This is a list of people who were born in, lived in, or are closely associated with Raleigh, North Carolina.

Academia

Carrie Lougee Broughton (1879–1957), librarian and first female State Librarian John Chavis (1763–1838), African-American educator and theologian; early integrationist (Raleigh's Chavis Park is named for him) Anna J. Cooper (1858–1964), author, educator and scholar; fourth African-American woman to earn doctoral degree (in 1924) Walter Dobrogosz (1933–2023), microbiologist Phillip Griffiths, mathematician, known for his work in the field of geometry John E. Ivey, Jr., educator and founder of Southern Regional Education Board; co-creator of Peace Corps Daniel McFadden, economist Michael Munger, economist, Duke University political science professor Mary Jane Patterson, first African-American woman to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree Evelyn Pope (1908–1995), Dean of Library Sciences at North Carolina Central University Tom Regan, philosopher and animal-rights advocate Vermont C. Royster (1914–1996), managing editor of Wall Street Journal, Pulitzer Prize winner, recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom James E. Shepard, pharmacist, civil servant and educator; founder of what would become North Carolina Central University Blake R. Van Leer, university president, dean of NC State University, inventor and civil rights advocate James W. York, mathematical physicist; recipient of Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics from American Physical Society

Arts

Juliana Royster Busbee (died 1962) and Jaques Busbee (died 1947), artists and founders of Jugtown Pottery Ariana DeBose, actor and dancer Paul Friedrich, visual artist and cartoonist Isabelle Bowen Henderson (1899–1969), painter and floriculturist Herb Jackson, painter Renaldo Kuhler, scientific illustrator for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Rachel Nabors, gURL.com graphic designer Martha Nichols, choreographer and dance instructor Hunter Schafer, model and actress Mel Tomlinson, ballet and modern dancer Michael C. Hall, actor and musician Lea Ved, dancer and choreographer

Athletes

Nazmi Albadawi, soccer player Loy Allen Jr., NASCAR Cup Series driver Chris Archer, MLB pitcher for Pittsburgh Pirates Hannah Aspden, youngest swimmer on Team USA to medal at either the Olympics or Paralympics in 2016Hannah Aspden - Team USA. Retrieved December 2, 2020. John Baker Jr. (1935–2007), National Football League athlete and longtime Wake County sheriff Scott Bankhead, MLB player and pitcher for Team USA in the 1984 Olympic Games Darrius Barnes, soccer player Bates Battaglia, NHL player, played for Carolina Hurricanes 1997–2003 Braxton Berrios, NFL wide receiverBraxton Berrios Stats. Pro-Football-Reference. Retrieved December 2, 2020. Rod Brind'Amour, NHL player, former Carolina Hurricanes player and current head coach Clark Brisson, soccer player Bucky Brooks, former NFL athlete Evan Brown, soccer player Willie Burden, professional Canadian football player with Calgary Stampeders of Canadian Football League Juston Burris, NFL safety Everett Case (1900–1966), NC State University men's basketball coach, member of N.C. Sports Hall of Fame and College Basketball Hall of Fame Isadora Cerullo, Olympic rugby player for Brazil; graduated from Enloe High School Bill Cowher, former professional American football coach and player Ike Delock, Major League Baseball player Randy Denton, NBA player James L. Dickey III (born 1996), basketball player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League Donald Evans, former NFL defensive end David Fox, Olympic gold medalist in swimming Ron Francis, NHL player (Carolina Hurricanes) 1998–2004, member of Hockey Hall of Fame Jeff Galloway, Olympic long-distance runner and author Justin Gatlin, Olympic sprinter Michael Gracz, professional poker player T. J. Graham, NFL wide receiver with New York Jets Brian Gutekunst, general manager of the Green Bay Packers Chesson Hadley, professional golfer Josh Hamilton, Major League Baseball player Hardy Boyz, Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy, professional wrestlers Antwan Harris, NFL player for New England Patriots' Super Bowl team Leroy Harris, NFL player for Tennessee Titans Bret Hedican, NHL player, played for Carolina Hurricanes 2001–2008 Gregory Helms, professional wrestler with WWE Anne Henning, Olympic speed skater, 1972 gold and bronze medalist Ryan Jeffers, MLB playerRyan Jeffers Stats. Baseball-Reference. Retrieved December 2, 2020. Curt Johnson, professional soccer player Marion Jones, disgraced Olympic track athlete Craig Keith, NFL player Chad Larose, NHL player, played for Carolina Hurricanes 2005–2013 Roy Lassiter, professional soccer player for D.C. United and United States men's national soccer team Pete Maravich (1947–1988), Hall of Fame basketball player; attended high school in Raleigh Bruce Matthews, former NFL player for Tennessee Titans; 14-time Pro Bowl participant, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Daniel McCullers, NFL defensive linemanDaniel McCullers Stats. Pro-Football-Reference. Retrieved December 2, 2020. Nate McMillan, NBA player and head coach of Atlanta Hawks Richard Medlin, NFL player Ben Youssef Meite, sprinter, 3-time African champion in 100m Jackie Moreland (1938–1971), pro basketball player Kevin "PPMD" Nanney, professional Super Smash Bros. player Chuck Nevitt, NBA player Caleb Norkus, professional soccer player Bob Perryman, NFL player for New England Patriots and Denver Broncos Brandon Phillips, second baseman for Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds Landon Powell, MLB player (Oakland Athletics) Shavlik Randolph, former professional basketball player Greg Raymer, professional poker player Shawan Robinson, professional basketball player with Newcastle Eagles in the British Basketball League Randolph Ross, track athlete, 2020 Olympic gold medalist in the 4x400m relayClark, Chris. (July 19, 2021). Randolph Ross – Garner product, son of Olympic runner – off to Tokyo to compete in the 400m. cbs17.com. Retrieved August 15, 2021. Anthony Rush, NFL player for the Atlanta Falcons Paul Shuey, MLB pitcher Webb Simpson, PGA Tour golfer Isaiah Todd, NBA G-League player Leigh Torrence, NFL player with Washington Redskins P. J. Tucker (born 1985), NBA player for the New York Knicks and 2008 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP Duane Underwood Jr., professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates Jim Valvano (1946–1993), NC State University men's basketball coach, 1983 NCAA champion, TV commentator John Wall, NBA player who last played for the Los Angeles Clippers Pat Watkins, MLB outfielder Carson Wentz, quarterback for NFL's Indianapolis Colts Chris Wilcox, NBA athlete Jesse Williams, American high jumper and 2011 World Champion Kristi Yamaguchi, Olympic figure skater, married to Bret Hedican Danny Young, NBA player Kay Yow (1942–2009), NC State University women's basketball coach, member of Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

Business

Louis Bacon, hedge fund manager Jim Baen (1943–2006), science fiction writer; founded his own publishing house, Baen Books, in 1983 Cliff Bleszinski, lead designer of the popular Xbox 360 game Gears of War and co-founder of Boss Key Productions Anderson Boyd, filmmaker Needham B. Broughton, printer, temperance activist, and state senator E. Lee Hennessee, pioneer hedge fund managerCreswell, Julie. (November 3, 2016). E. Lee Hennessee, a Leading Woman in Hedge Funds, Dies at 64. The New York Times. Retrieved October 28, 2020. Richard Jenrette, chairman of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and international philanthropist, awarded French Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur (National Order of the Legion of Honor) in 1996 Jesse Lowe, first mayor of Omaha, Nebraska; an important real estate agent in the early city, Lowe is credited with naming the city after the Omaha TribeGifford Park History Book. Retrieved October 28, 2020. Anand Lal Shimpi, employee of Apple Inc. and former CEO of AnandTechBanker, Stephen. (December 1, 1999).The Web Kid Anand Lal Shimpi is a typical high schooler--except for his megahot computer-review site. CNN Money. Retrieved October 28, 2020.

