| Kentaro Yabuki | Japanese manga artist | 1980 |
| Mike Yaconelli | American theologian | 1942–2003 |
| Lalu Prasad Yadav | Indian politician | 1948 |
| Mulayam Singh Yadav | Chief Minister of Uttar Prade… | 1939–2022 |
| Rachit Yadav | Indian Author | 1996 |
| Yagan | | |
| Harun Yahya | Turkish author | 1956 |
| Lim Keng Yaik | Minister of Energy, Water and… | 1939–2012 |
| Fathi Yakan | Lebanese Islamic cleric-polit… | 1933–2009 |
| Jeong Yak-yong | Korean scholar and philosopher | 1762–1836 |
| Thomas Yalden | English poet | 1670–1736 |
| Irvin D. Yalom | American psychotherapist and … | 1931 |
| Rosalyn Sussman Yalow | American medical physicist | 1921–2011 |
| Kristi Yamaguchi | American figure skater | 1971 |
| Isoroku Yamamoto | Japanese Marshal Admiral | 1884–1943 |
| Tsunetomo Yamamoto | Samurai | 1659–1719 |
| Yohji Yamamoto | Japanese fashion designer | 1943 |
| Sawao Yamanaka | Japanese singer-songwriter | 1968 |
| Danny Yamashiro | American radio evangelist | 1967 |
| Tomoyuki Yamashita | general in the Imperial Japan… | 1885–1946 |
| Hiroshi Yamauchi | Japanese businessman | 1927–2013 |
| Abdulla Yameen | Maldivian politician, 6th pre… | 1959 |
| Geling Yan | Chinese writer and screenwrit… | 1958 |
| Li-Meng Yan | Chinese ophthalmologist and v… | |
| Mo Yan | Chinese novelist | 1955 |
| Hanya Yanagihara | American novelist and travel … | 1974 |
| Gennady Yanayev | USSR politician | 1937–2010 |
| Philip Yancey | American writer | 1949 |
| Liu Yandong | Chinese politician | 1945 |
| Andrew Yang | American entrepreneur | 1975 |
| Gene Luen Yang | Chinese American graphic nove… | 1973 |
| Sun Yang | Chinese swimmer | 1991 |
| "Weird Al" Yankovic | American singer-songwriter, m… | 1959 |
| Leon Rene Yankwich | United States federal judge | 1888–1975 |
| Yanni | Greek pianist, keyboardist, c… | 1954 |
| Viktor Yanukovych | Ukrainian politician who was … | 1950 |
| Jiang Yanyong | Chinese physician | 1931–2023 |
| Pasuya Yao | Taiwanese politician | 1965 |
| Hu Yaobang | former General Secretary of t… | 1915–1989 |
| Umaru Yar'Adua | President of Nigeria | 1951–2010 |
| Ralph Yarborough | Texas politician | 1903–1996 |
| Andrew Yarranton | English civil engineer | 1619–1684 |
| Antonio Arregui Yarza | Catholic archbishop | 1939 |
| Lev Yashin | Soviet association football p… | 1929–1990 |
| Edward Yashinsky | | |
| Chista Yasrebi | | 1968 |
| Muhyiddin Yassin | Home Affairs Minister of Mala… | 1947 |
| Hirokazu Yasuhara | Japanese video game designer | 1965 |
| Reggie Yates | English actor, television pre… | 1983 |
| Richard Yates | Novelist, short story writer | 1926–1992 |
| Sun Yat-sen | Chinese physician, politician… | 1866–1925 |
| John Yau | American poet | 1950 |
| Yazdan Yazdanpanah | French-Iranian infectiologist | 1965 |
| Yazdan Yazdanpanah | French-Iranian infectiologist | 1965 |
| Dmitry Yazov | Soviet minister of defence | 1924–2020 |
| Lou Ye | | |
| Chuck Yeager | US World War II flying ace an… | 1923 |
| William Frederick Yeames | british painter | 1835–1918 |
| W.B. Yeats | Irish poet and playwright | 1865–1939 |
| Amos Yee | blogger | 1998 |
| Janet Yellen | American economist and profes… | 1946 |
| Boris Yeltsin | 1st President of Russia and C… | 1931–2007 |
| Sisi Yemmie | Nigerian Youtuber | 1984 |
| Cheng Yen | Taiwanese Buddhist nun | 1937 |
| Lee Yen-hsiu | Taiwanese politician | 1971 |
| Michelle Yeoh | Malaysian-born actress of Chi… | 1962 |
| Owain Yeoman | British actor | 1978 |
| Bat Ye'or | British writer | 1933 |
| Laurence Yep | American children's writer | 1948 |
| Zabel Yesayan | Armenian writer | 1878–1943 |
| Anna Yesipova | Russian pianist | 1851–1914 |
| Yevgeny Yevtushenko | Russian poet, film director, … | 1932–2017 |
| Chay Yew | Singaoprean playwriter | 1975 |
| Lee Kuan Yew | First Prime Minister of Singa… | 1923–2015 |
| Anzia Yezierska | American writer | 1880–1970 |
| David Yezzi | American poet | 1966 |
| Wang Yi | Chinese diplomat and politici… | 1953 |
| Milo Yiannopoulos | British journalist | 1984 |
| Jiang Yi-huah | Taiwanese politician | 1960 |
| Liu Yiming | | |
| Zhang Yimou | Chinese actor, film director,… | 1950 |
| Yeo Bee Yin | Malaysian Politician | 1983 |
| Ma Ying-jeou | Taiwanese politician, preside… | 1950 |
| Lung Ying-tai | Taiwanese politician | 1952 |
| Linji Yixuan | Chinese philosopher | |
| Zhu Yizun | | |
| Binali Yıldırım | Turkish politician; 27th Prim… | 1955 |
| Francis Parker Yockey | American writer | 1917–1960 |
| John Howard Yoder | 20th century American Mennoni… | 1927–1997 |
| Charmaine Yoest | American anti-abortion activi… | 1964 |
| Paramahansa Yogananda | Yogi, a guru of Kriya Yoga an… | 1893–1952 |
| Harbhajan Singh Yogi | Indian-American Sikh Yogi | 1929–2004 |
| Maharishi Mahesh Yogi | Inventor of Transcendental Me… | 1917–2008 |
| Shoichi Yokoi | Japanese World War II Soldier | 1915–1997 |
| Jane Yolen | American speculative fiction … | 1939 |
| Mitsumasa Yonai | Prime Minister of Japan | 1880–1948 |
| Tamiaki Yoneya | Japanese string theorist | 1947 |
| Jin Yong | | |
| Thae Yong-ho | former North Korean diplomat … | 1961 |
| Han Yong-un | Korean writer | 1879–1944 |
