#1Science & Medicine
Stanley B. Prusiner
born 1942American neurologist and biochemist
60 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Des Moines
36 famous people were born in Des Moines, more of them performers than in most towns
Articles in 60 languages make the American neurologist and biochemist Stanley B. Prusiner the best known. The largest group, 23, was born between 1920 and 1969. From Phoebe Omlie to Caitlin Clark, the births on the list run from 1902 to 2002. The list is still growing: 11 were born since 1970.
Born here
36
notable people
Best known
Stanley B. Prusiner
in 60 Wikipedia languages
First
1902
Phoebe Omlie
Youngest
2002
Caitlin Clark
Most common field
Sports
9 people
Also called it home
3
notable residents
What stands out about Des Moines’ famous people
A town of performers8 of the 36 people born here are performers, 2.4× the usual share.Still making namesBirths since 1950 number 25, the most recent in 2002.Known worldwideStanley B. Prusiner has an article in 60 languages, more than anyone else from here.A chosen home3 more notable people chose to live in Des Moines, including Abel Trujillo.
★ What stands out · Known for
What Des Moines is known for
Compared with the usual town, performers are the most over-represented field, at 2.4 times.
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 Des Moines’s famous people were born
More of them were born in the 1960s than in any other ten years, 10 in all.
SportsFilm, TV & StageNotableScience & MedicineMusicPolitics & LawFaithWriting & ArtsBusinessMilitary
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
The best known
Born in Des Moines
Counted by languages, Stanley B. Prusiner is ahead of Cloris Leachman and Corey Taylor: 60, 58 and 48.
#1
#2Film, TV & Stage
Cloris Leachman
1926–2021American actress and comedian
58 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
#3Everyone
Everyone else born in Des Moines
The rest number 33, with 9 athletes among them.
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Des Moines home
Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Des Moines, though born elsewhere.
Amy Namowitz Worthen
born 1946American artist, printmaking historian, curator
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick
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Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
West Des Moines leads the towns around it, with 7 names.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Des Moines 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 (7)
- Stanley B. Prusiner: Christopher Michel, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cloris Leachman: Voice Chasers, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Corey Taylor: Duude125, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bill Bryson: The National Churches Trust from London, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Brandon Routh: Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Joey Jordison: Rezter, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Caitlin Clark: John Mac, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons