This is a list of notable Azerbaijanis — speakers of the Azerbaijani language, a Turkic language with deep roots in indigenous Iranian (Median) and Caucasian populations and later Oghuz Turkic influence. They predominantly live in the Iranian provinces of East and West Azerbaijan; Republic of Azerbaijan; southern Dagestan and Georgia; and parts of eastern Turkey (notably the provinces of Kars and Iğdır).
Azerbaijan
Academics
Jafar Abdollahi-Sharif (born 1963), president of Urmia University of Technology
Actors
Lutfali Abdullayev (1914–1973), actor Telman Adigozalov (1953–2010), actor Aliagha Aghayev (1913–1983), actor Alasgar Alakbarov (1910–1963), actor Mirzaagha Aliyev (1883–1954), actor Huseyn Arablinski (1881–1919), actor Sayavush Aslan (1935–2013), actor Mirza Babayev (1903–2003), actor and singer Shamsi Badalbeyli (1911–1986), theatre director and actor Leyla Badirbeyli (1920–1999), actress Hajibaba Baghirov (1932–2006), actor Bahram Bagirzade (born 1972), actor, entertainer, comedian and film director Rasim Balayev (born 1948), actor Afag Bashirgyzy (born 1955), actress Aghasadyg Garaybeyli (1897–1988), actor Hokuma Gurbanova (1913–1988), actress Nesrin Javadzadeh (born 1982), actress Javanshir Hadiyev (born 1969), actor Munavvar Kalantarli (1912–1962), actress and folk singer Aygün Kazımova (born 1971), actress and singer Fakhraddin Manafov (born 1955), actor Jeyhun Mirzayev (1946–1993), actor and film director Yashar Nuri (1951–2012), actor Hamida Omarova (born 1957), actress Hagigat Rzayeva (1907–1969), actress and singer Latif Safarov (1920–1963), actor and film director Barat Shakinskaya (1914–1999), actress Abbas Mirza Sharifzadeh (1893–1938), actor and film director Rza Tahmasib (1894–1980), actor Hasanagha Turabov (1938–2003), actor Eldaniz Zeynalov (1937–2001), actor Nasiba Zeynalova (1916–2004), actress
Archaeologists and anthropologists Jeyhun Hajibeyli (1891–1962), ethnographer and journalist Mammadali Huseynov (1922–1994), archaeologist Ishag Jafarzadeh (1895–1982), archaeologist and ethnographer
Architects Sadig Dadashov (1905–1946), architect Gasim bey Hajibababeyov (1811–1874), architect Mammad Hasan Hajinski (1875–1931), architect and statesman Mikayil Huseynov (1905–1992), architect Karbalayi Safikhan Karabakhi (1817–1910), architect Kamal Mammadbeyov (1924–1997), architect
Artists
Mikail Abdullayev (1921–2002), painter Fuad Abdurahmanov (1915–1971), sculptor Azim Azimzade (1880–1943), painter and graphic artist and the founder of Azerbaijani satirical graphics Sattar Bahlulzadeh (1909–1974), impressionist painter Omar Eldarov (born 1927), sculptor Jalal Garyaghdi (1914–2001), sculptor Mirza Kadym Irevani (1835–1875), artist Bahruz Kangarli (1892–1922), painter, graphic artist and the founder of realistic easel painting of Azerbaijan Tokay Mammadov (1927–2018), sculptor Boyukagha Mirzazade (1921–2007), painter Rustam Mustafayev (1910–1940), scenic designer Togrul Narimanbekov (1930–2013), painter Vidadi Narimanbekov (1926–2001), painter Mir Mohsun Navvab (1833–1918), calligrapher, poet, artist, music historian, astronomer, carpenter, chemist and mathematician Maral Rahmanzade (1916–2008), graphic artist Alakbar Rezaguliyev (1903–1974), painter Tahir Salahov (1928–2021), painter Fuad Salayev (born 1943), sculptor Gayyur Yunus (born 1948), painter
Broadcasters Mirshahin Agayev (born 1963), TV presenter and journalist Leyla Aliyeva (born 1986), TV presenter Salatyn Asgarova (1961–1991), killed by Armenian militias Nargiz Birk-Petersen (born 1976), TV presenter Emin Efendi, TV presenter and record producer Rafig Hashimov, newscaster and screenwriter Chingiz Mustafayev (1960–1992), one of the most notable independent Azerbaijani journalists Sevinj Osmanqizi (born 1969), TV presenter, media personality, author and journalist
Businessmen
Aras Agalarov (born 1955), businessman Farkhad Akhmedov (born 1955), businessman Vagit Alekperov (born 1950), businessman Shamsi Asadullayev (1840–1913), industrial oil magnate and philanthropist Nigar Kocharli (born 1975), bookshop chain owner Hafiz Mammadov (born 1964), businessman Mubariz Mansimov (born 1968), businessman Murtuza Mukhtarov (1865–1920), industrial oil magnate and philanthropist Musa Nagiyev (1849–1919), industrial oil magnate and philanthropist God Nisanov (born 1972), Jewish-Azerbaijani businessman; the youngest Azerbaijani billionaire Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev (1823–1924), industrial oil magnate and philanthropist Telman Ismailov (born 1956), Jewish-Azerbaijani businessman. Rahman Khalilov (born 1977), Russian and Azerbaijani businessman.
Clergy
Ilgar Ibrahimoglu (born 1973), cleric and human rights activist Allahshukur Pashazadeh (born 1949), Sheikh ul-Islam and Grand Mufti of the Caucasus Movlazadeh Mahammad Hasan Shakavi (1854–1932), religious leader, philosopher, alim, the first Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus, the first scholar who translated Quran into Azerbaijani language Sheikh Sardar Hajjihasanli Mirza Huseyn Afandi Qayibov (1830–1915), clergyman, literary critic, publicist, enlightener and Mufti of the Caucasus (1884–1917). Ahmad Huseinzadeh (1812–1887), third Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus, son of Mahammadali Huseinzadeh, maternal uncle of Ali bey Huseynzade. Fazil Iravani (1783–1885), second Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus. Mahammadali Huseinzadeh (1760–1852), first shia Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus from 1823 to 1852. Maternal grandfather of Ali bey Huseynzade.
Dancers Gamar Almaszadeh (1915–2006), first Azerbaijani ballerina Oksana Rasulova (born 1982), dancer, choreographer and actress Leyla Vakilova (1927–1999), ballerina
Engineers
Aerospace Tofig Ismayilov (1933–1991), aerospace scientist Kerim Kerimov (1917–2003), aerospace engineer
Fashion Sona Mehmandarova (born 1894), model Badura Afganli (born 1912), fashion designer Sophie Couture (born 1990), fashion designer Javidan Gurbanova (born 1990), model Aysel Manafova (born 1990), model
Film industry Arif Babayev (born 1928–1983), film director Yuli Gusman (born 1943), film director Robert Hossein (1927–2020), film director and actor Magsud Ibrahimbeyov (1935–2016), writer Rustam Ibragimbekov (1939–2022), writer and screenwriter Я азербайджанец, я люблю свой народ, но большую часть жизни прожил в России. Elchin Musaoglu (born 1966), film director Vagif Mustafayev (born 1953), film director, producer and screenwriter Rasim Ojagov (1933–2006), film director and operator Hasan Seyidbeyli (1920–1980), film director, dramatist and screenwriter Rza Tahmasib (1894–1980), film director and actor
Historians
Igrar Aliyev (1924–2004), historian Sara Ashurbayli (1906–2001), historian, historian and scholar Abbasgulu Bakikhanov (1794–1847), writer, historian, journalist, linguist, poet, philosopher and founder of Azerbaijani scientific historiography Aydin Balayev (born 1956), historian Ziya Buniatov (1923–1997), historian and academician Jamil Hasanli (born 1952), historian and politician Mirza Jamal Javanshir (1773–1853), historian and politician Alexander Kazembek (1802–1870), orientalist, historian and philologistRobert P. Geraci. Window on the East: National and Imperial Identities in Late Tsarist Russia. (Cornell University Press, 2001), 310. , 9780801434228Perhaps the only exception before Katanov was A.K. Kazembek, an Azeri who converted to Christianity and became a professor of Turkic languages at Kazan and then at St. Petersburg. Kazembek has been referred to as the first European Turkologist of Turkic origin. Robert P. Geraci. Window on the East: National and Imperial Identities in Late Tsarist Russia. Cornell University Press, 2001. , 9780801434228Not a few in the nineteenth century would have accepted this judgment, and might have echoed Mirza Kazem–Bek, the Russified Azerbaijani orientalist, in asking "What European state has such intimate and inherent ties with Asia and Asiatics as does Russia? Andreas Kappeler, Edward Allworth, Gerhard Simon, Georg Brunner. Muslim Communities Reemerge: Historical Perspectives on Nationality, Politics, and Opposition in the Former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. Duke University Press, 1994. , 9780822314905И. Н. Березин, как востоковед, вышел из казанской школы, был учеником… азербайджанца, ираниста А. К. Казембека, который был своеобразной и интересной фигурой. Якубовский А. Ю. Из истории изучения монголов периода XI—XIII вв. — Очерки по истории русского востоковедения. — М., 1953 Tofig Kocharli (1929–2007), historian and politician Farida Mammadova (1936–2021), historian Mirza Adigozal bey (1780s–1840), historian of the 19th century, author of a historical work "Garabaghname"
Journalists Hasan bey Aghayev (1875–1920), journalist, doctor, teacher and politician Salatyn Asgarova (1961–1991), journalist Rena Effendi (born 1977), photographer Elmar Huseynov (1967–2005), journalist Osman Mirzayev (1937–1991), journalist, writer and publicist Ali Mustafayev (1952–1991), journalist Chingiz Mustafayev (1960–1992), journalist, National Hero of Azerbaijan. Omar Faig Nemanzadeh (1872–1937), journalist
Jurists and Lawyers
Aslan bey Safikurdski (1881–1937), lawyer, Minister of Justice of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Aziz Seyidov (born 1956), lawyer, Justice of the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan. Dzhangir Kerimov (1923–2015), legal scholar, member of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union and Professor of Law at the Azerbaijan Academy of Science. Farhad Abdullayev (born 1958), lawyer, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan. Ismat Gayibov (1942–1991), lawyer, Public Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan. Rustam Khan Khoyski (1888–1939), lawyer, Lieutenant General, Minister of Social Security of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Latif Huseynov (born 1964), lawyer, Justice of the European Court of Human Rights.
Military
Feyzullah Mirza Qajar (1872–1920), commander in the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic and Imperial Russian Army Mehdigulu Khan Vafa (1855–1900), lieutenant colonel in the Imperial Russian Army Jafargulu agha Javanshir (1787–1867), major-general of the Russian Army Safar Abiyev (born 1950), army general Sona Nuriyeva (1915–1986), aviator Albert Agarunov (1969–1992), tank commander Sadykh bey Aghabekov (1865–1944), army general in the Russian Imperial Army, founder and reformer of Azerbaijani Police and orientalist Riad Ahmadov (1956–1992), military officer Avraamy Aslanbegov (1822–1900), vice–admiral and military writer Hazi Aslanov (1910–1945), army general Allahverdi Baghirov (1946–1992), officer and football coach Farrukh Gayibov (1891–1916), first Azerbaijani military pilot during World War I Alif Hajiyev (1953–1992), officer Zakir Hasanov (born 1959), army general Fatulla Huseynov (1937–2004), colonel, politician and public figure Tofig Huseynov (1954–1992), major Mehdi Huseynzade (1918–1944), guerrilla fighter in Yugoslavia and Italy during World War II Mubariz Ibrahimov (1988–2010), warrant officer Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov (1920–1994), activist of French Resistance Rovshan Javadov (1951–1995), influential military activist, public figure Asif Maharramov (1952–1994), lieutenant colonel Leyla Mammadbeyova (1909–1989), first Azerbaijani female aviator and the first female pilot in Southern Europe and the Middle East Eldar Mammadov (1968–1993), officer Israfil Mammadov (1919–1946), military commander Samedbey Mehmandarov (1855–1931), army general and politician Hussein Khan Nakhichevanski (1855–1931), Cavalry General and General–Adjutant Jamshid Nakhichevanski (1863–1919), Russian Imperial, Azerbaijani and Soviet military commander Shovkat Salimova (1920–1999), ship captain Ali-Agha Shikhlinski (1895–1938), army general and politician Ibrahim bey Usubov (1872–1920), military commander Polad Hashimov (1975–2020), major general (2019), and National Hero of Azerbaijan