List of people from Arizona

Academia

• Russell Merle Genet – research scholar and astronomer
• Joseph Hilbe – statistician, professor, and author
• Craig D. Idso – founder and chairman of the board of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change
• Percival Lowell – astronomer and founder of the Lowell Observatory
• Julia Robinson – mathematician
• Larry T. Wimmer – professor of economics
• Roger L. Worsley – educator

Art, literature, and poetry

Art

• Max Cannon – alternative cartoonist
• Bil Keane – cartoonist
• James Rallison – cartoonist and YouTuber
• Paolo Soleri – architect

Literature

• Clive Cussler – author of the Dirk Pitt adventure novels and shipwreck explorer, part-time resident
• Diana Gabaldon – novelist
• Kevin Hearne – novelist
• Harold L. Humes – novelist, co-founder of The Paris Review
• Stephenie Meyer – author, teen literature novelist, Twilight series
• Barbara Park – author of the Junie B. Jones series
• Barrett Tillman – novelist and military historian
• Brady Udall – author
• Mary Whitebird – author

Poetry

• Ai – poet and educator
• Jon Anderson – poet and educator
• Jayne Cortez – poet, activist, small press publisher and spoken-word performance artist
• Norman Dubie – poet, educator, Regents Professor of English at Arizona State University
• Alberto Ríos – poet, author, Arizona's first state poet laureate, Regents Professor and Katharine C. Turner Endowed Chair in English at Arizona State University
• Richard Shelton – poet, writer, and emeritus Regents Professor of English at the University of Arizona
• Jim Simmerman – poet and editor
• Luci Tapahonso – poet and educator
• Ofelia Zepeda – poet and educator

Business

• Steve Jurvetson, businessman and venture capitalist, was involved in companies including D-Wave, SpaceX and Tesla

Film, television, and theater

• Erika Alexander – actress
• Rex Allen – actor, iconic singing cowboy
• Steve Allen – comedian, actor, known as the "father of TV talk shows"; first job was in Arizona
• Asher Angel – actor, Shazam!
• Samaire Armstrong – actress, Juliet Darling on Dirty Sexy Money and Anna Stern on The O.C.
• Jules Asner – actress and host of E!'s show Wild On!
• Jaime Lyn Bauer – soap opera actress, played Lauralee Brooks on The Young and the Restless and Laura Spencer Horton on Days of Our Lives
• Sandra Bernhard – actress, comedian; attended high school in Arizona
• Michael Biehn – actor, The Terminator, Tombstone
• Mika Boorem – actress, The Tom Show
• Aidy Bryant – actress, comedian, Saturday Night Live
• Brooke Burke – actress, model, TV personality, Dancing with the Stars
• Lynda Carter – actress and singer, known for Wonder Woman, 1972 Miss World USA
• Joan Ganz Cooney – TV producer of Sesame Street
• Brady Corbet – actor
• J'aime Crandall – ballet dancer
• Matt Dallas – actor, Kyle XY
• Ted Danson – actor, Cheers, CSI
• Rosemary DeCamp – actress, Yankee Doodle Dandy, The Bob Cummings Show
• Andy Devine – actor, Stagecoach, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
• Charles Dudley – stage and film actor, studio makeup artist
• Barbara Eden – actress, I Dream of Jeannie
• Gail Edwards – actress, known for her roles in It's a Living, Blossom, and Full House
• Jack Elam – actor
• Michael Ensign – actor, Boston Legal
• Danielle Fishel – actress, Boy Meets World and Girl Meets World
• Pablo Francisco – stand-up comedian, actor
• Sammi Hanratty – child actress, The Unit, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
• James Hatley – actor in adult films
• Alexa Havins – actress, All My Children, One Life to Live, Torchwood
• Amelia Heinle – actress, Victoria Newman on The Young and the Restless; also played Mia Saunders on All My Children
• David Henrie – actor, Wizards of Waverly Place, How I Met Your Mother, That's So Raven
• Catherine Hicks – actress, 7th Heaven, Child's Play; attended Gerard Catholic High School
• Earl Hindman – actor, Ryan's Hope, Home Improvement
• Gregg Hoffman – film producer
• Michael Horse – artist, actor, Twin Peaks, Passenger 57
• Dominic Janes – teen actor, ER, Out of Jimmy's Head, Dexter
• Brad Johnson – actor, Always, Flight of the Intruder
• Chelsea Kane – actress, singer, Jonas, Fish Hooks
• Tanner Maguire – child actor, Young Shawn Brady on Days of Our Lives
• Leslie Mancia – model, contestant on America’s Next Top Model Cycle 6
• Taryn Manning – actress, fashion designer, singer-songwriter
• Abigail Mavity – actress
• Josh McDermitt – actor, comedian, Dr. Eugene Porter on The Walking Dead
• Rachel Melvin – actress, Chelsea Brady on Days of Our Lives
• Jenny Mollen – actress
• Heather Morris – actress, Brittany Pierce on Glee
• Tarah Paige – actress, dancer, gymnast, Make It or Break It
• Mary-Louise Parker – actress, Weeds; graduated from Marcos de Niza High School, Tempe
• Valerie Perrine – actress, Superman, Lenny; attended Camelback High School
• Busy Philipps – actress, Cougar Town, Dawson's Creek, Freaks and Geeks
• Larry Pine – actor
• Greg Proops – actor, comedian
• Jenni Pulos – Jeff Lewis's assistant on Bravo's Flipping Out
• James Rallison – internet personality, animator
• Liz Renay – actress
• Terry Rhoads – actor
• Jennifer Rubin – actress, model
• Jayla Rubinelli – model, contestant on America’s Next Top Model Cycle 5
• Kylee Saunders – Japanese-American singer
• Garry Shandling – actor, comedian, The Larry Sanders Show
• David Spade – actor, comedian, Saturday Night Live, Tommy Boy, Just Shoot Me
• Fay Spain – actress, The Godfather Part II, Al Capone, God's Little Acre
• Emma Stone – actress, La La Land, The Help, The Amazing Spider-Man
• Shayne Topp – internet personality, comedian, actor, Smosh, The Goldbergs
• Amber Valletta – actress, model
• Janet Varney – actress, On the Lot, The Legend of Korra, Stan Against Evil
• Kate Walsh – actress, Dr. Addison Montgomery on Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice
• Mare Winningham – actress, American Horror Story, St. Elmo's Fire, Georgia
• Scott William Winters – actor, Oz, NYPD Blue
• Shannon Woodward – actress, Westworld, Raising Hope, The Riches
• Nick Young – actor, Friend of the World
• Jason Zumwalt – actor, scriptwriter, voice of Roman in ''Grand Theft Auto IV''

