This is a list of famous people who were born, spent a majority of their life, or currently live in San Diego, California, USA. - Damon Allen, professional football player
- Eric Allen, professional football player
- Marcus Allen, professional football player
- Francisco María Alvarado, an early settler of San Diego
- Lance Alworth, professional football player
- Brad Ausmus, professional baseball player
- Hunter MacKenzie Austin, voice actor
- James L. Avery, Sr., actor
- Lew Ayres, actor
- David Bailey, professional motocross racer
- Khalif Barnes, professional football player
- Arlene Baxter, model and actress
- Billy Beane, general manager of Oakland Athletics
- Annette Bening, actress
- Kurt Benirschke, pathologist and geneticist
- Rolf Benirschke, professional football player
- Mayim Bialik, actress
- Hank Blalock, professional baseball player
- Stephen Bishop, musician
- Ron Blair, musician, original bassist of the band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- Jolene Blalock, actress on Star Trek
- Julia Bond, pornstar, rapper, diva, Queen of Diego
- Kim Bokamper, professional football player
- Tim Bradstreet, artist and illustrator
- Charles Brandes, #133 on Forbes 400
- Lucille Bremer, actress
- Adam Brody, actor, best known for his role on The O.C.
- Bill Brown, music composer
- Victor Buono, actor and comic
- Charles F. Buddy, first Bishop and University of San Diego founder
- Bob Burnquist, professional skateboarder
- Nakia Burrise, actress
- Reggie Bush, professional football player
- Ron Burgundy, news anchor and "kind of a big deal".
- Matt Cameron, drummer of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam
- Nick Cannon, actor, rapper
- Billy Casper, golfer
- Mark Cerney, founder Next of kin Registry (NOKR)
- Eric Chavez, baseball player for Oakland A's
- Steve Cherundolo, professional soccer player
- Dennis Conner, America's Cup yachtsman
- Maureen Connolly, professional tennis player, 1953 tennis Grand Slam champion
- Derrike Cope, NASCAR driver
- Alana Cordy-Collins, anthropologist
- Cameron Crowe, screenwriter, director, and producer
- Andrew Cunanan, spree killer who murdered Gianni Versace
- Ted Danson, actor
- Terrell Davis, professional football player
- William Heath Davis, early San Diego developer
- Tom Delonge, singer and musician
- Amir Derakh, musician, member of the band Orgy
- Cameron Diaz, actress
- Johnny Downs, vaudevillian, dancer, actor and TV personality, and Our Gang cast member.
- Dinesh D'Souza, author
- Robert Duvall, actor
- Jared Dudley, professional basketball player
- Jason Earles, actor
- Josephine Marcus Earp, actor, dancer, and prostitute
- Wyatt Earp, farmer, hunter, gambler, saloon-keeper, miner, and officer of the law
- Donnie Edwards, NFL player
- Eddie Vedder, Singer in rock band Pearl Jam
- Joan Embery, San Diego Zoo ambassador
- Lindsay Ellingson, model
- Major Garrett, senior White House correspondent for Fox News
- Steve Garvey, professional baseball player, businessman
- Theodor Geisel, children's author (Dr. Seuss)
- Brian Giles, professional baseball player
- Francoise Gilot, artist
- Broc Glover, former motocross national champion
- La'Roi Glover, professional football player
- Susan Golding, businesswoman and Republican politician
- Adrián González, baseball player
- Robert Klark Graham, businessman and eugenicist
- Harold Greene, anchorman
- Oscar Gutierrez, better known as Rey Mysterio, Jr.. WWE wrestler.
- Tony Gwynn, professional baseball player
- Tony Gwynn Jr., professional baseball player, and son of Tony Gwynn
- Leon Hall, professional football player
- Cole Hamels, professional baseball player
- Rosie Hamlin, singer
- Aaron Harang, professional baseball player. Attended San Diego State University
- Charles Mallory Hatfield, rainmaker
- Tony Hawk, professional skateboarder
- Roger Hedgecock, former mayor and radio personality
- Dennis Hopper, actor and director
- Mark Hoppus, singer and musician
- Alonzo Horton, early San Diego developer, created "New Town San Diego", later Downtown
- James Oliver Huberty, perpetrator of San Ysidro McDonald's Massacre
- Kimberly Hunt, news anchor
- Joe Hutshing, film editor
- Doug Ingle, Founder of Iron Butterfly and primary creator of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, first platinum record ever.
- Adam Lambert, runner-up on American Idol
- Tim Lambesis, vocalist for the band As I Lay Dying
- Frankie Laine, singer
- Fabio Lanzoni, model
- Don Larsen, professional baseball player
- Tammy Lauren, actress
- Bobby Lee, MadTV actor and comedian
- David Leisure, "Joe Isuzu," character actor and comedian
- Art Linkletter, television host
- Cleavon Little, Blazing Saddles, actor
- Gene Littler, Pro golfer
- Lil Rob, Chicano rapper
- Mario López, actor
- Harold Lloyd, silent film actor
- Greg Louganis, Olympic diver
- Moses A. Luce, lawyer & businessman, Medal of Honor winner
- Rob Machado, professional surfer
- Norbert Basil MacLean III, dual American-Australian citizen who pioneered equal access to the Supreme Court for U.S. military personnel
- Ross Martin, actor
- Victor Mature, actor
- William C. McCool, astronaut
- Danica McKellar, "Winnie Cooper" actress
- Michael Medved, radio host, polital commentator, film critic
- Phil Mickelson, professional golfer
- Martin Milner, actor
- John J. Montgomery, pioneer aviator
- Mr. Shadow, rap artist
- Jason Mraz, singer
- Dick Murphy, politician and judge
- Chuck Palumbo, professional wrestler
- "Scrap Iron" Adam Pearce, professional wrestler
- Justin Pearson, musician and vocalist
- Gregory Peck, actor
- Scott Peterson, convicted murderer of his wife, Laci Peterson
- Craig Peyer, infamous Highway Patrol officer
- Dat Phan, comedian
- Regis Philbin, talk show host
- Steve Poltz, singer-songwriter and guitarist
- Jenna Presley, Pornstar
- Gary Puckett, musician and singer
- Sarah Purcell, "Real People", television host
- Sara Ramirez, actress and singer
- Scott Raynor, musician
- Steve Reeves, actor, body builder, and author
- Autumn Reeser, actress, best known for her role on The O.C.
- Dave Roberts, professional baseball player
- Cliff Robertson, actor
- RuPaul, drag performer, singer, and actor
- Ralph Rubio, businessman and restaurant chain owner
- Kristina Rose, pornographic actress
- Louis Rose, early San Diego developer
- Betsy Russell, actress
- Tony Romo, NFL Quarterback
- Marion Ross, actress
- Neil Ross, Voice Actor
- Jonas Salk, physician and researcher
- Shauna Sand, Playboy model who was Playmate of the Month for May 1996
- Sonny Sandoval, lead singer of rock band P.O.D.
- Junior Seau, football player
- Kate Sessions, horticulturalist, "the mother of Balboa Park"
- Stephanie Seymour, model
- Andy Skib, guitar player of The Anthemic
- Mitchy Slick, rapper
- Alex Smith, NFL player
- Marty Smith, former motocross national champion
- Carly Smithson, singer
- Suzy Spafford, artist
- Brenda Spencer, "I don't like Mondays," convicted murderer
- John D. Spreckels, businessman and industrialist
- Jeremy Stenberg, professional motorcross rider
- J. J. Stokes, professional football player
- Milburn Stone, actor, "Doc" on Gunsmoke
- Frederick W. Sturckow, astronaut
- Brian Teacher, former tennis player, Australian Open singles champion
- Susanna Thompson, actress
- Katherine Tingley, creator of the Theosophical Society compound at Lomaland
- Ted Tollner, professional football coach
- Jerry Trainor, actor
- Alan Trammell, professional baseball player
- Marty Tripes, winner of the first Super Bowl of motocross
- Robert Titzer, writer known for the Your baby can read! infant learning book
- Jeremy Tyler, professional basketball player overseas
- Tom Waits, American singer-songwriter, composer and actor. Worked as a doorman in the city
- Bill Walton, NBA Basketball Hall of Famer, TV Personality
- Luke Walton, NBA Basketball player, Los Angeles lakers
- Danny Way, professional skateboarder
- Racquel Welch, actress
- David Wells, professional baseball player
- Shaun White, professional snowboarder
- Kendra Wilkinson, model and television personality
- Ricky Williams, football player
- Ted Williams, professional baseball player
- Ann Wilson, lead singer for the band Heart
- Pete Wilson, republican politician, governor of California from 1991 to 1999
- Scott Wilson (bodybuilder), former Mr. America and Mr. International
- Kellen Winslow, professional football player
- Kellen Winslow II, professional football player
- Marvell Wynne II, professional soccer player
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