Actors
Architects
Artists
- Albert Edelfelt -- painter (1854 - 1905)
- Magnus Enckell -- painter (1870 - 1925)
- Akseli Gallen-Kallela -- painter (1865 - 1931)
- Pekka Halonen -- painter (1865 - 1933)
- Eila Hiltunen -- sculptor
- Eero Järnefelt -- painter (1863 - 1937)
- Kalervo Palsa -- painter (1947 - 1987)
- Juho Rissanen -- painter (1873 - 1950)
- Helene Schjerfbeck -- painter (1862 - 1946)
- Hugo Simberg -- painter (1873 - 1917)
- Reidar Särestöniemi -- painter
Business people
- Fredrik Idestam -- industrialist, founder of Nokia
- Kari Kairamo - ex-CEO of Nokia
- Jorma Ollila, CEO of Nokia
- Björn Wahlroos -- CEO of Sampo bank
Composers
Computer pioneers
- Jarkko Oikarinen - creator of IRC
- Linus Torvalds - creator of Linux
- Timo Sirainen - creator of irssi IRC client
Filmmakers
Musicians
- Darude
- Mikko Alatalo
- Jorma Hynninen - Opera singer
- Toivo Kärki
- Viktor Klimenko
- Juice Leskinen
- Georg Malmsten
- Ragni Malmsten
- Aarne Merikanto
- Oskar Merikanto
- Andy McCoy
- Olli Mustonen - pianist
- Tapio Rautavaara
- Jaakko Ryhänen - Opera singer
- Matti Salminen - Opera singer
- Esa-Pekka Salonen - conductor
- Jukka-Pekka Saraste - conductor
- Juha Watt Vainio
- Ville Valo
- Olavi Virta
Politicians
See also: Prime Minister of Finland, President of Finland
- Esko Aho - prime minister 1991-1995
- Martti Ahtisaari - UN diplomat, president 1994-2000
- Tarja Halonen - first female president, 2000-
- Satu Hassi
- Harri Holkeri - prime minister and UN diplomat
- Ville Itälä, minister
- Anneli Jäätteenmäki - prime minister 2003
- Kyösti Kallio - president 1937-1940
- Ilkka Kanerva
- Urho Kekkonen - president 1956-1981
- Mauno Koivisto - president 1982-1994
- Hertta Kuusinen - communist politician
- Otto Ville Kuusinen - communist head of Terijoki Government
- Axel Lille- founder of the Swedish People's Party
- Paavo Lipponen - prime minister 1995-2003
- Carl Gustaf Mannerheim - commander-in-chief, regent, president 1944-1946
- Martti Miettunen - prime minister 1961-1962 and 1975-1977
- Sauli Niinistö
- Juho Kusti Paasikivi - president 1946-1956
- Lauri Kristian Relander - president 1925-1931
- Risto Ryti - president 1940-1944
- Aarne Saarinen - communist politician
- Kimmo Sasi
- Miina Sillanpää
- Taisto Sinisalo - communist politician
- Johan Vilhelm Snellman - writer and senator
- Osmo Soininvaara - minister
- Kalevi Sorsa - prime minister
- Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg - president 1919-1925
- Ulf Sundqvist
- Pehr Evind Svinhufvud - regent and president 1931-1937
- Väinö Tanner - prime minister 1926-1927
- Oskari Tokoi
- Erkki Tuomioja - minister
- Martti Turunen - Japanese Diet member of Finnish origin 2001-
- Matti Vanhanen - prime minister 2003-
- Johannes Virolainen - Prime Minister in 1964-196
- Hella Wuolijoki
Scientists
- Lars Valerian Ahlfors -- mathematician
- Ragnar Granit -- medicine, Nobelist
- Pekka Himanen -- philosopher
- Jaakko Hintikka -- philosopher
- Pehr Kalm -- botanist
- Rolf Nevanlinna -- mathematician
- Esa Saarinen -- philosopher
- Artturi Ilmari Virtanen –- chemist, Nobelist
- Yrjö Väisälä -- astronomer
- Edward Westermarck -- philosopher, sociologist
- Georg Henrik von Wright -- philosopher
- Arvo Ylppö -- pediatrician
Soldiers
- Aksel Airo -- general (1898 - 1985)
- Adolf Ehrnrooth -- general (1905 - 2004)
- Axel Heinrichs -- general (1890 - 1965)
- Ruben Lagus -- major general (1896 - 1956)
- Carl Gustaf Mannerheim -- marshall of Finland (1867 - 1951)
- Vilho Petter Nenonen -- general (1883 - 1960)
- Karl Lennart Oesch -- lieutenant general (1892 - 1978)
- Ensio Siilasvuo -- general (1922 - )
- Hjalmar Siilasvuo -- general (1892 - 1947)
- Georg Magnus Sprengtporten -- general (1740–1819)
- Torsten Stålhandske -- commander of Hakkapelites (1594–1644)
- Paavo Susitaival -- lieutenant colonel (1896 - 1993)
- Lauri Sutela -- general
- Paavo Talvela -- general (1897 - 1973)
- Lauri Törni -- captain (1919 - 1965)
- Harald Öhquist -- lieutenant general (1891 - 1971)
- Hugo Österman -- lieutenant general (1892 - 1975)
Sportspersons
- Kimi Räikkönen - racing driver
- Marcus Grönholm - rally driver
- Mika Häkkinen - racing driver
- Juha Kankkunen - rally driver
- Saku Koivu - ice hockey player
- Hannes Kolehmainen - runner
- Jari Kurri - ice hockey player
- Jyrki Lumme - ice hockey player
- Juha Mieto - ski champion
- Timo Mäkinen - rally driver
- Tommi Mäkinen - rally driver
- Paavo Nurmi - runner
- Matti Nykänen - ski jumper
- Tapio Rautavaara – javelinist and singer
- Ville Ritola – runner
- Keke Rosberg - racing driver
- Sami Salo - ice hockey player
- Teemu Selänne - ice hockey player
- Esa Tikkanen - ice hockey player
- Ari Vatanen - rally driver
- Lasse Virén - runner
Theologians, clergymen
Writers
- Juhani Aho
- Minna Canth -- first notable woman author
- Björn Donner -- author and politician
- Pentti Haanpää
- Aarne Haapakoski -- pulp writer with a pseudonyme Outsider
- Paavo Haavikko
- Veikko Huovinen
- Anna-Leena Härkönen
- Tove Jansson -- children's author of Moomin fame
- Eeva Joenpelto
- Volter Kilpi
- Aleksis Kivi -- first significant author in Finnish
- Ilkka Kylävaara
- Väinö Linna
- Kimmo Lehtonen -- science fiction novelist
- Eino Leino
- Elias Lönnrot -- Compiled the Kalevala
- Arto Paasilinna
- Kalle Päätalo
- Johan Ludvig Runeberg -- National poet
- Pentti Saarikoski
- Mauri Sariola - detective writer
- Frans Emil Sillanpää -- Nobelist
- Johanna Sinisalo
- Marton Taiga
- Zacharias Topelius -- journalist, historian
- Jouko Turkka
- Hella Wuolijoki
- Mika Waltari
- Juhani Aho -- first professional writer
Other notables
- Ior Bock - eccentric
- Karl Fazer -- confectionery manufacturer
- Tony Halme -- show wrestler, politician
- Petri Hiltunen -- graphic artist and cartoonist
- Abel Kuikka-Koponen -- trickster and conjurer
- Arvi Lind -- newscaster
- Pentti Linkola -- radical environmentalist
- Solmu Mäkinen -- stage magician
- Väinö Myllyrinne
- Larin Paraske -- poem singer
- Arndt Pekurinen -- pacifist
- Krisse Salminen -- comedian and talk show hostess
- Helvi Sipilä, UN diplomat
- Kari Suomalainen -- painter and cartoonist
- Janina Frostell -- model, sex symbol and singer
See also: List of Finland-Swedes, List of people by nationality