Government, law, and politics

• Thad Allen – retired U.S. Coast Guard admiral; National Incident Commander under President Barack Obama
• John T. Alsap – first mayor of Phoenix
• Joe Arpaio – former Maricopa County sheriff
• Henry F. Ashurst – one of the first U.S. senators from Arizona
• Bruce Babbitt – former governor of Arizona, and Secretary of the Interior in the Clinton Administration
• Harriet C. Babbitt – First Lady of Arizona, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States, and Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development
• Walter Blackman – Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives
• Jan Brewer – served as the 22nd governor of Arizona
• William Docker Browning – federal judge
• Dean Burch – former chairman of the Republican National Committee
• César Chávez – labor union leader
• Dennis DeConcini – retired U.S. senator
• Doug Ducey – governor of Arizona
• Paul Fannin – former U.S. senator and governor of Arizona
• Randy Fine – U.S. congressman and gambling industry executive
• Jeff Flake – Arizona U.S. senator
• Gabby Giffords – U.S. representative, wounded in the 2011 Tucson shooting
• Barry M. Goldwater – longtime Arizona senator, and 1964 Republican nominee for president
• George Nicholas Goodman – five-time mayor of Mesa in three different decades
• John Noble Goodwin – first governor of the Arizona Territory
• Margaret Hance – first female mayor of Phoenix, 1976–1983
• Carl Hayden – U.S. senator, holds the record for the longest service in the U.S. congress
• Katie Hobbs – incumbent governor of Arizona since 2019
• Brad Hoylman – New York state senator
• Don Lorenzo Hubbell – Arizona state senator
• John C. Keegan – judge, legislator, mayor of Peoria
• Lisa Graham Keegan – legislator, superintendent of Public Instruction
• Denison Kitchel – Scottsdale lawyer and the Goldwater presidential national campaign manager in 1964
• Jon Kyl – former U.S. senator
• Fiorello La Guardia – mayor of New York City
• Rex E. Lee – United States Solicitor General during the Reagan Administration
• John McCain – Panamanian-born politician, longtime U.S. senator from Arizona from 1986 until his death, former navy officer, and 2008 Republican nominee for president
• Ernest McFarland – former U.S. senator and governor of Arizona
• Rose Mofford – first female governor of Arizona, 1988–1991
• Janet Napolitano – served as the 21st governor of Arizona
• Sandra Day O'Connor – first female justice of the United States Supreme Court
• Mary Peters – United States Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush
• Ben Quayle – former U.S. congressman
• Dan Quayle – former U.S. senator from Indiana, and 44th vice president of the United States under George H. W. Bush
• William Rehnquist – chief justice of the Supreme Court
• Stephen Richer – Maricopa County recorder
• Charles S. Robb – former governor of Virginia and U.S. senator from Virginia
• John Shadegg – former U.S. representative from Phoenix
• Stephen Shadegg – political consultant associated with Barry Goldwater
• Marcus A. Smith – one of the first two senators from Arizona
• John G.F. Speiden – rancher and political insider, various state boards
• Jack Taylor – mayor of Mesa, 1966–1972; member of both houses, consecutively, of the Arizona legislature
• David King Udall – Arizona Territorial Legislature
• Don Taylor Udall – Arizona State Legislature
• Jesse Addison Udall – chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court
• John Hunt Udall – mayor of Phoenix
• Levi Stewart Udall – chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court
• Mark Udall – senator from Colorado
• Morris "Mo" Udall – U.S. congressman and former pro basketball player
• Nick Udall – mayor of Phoenix
• Stewart Udall – U.S. congressman and Secretary of the Interior during the JFK and LBJ administrations

Journalism and media

• Noah Beck – social media personality
• Rachel Campos-Duffy – TV personality, The Real World: San Francisco, The View
• Cheryl Casone – anchor for the Fox Business Network and business correspondent for Fox News
• John Garcia – National Geographic Channel's DogTown series star, Guinness World Record holder
• Hadas Gold – media and business reporter
• Savannah Guthrie – White House correspondent for NBC News, co-host of NBC's Today Show
• Dan Hicks – sportscaster for NBC
• Pat Hughes – play-by-play voice of the Chicago Cubs for WGN radio
• Don Imus – nationally syndicated talk radio host, Imus in the Morning
• Meghan McCain – co-host of ''The View''

Military

• John Dean "Jeff" Cooper – World War II United States Marine Corps officer and firearms training innovator
• Timothy Creamer – U.S. Army colonel, NASA astronaut
• Joe Foss – leading United States Marine Corps fighter ace and Medal of Honor recipient
• Ira Hayes – United States Marine Corps, World War II, helped raise United States flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima
• Frank Luke – World War I fighter pilot, Medal of Honor recipient
• Lori Piestewa – United States Army, first Native American woman from Arizona to be killed in war; Iraq War, Purple Heart and Prisoner of War Medal recipient
• Pat Tillman – United States Army; Afghanistan Silver Star recipient; college and NFL football player

Music

• Jim Adkins – lead singer and guitarist for the band Jimmy Eat World
• Rex Allen – singer-songwriter, actor, known as "The Arizona Cowboy"
• Alec Benjamin – pop singer
• Chester Bennington – lead singer for the band Linkin Park
• Dierks Bentley – country singer
• Derrick Bostrom – Meat Puppets drummer
• Jess Bowen – alternative rock musician, drummer of The Summer Set
• Michelle Branch – singer-songwriter, guitarist
• Kennedy Brock – alternative rock musician, guitarist of The Maine
• Glen Campbell – singer, musician and actor; inductee to Country Music Hall of Fame
• Max Cavalera – vocalist and guitarist
• Roger Clyne – rock musician; lead singer for Refreshments and RCPM
• Alice Cooper – rock and roll singer
• Brian Dales – alternative rock musician, lead singer of The Summer Set
• Duane Eddy – guitarist, inductee of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Linda Eder – singer, Broadway star and recording artist
• Travis Edmonson – singer-songwriter, part of folk duo Bud & Travis
• David Ellefson – bass guitar player and co-founder of the metal band Megadeth
• Dolan Ellis – singer-songwriter, official State Balladeer since 1966, original member of New Christy Minstrels
• Esteban – musician
• Frank Fafara – early 1960s pop singer, TV star of Wallace & Ladmo Show
• Steve George – of the group Mr. Mister
• John Gomez – alternative rock musician, guitarist of The Summer Set
• Stephen Gomez – alternative rock musician, bassist of The Summer Set
• Lalo Guerrero – singer-songwriter, known as the "father of Chicano music"; recipient of the National Medal of Arts
• Evan Honer – country musician
• Injury Reserve – alternative and experimental rap group consisting of producer Parker Corey and rappers Nathaniel Ritchie and Jordan Groggs
• Waylon Jennings – singer; inductee to Country Music Hall of Fame
• Joe Jonas – member of the Jonas Brothers and lead singer of the pop-rock band DNCE
• Daniel Jones – guitarist and vocalist with 7th Order
• Maynard James Keenan – actor, frontman for Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer
• Brandon Kellum – frontman for American Standards
• Patrick Kirch – alternative rock musician, drummer of The Maine
• Cris Kirkwood – guitar and vocals for the Meat Puppets
• Katie Lee – folk singer
• Craig Mabbitt – frontman for Blessthefall, The Word Alive, and Escape the Fate
• Charles Mingus – jazz bassist, composer and bandleader
• Josh Montgomery – alternative rock musician, guitarist of The Summer Set
• Dave Mustaine – frontman and founder of the metal band Megadeth
• Jason Newsted – former bassist of heavy metal band Metallica
• Wayne Newton – singer, known as "Mr. Las Vegas"
• Stevie Nicks – Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, known for solo work and as lead singer with Fleetwood Mac
• Hans Olson – musician, singer and songwriter; inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame
• Buck Owens – country singer and musician; inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame
• Richard Page – of the group Mr. Mister
• CeCe Peniston – pop singer
• Marty Robbins – country music singer
• Linda Ronstadt – singer-songwriter, 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee
• Nate Ruess – lead singer of Fun. and of The Format
• Alvie Self – 1960s musician and singer
• Bob Shane – singer, founding member of The Kingston Trio
• Jordin Sparks – singer, winner of American Idol Season 6
• Chris Squire – bass player and founding member of progressive rock group Yes
• Tanya Tucker – country singer
• Upsahl – indie pop singer
• Brooke White – indie pop, folk-pop singer

Old West era

• Apache Kid – outlaw, reported killer of three Arizona lawmen 1889–1890
• Billy the Kid – outlaw
• William Brocius – gunman, rustler, outlaw Cowboy
• Cochise – chief of the Chiricahua Apache
• Virgil Earp – lawman
• Wyatt Earp – lawman
• C. S. Fly – photographer
• Geronimo – leader of Chiricahua Apache who fought against encroachment of European settlers on Native American lands; hero of Native American fight for respect and independence
• Pearl Hart – outlaw
• Doc Holliday – gambler, gunfighter, dentist
• Irataba – leader of the Mohave Nation
• Imogen LaChance – social reformer
• Bat Masterson – lawman, gambler, journalist
• Sherman McMaster – outlaw turned lawman, involved in Earp Vendetta Ride
• James Reavis – self-styled "Baron of Arizona", claimed to have owned much of Arizona
• Johnny Ringo – outlaw
• John Horton Slaughter – lawman, cowboy, poker player, rancher
• Billy Stiles – outlaw

Sportspeople

• Max Aaron – 2013 U.S. national champion figure skater
• Chance Adams – starting pitcher for the New York Yankees
• Jeremy Affeldt – relief pitcher for the San Francisco Giants
• Erik Affholter – NFL wide receiver
• Kyle Allen – NFL quarterback
• Prince Amukamara – cornerback for the New York Giants
• Brian Anderson – outfielder for the Kansas City Royals
• Mark Andrews – NFL tight end
• Jake Bailey – punter for the New England Patriots
• Dave Baldwin – Major League Baseball player
• Brian Bannister – starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals
• Jake Barrett – relief pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks
• Danny Batten – linebacker for the Buffalo Bills
• Jerryd Bayless – player for the Toronto Raptors
• John Beck – quarterback for the Washington Redskins
• Rich Beem – professional golfer
• Charlie Beljan – professional golfer
• Mike Bell – running back for the New Orleans Saints
• Cody Bellinger – first baseman and outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs
• Mike Bibby – retired NBA point guard
• Hunter Bishop – baseball player
• Eddie Bonine – relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
• Alex Bowman – NASCAR driver
• Dallas Braden – starting pitcher for the Oakland A's
• Debbie Bramwell-Washington – IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Brian Broderick – pitcher for the Sugar Land Skeeters
• Keith Brown – pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds
• Mike Budenholzer – head coach for the Atlanta Hawks
• Kole Calhoun – outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels
• Michael Carbajal – boxing champion
• Ka'Deem Carey – running back for the Chicago Bears
• D. J. Carrasco – MLB pitcher
• Henry Cejudo – 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medal winner in wrestling, UFC Flyweight Champion and Bantamweight Champion
• Steve Colter – retired NBA point guard
• Manuel Contreras – left fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks
• Bryce Cotton – point guard for the San Antonio Spurs
• C. J. Cron – first baseman and designated hitter for the Minnesota Twins
• Curley Culp – NFL defensive lineman, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Billy Cundiff – placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens
• Chad Curtis – MLB outfielder
• Ike Davis – first baseman for the Oakland A's
• Khris Davis – left fielder for the Oakland A's
• Tyeler Davison – defensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints
• Chris DeGeare – offensive guard for the Minnesota Vikings
• Na'il Diggs – retired NFL linebacker
• Chris Duncan – left fielder and first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals
• Shelley Duncan – former MLB left fielder
• Karl Eller – owner of the Phoenix Suns
• Sean Elliott – basketball player
• Brady Ellison – competitive archer, World Champion and Olympian
• Julie Ertz – defender for the United States women's national soccer team and Chicago Red Stars
• Andre Ethier – outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Nick Evans – player for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
• Jeff Feagles – NFL punter
• Carrick Felix – player for the Utah Jazz
• Ryan Fitzpatrick – NFL quarterback for the Miami Dolphins
• D. J. Foster – NFL running back for the New England Patriots
• Channing Frye – center and power forward for the Phoenix Suns
• Brianna & Nicole Garcia – professional wrestling twins, WWE 2007–2012
• Luis Fernando González Hoenig, baseball outfielder for the San Francisco Giants
• David Gossett – professional golfer
• Jim Grabb – tennis player ranked World No. 1 in doubles
• Superstar Billy Graham – professional wrestler
• Everson Griffen – defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings
• Eric Hagg – safety for the Cleveland Browns
• Scott Hairston – left fielder for the San Diego Padres
• Max Hall – quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals
• J. J. Hardy – shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles
• Billy Hatcher – MLB player and coach
• Mickey Hatcher – MLB player and coach
• Todd Heap – tight end for the Baltimore Ravens
• Charlie Hickcox – competitive swimmer, three-time Olympic Champion
• Austin Hollins – basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Misty Hyman – 2000 Olympics gold medalist swimmer
• Richie Incognito – guard for the Buffalo Bills
• Helen Jacobs – tennis player, member of International Tennis Hall of Fame
• Robert James – linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons
• J. J. Jansen – long snapper for the Carolina Panthers
• Richard Jefferson – small forward for the Dallas Mavericks
• Brian Jennings – long snapper and tight end for the San Francisco 49ers
• Elliot Johnson – utility player for the Cleveland Indians
• Nick Johnson – basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Levi Jones – offensive tackle for the Washington Redskins
• Cameron Jordan – defensive end for the New Orleans Saints
• Ryan Kalil – center for the Carolina Panthers
• Devon Kennard – linebacker for the New York Giants
• Steve Kerr – head coach of the Golden State Warriors
• Scott Kingery – baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies
• Ian Kinsler – Israeli-American 4-time All Star second baseman in Major League Baseball, Olympian
• Paul Konerko – first baseman for the Chicago White Sox
• Kyle Kosier – guard for the Dallas Cowboys
• Rick Kranitz – pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves
• Frank Kush – head football coach for Arizona State and NFL's Baltimore Colts
• Spencer Larsen – NFL fullback
• Jon Levine – tennis player
• Kevin Long – hitting coach for the New York Mets
• Lou Marson – catcher for the Cleveland Indians
• Doug Mathis – relief pitcher for the Texas Rangers
• Auston Matthews – center for the Toronto Maple Leafs
• Billy Mayfair – professional golfer
• Mickey McConnell – player for the Texas Legends
• Randall McDaniel – NFL offensive guard; member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Michael McDowell – NASCAR driver
• Phil Mickelson – professional golfer
• Zach Miller – tight end for the Seattle Seahawks
• Brad Mills – relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
• Bryce Molder – professional golfer
• Arte Moreno – owner of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
• Trent Murphy – linebacker for the Washington Redskins
• Brett Nicholas – catcher for the Texas Rangers
• Bart Oates – center for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers
• Larry Owens – player for the San Antonio Spurs
• Jim Palmer – starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles and Baseball Hall of Famer
• Danica Patrick – auto racing driver competing in the Indy Racing League and NASCAR
• James Pazos – relief pitcher for the New York Yankees
• Ricky Pearsall – wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers
• Andrus Peat – offensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints
• Rodney Peete – USC and NFL quarterback
• Pat Perez – professional golfer
• Scott Pinckney – professional golfer
• Mike Pollak – guard for the Cincinnati Bengals
• Don Pooley – professional golfer
• Brock Purdy – NFL quarterback
• Ted Purdy – professional golfer
• Marilyn Ramenofsky – competitive swimmer, Olympic medalist
• Brooks Reed – defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons
• Danny Schayes – college and NBA basketball player, son of Dolph Schayes
• Chaz Schilens – wide receiver for the Saskatchewan Roughriders
• Curt Schilling – professional baseball pitcher and broadcaster
• Tyler Schmitt – NFL long snapper
• Wes Schweitzer – offensive guard for the Atlanta Falcons
• Lyle Sendlein – center for the Arizona Cardinals
• Paul Silas – NBA player and coach
• Shelley Smith – guard for the Houston Texans
• Eric Sogard – second baseman for the Oakland Athletics
• Karsten Solheim – creator and founder of PING
• Sammy Solis – relief pitcher for the Washington Nationals
• Ken Stabler – four-time Pro Bowl NFL quarterback, primarily with the Oakland Raiders
• Kerri Strug – gymnast; 1996 Olympic gold medalist
• Marcus Thomas – NFL running back
• Michael Thompson – professional golfer
• Pat Tillman – college and pro football player killed in Afghanistan
• Tim Toone – wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons
• Howard Twitty – professional golfer
• Cain Velasquez – professional wrestler, retired mixed martial artist
• Bobby Wade – wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs
• Neal Walk – basketball player
• Ken Westerfield – disc sports pioneer
• Markus Wheaton – wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers
• Danny White – professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys
• Tom Wilhelmsen – relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
• Dot Wilkinson – Hall of Fame inductee for bowling and softball
• Alan Williams – player for the Phoenix Suns
• Jeremy Wolf – American-Israeli baseball player on the Israel national baseball team
• Darren Woodson – professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys
• J. J. Yeley – NASCAR driver

Miscellaneous

• Chris Buskirk – businessman and writer, co-founder of 1789 Capital and Rockbridge Network
• Johnny Chan – professional poker player, 10–time World Series of Poker champion
• Angel Delgadillo – founder of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona and retired barber
• Ernest Garcia II – founder of DriveTime, major shareholder of Carvana
• Grumpy Cat – Internet celebrity cat
• Rob Leatham – professional shooter, 24-time USPSA National champion
• Emmanuel Lemelson – Greek Orthodox priest, social commentator and hedge fund manager
• Jerry Meek – evangelist and land developer
• Arte Moreno – billionaire businessman, owner of Los Angeles Angels
• Kayla Mueller – activist
• Aron Ra – president of the Atheist Alliance of America, host of the Ra-Men podcast
• Rick Alan Ross – deprogrammer
• Mark Shoen – billionaire businessman, vice president of U-Haul
• María Urquides – educator, "mother of bilingual education"
• Ephraim of Arizona – Greek Orthodox hieromonk, Athonite elder, and archimandrite in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Fictional characters

• Eleanor from The Good Place
• Michelle Chang and Julia Chang, both from the Tekken fighting video game series
• Annie Porter from Speed; played by Sandra Bullock
• John Rambo from First Blood and Rambo movies; born in Bowie
• Bella Swan from the Twilight saga
• Jane Margolis from Breaking Bad, born in Phoenix, Arizona