Leading Figures in History

Discover the people who shaped our world — from rulers and scientists to artists and activists.

21506 persons found

Billy Wilder

b. 1906

Austrian and American filmmaker (1906–2002)

Billy Williams

b. 1938

American baseball player (born 1938)

Billy Williams (Seattle Pilots outfielder)

b. 1932

American baseball player (1932-2013)

Billy Wilson (Australian rugby league)

b. 1927

Australian RL coach and former Australia international rugby league footballer

Bing Crosby

b. 1903

American singer and actor (1903–1977)

Binyamin Elon

Israeli rabbi and politician (1954–2017)

Binyavanga Wainaina

Kenyan writer and editor (1971–2019)

Birdy (singer)

b. 1996

British singer (born 1996)

Birger Ruud

Norwegian ski jumper (1911–1998)

Birger, King of Sweden

King of Sweden from 1290 to 1318

Birgit Dalland

Norwegian politician (1907–2007)

Birgit Grodal

b. 1943

Danish economist

Birgit Nilsson

b. 1918

Swedish dramatic soprano (1918–2005)

Birgitte Thott

b. 1610

17th-century Danish scholar

Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester

b. 1946

Member of the British royal family (born 1946)

Biruté Galdikas

b. 1946

Canadian primatologist and conservationist (1946–2026)

Bishnu Prasad Rabha

Indian cultural figure from Assam, musician and songwriter, activist

Bjarni Benediktsson (born 1908)

b. 1908

Prime Minister of Iceland from 1963 to 1970

Björn Borg

b. 1956

Swedish tennis player (born 1956)

Bjørn Dæhlie

b. 1967

Norwegian cross-country skier (born 1967)

Bjørn Johansen (musician)

Norwegian jazz musician

Björn Ulvaeus

b. 1945

Swedish musician (born 1945)

Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Norwegian writer (1832–1910)

Black (singer)

b. 1962

English singer-songwriter (1962–2016)