| Mark Rowlands | British philosopher | 1962 |
| Mark Rowley | British police officer | 1964 |
| Joanne K. Rowling | British novelist, author of t… | 1965 |
| Seebohm Rowntree | British philanthropist indust… | 1871–1954 |
| Richard Roxburgh | Australian actor | 1962 |
| Arundhati Roy | Indian novelist, essayist | 1961 |
| Bidhan Chandra Roy | Former Chief Minister of West… | 1882–1962 |
| Gabrielle Roy | French Canadian fiction writer | 1909–1983 |
| Helen Roy | British ecologist and entomol… | 1969 |
| Ram Mohan Roy | Indian religious, social, and… | 1772–1833 |
| Anne, Princess Royal | daughter of Elizabeth II | 1950 |
| Henry Royce | English engineer, car designe… | 1863–1933 |
| Josiah Royce | United States philosopher | 1855–1916 |
| Mathew Roydon | English poet | 1583–1622 |
| Mike Royko | American writer and newspaper… | 1932–1997 |
| Olga Rozanova | Russian artist | 1886–1918 |
| Patricia Rozema | Canadian film director | 1958 |
| Mowaffak Rubaie | | |
| Carlo Rubbia | Italian particle physicist | 1934 |
| Jed Rubenfeld | American lawyer | 1959 |
| Peter Paul Rubens | Flemish painter | 1577–1640 |
| Dave Rubin | American comedian | 1976 |
| Gretchen Rubin | American writer | 1966 |
| Harriet Rubin | American writer | 1952 |
| Robert Rubin | American banking executive, 7… | 1938 |
| Vera Rubin | American astronomer | 1928–2016 |
| Anton Rubinstein | Russian pianist, composer and… | 1829–1894 |
| Arthur Rubinstein | Polish-American classical pia… | 1887–1982 |
| Gillian Rubinstein | Children's author and playwri… | 1942 |
| Marco Rubio | U.S. Senator from state of Fl… | 1971 |
| Laura Ruby | American writer | |
| Greg Rucka | writer | 1969 |
| Rudy Rucker | American mathematician, compu… | 1946 |
| Amber Rudd | British politician (born 1963) | 1963 |
| Kevin Rudd | Australian politician, 26th P… | 1957 |
| Lars Rudebeck | | 1937 |
| Myles Rudge | English songwriter and script… | 1926–2007 |
| Rita Rudner | American comedian | 1953 |
| Paul Rudnick | American playwright and scree… | 1957 |
| Carla Rueckert | | |
| Hans Ruesch | Swiss racing driver | 1913–2007 |
| Mark Ruffalo | American actor | 1967 |
| Gaius Musonius Rufus | Roman philosopher | 25–95 |
| Quintus Curtius Rufus | Roman historian | |
| Protase Rugambwa | Tanzanian bishop | 1960 |
| William B. Ruger | American inventor | 1916–2002 |
| Ruggedman | | |
| Sarah Ruhl | American writer | 1974 |
| Camillo Ruini | Catholic cardinal | 1931 |
| Miguel Ángel Ruiz | Mexican writer and philosopher | 1952 |
| Alvaro De Rujula | | 1944 |
| Louis Rukeyser | American journalist | 1933–2006 |
| Muriel Rukeyser | poet and political activist | 1913–1980 |
| Ann Rule | True crime writer | 1931–2015 |
| Juan Rulfo | Mexican writer | 1917–1986 |
| James Rumbaugh | Computer scientist, software … | 1947 |
| Richard Rumbold | | |
| Richard Rumelt | American economist | 1942 |
| Rumi | Iranian poet | 1207–1273 |
| Rudolph Rummel | American academic | 1932–2014 |
| Bernhard Rumpe | German computer scientist | 1967 |
| Donald Rumsfeld | U.S. Secretary of Defense | 1932 |
| Steven Runciman | British historian | 1903–2000 |
| Gerd von Rundstedt | German Field Marshal during W… | 1875–1953 |
| Georg Runsky | | |
| Brent Runyon | American writer | 1957 |
| Damon Runyon | writer | 1880–1946 |
| Chen Ruolin | Chinese diver | 1992 |
| Sudhir Ruparelia | Ugandan businessman | 1956 |
| RuPaul | Actriz de Televisa, dueña y s… | 1960 |
| Joyce Rupp | American writer | 1943 |
| Alan Rusbridger | British newspaper editor | 1953 |
| Edward Ruscha | American artist and photograp… | 1937 |
| Benjamin Rush | American physician, educator,… | 1745–1813 |
| Geoffrey Rush | Australian actor and film pro… | 1951 |
| Norman Rush | American writer | 1933 |
| Odeya Rush | Israeli actress | 1997 |
| Salman Rushdie | British Indian novelist and e… | 1947 |
| Rousas John Rushdoony | American theologian | 1916–2001 |
| Martin Rushent | English record producer | 1948–2011 |
| Douglas Rushkoff | writer, American media theori… | 1961 |
| J. Philippe Rushton | Canadian psychology professor | 1943–2012 |
| Ernst Ruska | German physicist | 1906–1988 |
| Julius Ruska | German historian | 1867–1949 |
| John Ruskin | English writer and art critic | 1819–1900 |
| Joanna Russ | American author | 1937–2011 |
| Alexei Maxim Russell | Canadian writer | 1976 |
| Bertrand Russell | logician, one of the first an… | 1872–1970 |
| Bill Russell | American professional basketb… | 1934 |
| Charles Taze Russell | Founder of the Bible Student … | 1852–1916 |
| Chuck Russell | American film director | 1958 |
| David Russell | Scottish classical guitarist | 1953 |
| Dora Russell | author, feminist, socialist c… | 1894–1986 |
| George William Russell | Irish writer, editor, critic,… | 1867–1935 |
| John Russell, 1st Earl Russell | leading Whig and Liberal poli… | 1792–1878 |
| Kurt Russell | American actor | 1951 |
| Mary Doria Russell | American novelist | 1950 |
| Nipsey Russell | American entertainer | 1918–2005 |
| Rosalind Russell | actress from the United States | 1907–1976 |
| Sean Russell | author | 1952 |
