People a to z

19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche radically questioned widely held cultural beliefs and is best known for his "God is dead" concept.

Florence Nightingale, a nurse, spent her night rounds giving personal care to the wounded, establishing her image as the 'Lady with the Lamp.'

Alexei Nikolaevich was the only son of Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia, and the tsarina Alexandra. He was killed with his family during the Russian Revolution.

Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia was commander in chief of Tzar Nicholas II's army during WWI. The Russian Revolution ended his career.

Anastasia was the daughter of the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II. After she and her family were executed, rumors claimed that she might have survived.

Dennis Nilsen is best known as the English murderer of many young men in the late 1970's and early 80's.

Opera singer Birgit Nilsson was the leading Wagnerian soprano of her time. She sang at most of the great houses and festivals of the world.

Chester W. Nimitz was commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet during World War II. A brilliant strategist, he commanded all land and sea forces in the central Pacific.

Leonard Nimoy is an actor who has played Spock in both the 1960s TV series Star Trek and several movies based on the show.

Organized crime figure Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti was a member of Al Capone’s Chicago gang, and the front man for Capone’s empire when Capone was imprisoned.

David Niven was an actor of stage and the big screen who epitomized dapper charm in films like The Pink Panther.

Cynthia Nixon is an Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress best known for her role as Miranda Hobbes on the television and film series Sex and the City.

Pat Nixon was the wife of Richard Nixon, the 37th president of the United States. As first lady, she traveled extensively and championed volunteerism.

Richard Nixon was the 37th U.S. president and the only commander-in-chief to resign from his position, after the 1970s Watergate scandal.

Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel invented dynamite and other explosives. He used his enormous fortune from 355 patents to institute the Nobel Prizes.

Christopher Nolan is an innovative film director and screenwriter who's helmed several early 21st century megahits, including Memento, Inception and The Dark Knight Rises.

Actor Nick Nolte made it big in the 1980s with such films as 48 Hours, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, and The Prince of Tides.

Asra Nomani is known for her fight for women's equality in the American Islamic community.

Elin Nordegren is the former wife of Tiger Woods, and mother to his two children.

Manuel Noriega was the military ruler of Panama who ran a corrupt puppet government there until the United States drove him out in 1990.

Despite his successes, Australian golfer Greg Norman earned a reputation for his inability to sustain leads in several major tournaments.

In the 1980s, Jessye Norman’s roles in Aïda and Les Troyen made her one of the most popular and highest paid soprano opera singers worldwide.

Chuck Norris has starred in such action films as Return of the Dragon and Missing in Action. He also had a hit TV series called Walker, Texas Ranger.

Civil rights activist and ACLU alum Eleanor Holmes Norton serves as a non-voting delegate to Congress from the District of Columbia.

Bob Novak was a conservative TV talk show personality, most famously appearing on CNN's often-explosive Crossfire.

Film actress Kim Novak was a leading box-office attraction of the 1950s, perhaps the last of the ‘sex goddesses’ produced by the Hollywood star system.

Antonia C. Novello is a former U.S. surgeon general who was the first woman and first person of Latin descent to hold the position.

As the bassist of the grunge band Nirvana, Krist Novoselic was a part of the music revolution that brought alternative rock to the mainstream.

Ted Nugent fronted the band Amboy Dukes in the 1970s. He has produced solo work since 1977, including the successful album Cat Scratch Fever.

Explorer and conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean.

Famed Russian-born male dancer Rudolf Nureyev was a soloist for the Kirov Ballet and a choreographer for the Paris Opera Ballet.

Science educator Bill Nye is best known for hosting Bill Nye, the Science Guy, a PBS Kids show about science.

Bill Nye is a humorous writer best known for founding the Laramie Boomerang. His newspaper and writings quickly became popular across America.

Tanzanian statesman and president Julius Kambarage was premier when Tanganyika was granted internal self-government, and was made president on independence.

Laura Nyro is best known for her musical career as a singer-songwriter, which began in the 1960s.

Comedian and writer Conan O'Brien rose to fame as the host of the talk show Late Night and later the Tonight Show and Conan.

Irish nationalist and playwright Sean O’Casey wrote about life in the slums of Dublin, in plays like The Shadow of a Gunman and The Plough and the Stars.

Daniel O'Connell was a 19th century Irish political leader. He worked to repeal of the Act of Union which combined Ireland and Great Britain.

Carroll O’Connor played Archie Bunker on the 1970s sitcom All in the Family. His comedic role as close-minded Archie made fun of bigoted opinions.

Flannery O'Connor is considered one of the best short story authors of the 20th century. She wrote about religious themes and southern life.

Business leader and entrepreneur Kevin O'Connor is a co-founder and the CEO of the internet advertising technology company DoubleClick.

Sandra Day O'Connor was the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. A Republican, she was considered a moderate conservative and served for 24 years.

With her signature shaved head, Sinead O'Connor emerged with a powerful and expressive voice, complex songs, and a fair share of controversy.

Actor Chris O'Donnell co-starred with Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman, played Robin in two Batman flicks and now stars on the television series NCIS: Los Angeles.

Rosie O'Donnell is a comedian who made the move to the big screen with 1992's A League of Their Own, going on to co-host TV's The View

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In 1897, Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to a newspaper about the existence of Santa Claus and got the famous response, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."

Maureen O'Hara was an Irish-born actress who was billed alongside Hollywood's leading men in a slew of swashbuckling features in the 1940s.

Bernardo O'Higgins is best known for being the leader of Chilean independence from Spain and its first leader.

Georgia O'Keefe is a 20th century American painter best known for her flower canvases and southwestern landscapes.

Walter O'Malley was the influential president of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers for nearly 30 years.

Ryan O’Neal is an Oscar-nominated actor known for films like Love Story, What’s Up, Doc?, Barry Lyndon and The Main Event.

Standing 7 feet tall and weighing 315 pounds, Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most dominant players in the NBA. After his 2011 retirement, he became an on-screen league analyst.

Actor Ed O'Neill is best known as the dad in TV sitcoms like Married... with Children and Modern Family.

Bill O'Reilly is best known for his cable news program, The O'Reilly Factor, which has been airing on Fox News since 2001, and is also a bestselling author of several books. Until 2009, he ran a popular radio show, The Radio Factor.

Milo O'Shea was an Irish actor known for starring on the BBC sitcom Me Mammy and in Staircase, Broadway's first serious depiction of homosexual men.

Maureen O'Sullivan was an actress best known for playing Jane in the Tarzan film series opposite Johnny Weismuller.

Ronnie O’Sullivan is an English Snooker player best known as one of the most talented and awarded athletes in the sport.

Annie Oakley was a renowned markswoman and star who worked for years with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.

Barack Obama is the 44th and current president of the United States, and the first African American to serve as U.S. president. First elected to the presidency in 2008, he won a second term in 2012.

Michelle Obama is a lawyer, Chicago city administrator and community outreach worker, as well as the wife of U.S. President Barack Obama and the 44th first lady.

Ugandan statesman, prime minister and president Apollo Milton Obote founded the Uganda People's Congress.

Frank Ocean is a singer-songwriter and member of the hip-hop collective Odd Future. He's best known for the albums nostalgia, ULTRA and channel ORANGE.

Selected by NASA in 1990, Ellen Ochoa became the world's first Hispanic female astronaut in 1991.

Lamar Odom is an American basketball player for the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, best known for playing seven seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, and for marrying reality star Khloé Kardashian.

Of Spanish descent, the devout, learned Catherine of Aragon was the 16th-century Queen of England due to her marriage to Henry VIII.

St Clare of Assisi was one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. She became the abbess of the convent of San Damiano, near Assisi in 1216. In 1958 she was declared the Patron of television.

St. Bernadette of Lourdes was best known as a saint who received visions from the Virgin Mary in a cave near Lourdes. Pope Pius XI canonized her as a saint in 1933.