Born here
54
notable people
Best known
Steve Wozniak
in 105 Wikipedia languages
Most common field
Film, TV & Stage
20 people
Also called it home
10
notable residents
What stands out about San Jose’s famous people ★ What stands out · The best known Born in San Jose All three are scientists and doctors.
SW #1
Science & Medicine Steve Wozniak born 1950 American computer pioneer, inventor, computer engineer and programmer; co-founder of Apple Inc.
#2 Science & Medicine Michio Kaku born 1947 U.S.-American theoretical physicist, futurist and author
#3 Science & Medicine Dudley R. Herschbach born 1932 American chemist
Known for What San Jose is known for Compared with the usual town, performers are the most over-represented field, at 3.9 times.
Film, TV & Stage 20 people 37%3.9× usual Sports 15 people 28%about usual Science & Medicine 5 people 9%1.6× usual Music 5 people 9%1.7× usual Writing & Arts 5 people 9%about usual Faith 1 person 2%about usual Notable 1 person 2% Politics & Law 1 person 2%below usual Business 1 person 2%about usual The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
Through the years When San Jose’s famous people were born No decade has more births than the 1970s, at 12.
Mills & railroads The American century Today 1900 1950 2000 DJ Shadow Michio Kaku Farley Granger Josh Holloway Film, TV & Stage Sports Science & Medicine Music Writing & Arts Faith Notable Politics & Law Business
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone Everyone else born in San Jose 51 more, 20 of them performers.
All · 51 Politics & Law · 1 Sports · 15 Music · 5 Film, TV & Stage · 20 Writing & Arts · 5 Science & Medicine · 2 Business · 1 Faith · 1 Notable · 1
Any time Mills & railroads · 4 The American century · 22 Today · 25
Josh Holloway born 1969 American actor
Kate Walsh born 1967 American actress
Farley Granger 1925–2011 American actor
DJ Shadow born 1972 American trip-hop musician
Charles Martinet born 1955 American actor and voice actor
Nikki Sixx born 1958 American musician
Aaron Gordon born 1995 American basketball player (born. 1995)
Lloyd Bacon 1889–1955 Actor, director
Rick Warren born 1954 American Baptist pastor and writer
Michelle Carter born 1985 American shot putter
Brett Dalton born 1983 American actor
Peggy Fleming born 1948 American figure skater
RG Renée Elise Goldsberry born 1971 American actress and singer
Scott Weiland 1967–2015 American singer
Lauren Faust born 1974 American animator, writer, voice director, and storyboard artist
Naomi Girma born 2000 American soccer player
TW Tad Williams born 1957 American fantasy and science fiction writer
Brandi Chastain born 1968 American soccer player
Norman Mineta 1931–2022 American politician
SB Steven Beitashour born 1987 Iranian footballer
Arthur Cronquist 1919–1992 American botanist
Dustin Diamond 1977–2021 American actor, musician, director, and stand-up comedian
Isaác Brizuela born 1990 Mexican association football player
MB Michael Burry born 1971 American hedge fund manager
SZ Sheri Moon Zombie born 1970 American actress and fashion designer
Edmund Lowe 1890–1971 American actor
AC JV Jasmine Villegass born 1993 American singer and actress
ER Ernie Reyes born 1972 American actor and stunt performer
JS Jenny Shimizu born 1967 American model and actress
ST Shirley Cruz Traña born 1985 Costa Rican footballer
MH Myha'la Herrold born 1996 American actress
RW Robert Wall 1939–2022 American martial artist
RD Rosanna DeSoto born 1950 American actress
JN James Nunnally born 1990 American basketball player
LT Levy Tran born 1983 American actress and model
LB Louis Balbach 1896–1943 American Olympic diver
CS Christopher Sullivan born 1965 American soccer player
JM Joe Murray born 1961 American animator
BB Barry Brown 1951–1978 Author, playwright, actor
MH Martin Hewitt born 1958 American actor
RM Randy Mamola born 1959 American motorcycle racer
SB Suzannah Bianco born 1973 American synchronized swimmer
BD Becky Dyroen-Lancer born 1971 American synchronized swimmer
BA Brian Armstrong born 1983 American business executive and investor
EW Ed Williams 1926–2025 American actor
ID Irene Dalis 1925–2014 Singer
MD Megan Dirkmaat born 1976 American rower
JG Jeremy Giambi 1974–2022 American baseball player
MS Michael Swan born 1948 American actor
PV Pej Vahdat born 1982 Iranian-American actor
No one matches both filters.
Show all 51 A chosen home Also called San Jose home 10 notable people born elsewhere made the town home, Cain Velasquez the best known.
Cain Velasquez born 1982 American mixed martial artist
LB Lucy Bacon 1857–1932 American artist
KC Ken Caminiti 1963–2004 American baseball player
MA Miklós Ajtai born 1946 Hungarian computer scientist
SC Scott Coker born 1962 American sports executive
MS Max Stern born 2000 Costa Rican poker player
DT Dean Takahashi born 1964 American journalist
JH Jan Hutchins born 1949 American journalist
NP Nancy Pyle 1930–2023 American politician (died 2023)
WK William Ross Knudsen 1892–1977 American socialist political activist and trade union organizer
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Did you grow up with someone famous from San Jose? → Who should be on this list but isn’t? → Next door Famous people from the towns next door Of the towns nearby, Santa Clara lists the most people: 61.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is San Jose and whose English Wikipedia article agrees, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover each person. People known mainly for crimes, and adult performers, aren’t listed. “The usual town” = everyone born in the towns gathered so far.
Photo credits (29) Michio Kaku: Cristiano Sant´Anna, CC0 , Wikimedia Commons Dudley R. Herschbach: Conrad Erb, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Josh Holloway: Kristin Dos Santos from Los Angeles, California, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Kate Walsh: Samhsa, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Farley Granger: Jack Albin, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons DJ Shadow: Flickr member Daigo Oliva, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Charles Martinet: Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Nikki Sixx: Christopher Peterson, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Aaron Gordon: Reggie Hildred, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Lloyd Bacon: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Rick Warren: Pulso Cristiano, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Michelle Carter: Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Brett Dalton: Dominick D, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Peggy Fleming: US Mission Canada, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Scott Weiland: C Maranon, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Lauren Faust: Rfaust76, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Naomi Girma: Lance Cpl. Alex Devereux, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Brandi Chastain: US Embassy Australia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Norman Mineta: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Arthur Cronquist: Staff Photographers, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Dustin Diamond: Rob DiCaterino from Clifton, NJ, USA, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Isaác Brizuela: ProtoplasmaKid, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Edmund Lowe: David Bransby, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Cain Velasquez: The Doppelganger (Adam Etheridge), CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Susan Wojcicki: TechCrunch, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Helen Wills: Agence de presse Meurisse, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Ross Macdonald: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Camille Guaty: Toglenn, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Lance Guest: Rob DiCaterino, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons