)
• Angelina Jolie – actress
• Joe Jonas – guitarist and singer (Jonas Brothers)
• Kevin Jonas – guitarist and back-up singer (Jonas Brothers)
• Nicholas Jonas – guitarist and singer (Jonas Brothers)
• Jerry Jones – owner of the Dallas Cowboys
• Marion Jones – track athlete
• Jessica Jung – singer (Girls' Generation)
• Krystal Jung – singer (F(x))

K

• Khloé Kardashian – socialite and reality-television personality
• Kim Kardashian – socialite and reality-television personality
• Kourtney Kardashian – socialite and reality-television personality
• 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
• Chris Kattan – actor, comedian
• Julie Kavner – actress
• Diane Keaton – actress, director, producer
• Anthony Kennedy – Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
• Kirk Kerkorian – 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
• Matthew Knight – actor
• B.G. Knocc Out – rapper
• Nathan Kress – actor (iCarly)
• Mike Krukow – baseball pitcher and announcer (San Francisco Giants)
• Lisa Kudrow – actress (Friends)
• Michelle Kwan – figure skater

L

• Shia LaBeouf – actor
• Adam Lambert – singer (American Idol)
• Ryan Lavarnway – major-league baseball catcher (Boston Red Sox)
• Rick Law – illustrator and producer
• Amy Lee – musician (lead singer of Evanescence)
• 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
• Blake Lively – actress
• Heather Locklear – actress
• Jack London – author (The Call of the Wild)
• George Lopez – actor and comedian (George Lopez)
• Mario López – actor (Saved by the Bell)
• Greg Louganis – Olympic diver
• Courtney Love – musician
• Jon Lovitz – actor
• George Lucas – filmmaker (Star Wars)
• Athena Lundberg – Playmate of the Month (January 2006)
• Brotha Lynch Hung – rapper
• Ray Lynch – actor
• Cheryl Lynn – singer

M

Willie McCool

Marisa Miller

Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe

• 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 – professional surfer Reef
• Shannon Marketic – Miss USA 1992
• Mckayla Maroney – 2012 Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist (Artistic Gymnastic)
• Bob Mathias – decathlete
• Leigh McCloskey – actor, artist (Dallas)
• Pete McCloskey – politician
• Willie McCool – astronaut, killed by the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
• 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
• Casey Mears – NASCAR driver
• Edwin Meese – United States 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 and actress (Cabaret)
• Keb' Mo' – blues singer-songerwriter and guitarist
• Shemar Moore – actor
• John Morrison – wrestler (Los Angeles)
• Terry Moore – actress Mighty Joe Young
• Marilyn Monroe – sex symbol, actress (Some Like It Hot)
• Issac Mora – Amazing civilian
• George Moscone – Mayor of San Francisco
• Bill Mumy – child actor (Lost in Space)
• Eddie Murray – baseball player (Baltimore Orioles)
• Dave Mustaine – musician (Megadeth)
• Chris Mordetzky – wrestler
• Jason Mraz – singer
• Noah Munck – actor (ICarly)

N

• Randy Newman – composer, musician
• Gavin Newsom – Mayor of San Francisco (2004–present)
• Lorenzo Neal – Pro Bowl football player
• Richard Nixon – 37th President of the United States
• Young Noble – rapper
• Isamu Noguchi – artist
• Lyn Nofziger – author, journalist and White House Press Secretary (under Ronald Reagan)

O

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

P

• Carson Palmer – football quarterback (Oakland Raiders)
• 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 – military commander
• Gary Payton – professional basketball player (Miami Heat)
• Gregory Peck – actor
• Sam Peckinpah – director
• Sean Penn – actor
• Chris Penn – actor
• Katy Perry – singer
• Melina Perez – professional wrestler
• 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

• Frances Rafferty – actress
• Max Rafferty – former California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, author and columnist
• Taylor Rain – pornographic 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 – professional 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 and 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
• Kyla Ross – 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist (Artistic Gymnastic)
• Josiah Royce – philosopher
• Marla Ruzicka – activist (Green Party (United States))

S

CC Sabathia

Mitchell Schwartz

OJ Simpson

• Daryl Sabara – actor (Spy Kids film series
• Sonny Sandoval – singer (P.O.D.)
• CC Sabathia – baseball player
• Pierre Salinger – White House Press Secretary (under John F. Kennedy)
• Andy Samberg – comedian (Saturday Night Live)
• Eugene Schmitz – Mayor of San Francisco
• Rob Schneider – actor and comedian
• Liev Schreiber – actor
• Charles R. Schwab – businessman and philanthropist
• Geoff Schwartz– NFL football player
• Mitchell Schwartz– NFL football player
• Cathy Scott – true-crime author (The Killing of Tupac Shakur)
• Junior Seau – American football player
• Tom Seaver – Hall of Fame baseball player
• Eugene Selznick – Hall of Fame volleyball player
• Richard Serra – sculptor
• Tony Serra – civil-rights attorney
• Tupac Shakur – rapper
• Harry Shearer – actor and comedian (Spinal Tap)
• Larry Sherry – major league baseball 1959 World Series MVP
• Mike Shinoda – painter, musician, producer, singer and 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
• Dylan and Cole Sprouse - actors
• Robert Stack – actor (Airplane!)
• Walt Stack – first Nike "Just Do It" advertisement subject (San Francisco)
• Leland Stanford, Jr. – namesake of Stanford University
• Steven Stayner – kidnap victim
• Danielle Steel – author
• Gwen Stefani – singer
• John Steinbeck – author (Of Mice and Men)
• George Stevens – film director, producer and 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 – Governor of Oregon (1975–1979)
• Darryl Strawberry – baseball player
• Lynn Swann – football player
• Jodie Sweetin – actress (Full House)
• Bob Swenson – football player
• Jessica Sanchez – American Idol contestant

T

• George Takei – actor (Star Trek)
• Amy Tan – writer (Joy Luck Club)
• Amber Tamblyn – actress (Joan of Arcadia)
• Russ Tamblyn – actor (West Side Story)
• Tess Taylor – reality-television personality and Playboy Cyber Girl of the Year (2010)
• Shirley Temple – child actress, film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia
• Robin Thicke – singer
• Jennifer Tilly – actress
• Kenneth Tobey – actor
• Lisa Tucker – singer
• Aisha Tyler – actress
• Aimee Teegarden – actress

V

• Antonio Villaraigosa – 51st Mayor of Los Angeles
• Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo – Mexican general, American politician
• Jhonen Vasquez – comic-book writer and 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 – 30th Governor of California 14th Chief Justice of the United States (1953–1969)
• Caspar Weinberger – United States Secretary of Defense
• Bob Weir – musician (Grateful Dead)
• Jill Whelan – actress Airplane!
• Brandon Whitt – NASCAR driver
• Emily Williams – early-20th-century architect
• John Williams – composer
• Venus Williams – tennis player
• Serena Williams – tennis player
• 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
• Kevin Woo – member of U-Kiss

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
• The O.C. Supertones – Ska 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 – newspaper publisher
• Ashlynn Brooke – pornographic actress
• Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo – Spanish explorer
• César Chávez – labor leader
• Dr. Dre – rapper and producer
• Lawrence 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 director
• Johnny Mathis – singer ("Chances Are")
• 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
• Gaspar de Portolà – Spanish explorer
• 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 – 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)

See also

• 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