Entertainment

Tyler Barnhardt, actor Priscilla Block, singer David J. Burke, screenwriter, film and television director Antoni Bumba, influencer and astrologer Godfrey Cheshire, film writer, director and critic, former chairman of New York Film Critics Circle Awards Grady Cooper, director, producer, and Emmy-nominated film editor Ariana DeBose, actor and dancer, West Side Story, Hamilton Aubrey Dollar, actress Caroline Dollar, actress Rhoda Griffis, actress Michael C. Hall, actor, Dexter, Six Feet Under Lauren Kennedy, Broadway actress and singer Sharon Lawrence, actress, NYPD Blue Beth Leavel, Tony award-winning Broadway actress LA Lloyd, nationally syndicated radio host Brandi Love, pornography actress Robert Duncan McNeill, actor, movie and TV director Daniella Monet, actress, singer and dancer Karin Muller, writer, filmmaker and photographer for National Geographic Society and National Public Radio Emily Procter, actress, CSI: Miami Peyton Reed, film director, Ant-Man, The Break-Up, Bring It On Hunter Schafer, model, actress, activist, Euphoria Amy Sedaris, actress, writer and satirist Liz Vassey, actress, CSI Reginald VelJohnson, actor, Family Matters Evan Rachel Wood, actress, Westworld Ira David Wood III, actor and local theatre director

Military

David W. Bagley (1883–1960), admiral in the United States Navy during World War II Worth Bagley (1874–1898), United States Navy officer during the Spanish–American War Josephus Daniels (1862–1948), newspaper editor and publisher, United States Secretary of the Navy during World War I George A. Fisher Jr. (born 1942), former United States Army officer Vernon V. Haywood (1920–2003), former U.S. Army Air Force officer, combat fighter pilot/jet pilot, and commanding officer of Tuskegee Airmen's 302nd Fighter Squadron Oscar F. Peatross (1916–1993), major general in the United States Marine Corps and recipient of the Navy Cross Leonidas Polk (1806–1864), lieutenant general in the Confederate States Army, killed at the Battle of Marietta, Georgia Millie Dunn Veasey (1918–2018), served in the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) and later NAACP president of Wake County chapter

Musicians

Ryan Adams, singer-songwriter Clay Aiken, singer/actor Jeb Bishop, jazz musician Dan Briggs, bassist for metal band Between the Buried and Me Andrew Cadima, composer Jason Michael Carroll, country musician Caitlin Cary, alternative country singer Travis Cherry, Grammy-nominated music producer Cordae, hip-hop artist John Custer, record producer Steve Dobrogosz, pianist and composer Robbie Fulks, alt-country singer Rufus Harley (1936–2006), jazz musician D. Kern Holoman, musicologist and conductor Randy Jones (born 1952), original Village People cowboy, singer/actor Jon Lindsay, recording artist, producer, activist Little Brother, rap group Tift Merritt, singer-songwriter Pee Wee Moore, jazz musician Mic Murphy, frontman for funk/soul group The System, moved to New York before career took offMic Murphy|Biography|AllMusic Retrieved November 11, 2014. NGHTMRE, real name Tyler Marenyi, DJ and trap producer Anne-Claire Niver, singer-songwriter Petey Pablo, hip-hop artist Raleigh Rajan, composer, songwriter whose album made in collaboration with Durham Symphony and Academy-nominated singer Bombay Jayashri became an Amazon top-10 international best seller Kate Rhudy, folk-pop and country singer-songwriter and musician Blake Richardson, drummer for metal band Between the Buried and Me Tommy Giles Rogers, Jr., lead vocalist for heavy metal band Between the Buried and Me Toosii, rapper and singer Paul Waggoner, guitarist for metal band Between the Buried and Me Dustie Waring, guitarist for metal band Between the Buried and Me Woody Weatherman, musician

Bands and music groups

Alesana, post-hardcore band American Aquarium, alternative country band