List of Cubans

This is a list of notable and well-known Cubans, ordered alphabetically by first name within each category.

Additional lists

For Cuban-Americans please see List of Cuban Americans

Art and entertainment

Actors

Ana Margarita Martínez-Casado, actress and singer
Andy García, actor
César Évora, actor
Daisy Fuentes, actress
Desi Arnaz, actor
Emiliano Díez, actor
Enrique Molina, actor
Faizon Love, actor and comedian
Francisco Gattorno, actor
Julio Oscar Mechoso, actor
Luis Oquendo, actor
Luisa Martínez Casado (1860-1925), actress
Manela Bustamante, actress
María Conchita Alonso, actress
Mario Cimarro, actor
Mario Ernesto Sánchez, actor and founder of Teatro Avante
Renny Arozarena, actor
Steven Bauer, actor
Velia Martínez, actress and singer
William Levy, actor

Architects

Artists, photographers and fashion designers

Agustín Cárdenas, sculptor
Alberto Korda, photographer
Alexandre Arrechea, painter, sculptor
Amelia Peláez, painter
Carlos Enríquez, painter
Fidelio Ponce de León, painter
Herman Puig (born German Puig Paredes), photographer
Humberto Jesús Castro García, painter
José Bernal, painter
José Vilalta Saavedra, sculptor
Josignacio Painter, creator of plastic paint medium, contemporary painter.
Juan José Sicre, sculptor
Juan T. Vázquez Martín, painter
Luis Castaneda, photographer
Mario Perez, painter
Pedro Álvarez Castelló, painter
Raúl Corrales, photographer
Raúl Martínez, pop artist, painter
Rene Mederos, poster artist and graphic designer
René Portocarrero, painter
Tomas Sanchez, painter
Victor Manuel, painter
Waldo Diaz-Balart, painter
Wifredo Lam, painter

Authors and poets

Antonio Benitez-Rojo author
Brígida Agüero, poet
Daína Chaviano, author
Carilda Oliver Labra, poet
Domitila García de Coronado, writer and journalist
Dulce María Loynaz, author
Edmundo Desnoes, author
Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, author, poet
Gilda Antonia Guillen, writer, poet, political activist
Guillermo Cabrera Infante, author
Heberto Padilla, poet
Héctor Zumbado, writer, journalist, humorist, critic
José Ignacio Rivero, author and journalist
Antonio Rodríguez Salvador, poet, author
José Lezama Lima, author, poet
José María Heredia y Campuzano, poet
José Martí, author, poet, journalist
Julián del Casal, 19th-century poet
Leonardo Padura Fuentes, novelist, journalist
Mariano Brull, author
Nancy Morejón, author
José Gómez-Sicre, art critic and author
Nicolás Guillén, poet
Norberto Fuentes, author
Pedro Juan Gutiérrez, author, poet, painter
Pedro Luis Boitel, poet
Raúl Rivero, poet and journalist
Reinaldo Arenas, author
Severo Sarduy, poet
Virgilio Piñera, author, playwright, poet, short-story writer and essayist
Zoé Valdés, author

Composers

Alejandro García Caturla, symphonic composer
Mariá Álvarez Rios, composer
Antonio María Romeu, composer
Arsenio Rodríguez developer of the rumba
Didier Hernández, singer composer
Ernesto Lecuona, often regarded as the greatest Cuban composer
Esteban Salas y Castro, 18th century Cuban baroque composer
Gonzalo Roig, often regarded as one of the greatest composers of Cuba, "Quiere me mucho"/ Cecilia Valdez
Ignacio Cervantes, Chopinesque piano composer
José White Lafitte, violinist and composer
Leo Brouwer, guitarist and composer
Yalil Guerra, composer
Amadeo Roldán, composer and violinist
Dámaso Pérez Prado, developer of the mambo
Armando Rodriguez-Gonzalez, composer
Antonio Rodríguez Ferrer, composer
René Touzet, composer, bandleader and pianist
Armando Rodriguez Ruidiaz, composer
Flores Chaviano, guitarist and composer
Danilo Avilés, composer
Magaly Ruiz, composer
José Ardévol, composer
Harold Gramatges, composer
Carlos Fariñas, composer
Roberto Valera, composer
Julián Orbón, composer
Margarita Lecuona, singer and composer

Chess

José Raúl Capablanca, chess world champion, grandmaster considered "the Mozart of Chess"
Juan Corzo, chess
Lázaro Bruzón, chess grandmaster

Musicians

Aida Diestro, pianist, arranger
Albita, singer
Alfredo de la Fé, musician
Adalberto Álvarez, pianist, director, composer
Ana Cristina, singer, actress, composer
Ángel Reyes, violinist
AJ McLean, singer, member of American boyband The Backstreet Boys
Armando Peraza, percussionist
Arturo Sandoval, trumpeter
Arsenio Rodríguez, composer
Benny Moré, singer, songwriter, conductor, arranger
Bola de Nieve, singer, pianist
Cándido Fabré, musician, songwriter, singer
Carlos Manuel Pruneda, singer
Carlos Varela, singer, songwriter
Celia Cruz, singer
Celina González, singer-songwriter
Cesar "Pupy" Pedroso, pianist, musician
Christina Milian, singer
Chucho Valdés, pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger.
Compay Segundo, musician, songwriter
Conchita Espinosa, pianist, teacher
Cuban Link, rapper
Cubanito 20.02, hip-hop band
Dave Lombardo, drummer
David Calzado, musician
Didier Hernández, singer, songwriter
Don Dinero, rapper
Elena Burke, singer
El Medico, timba musician
Eliades Ochoa, guitarist and singer
Emilio Estefan producer, composer
Ernesto Lecuona, pianist, composer
Esther Borja, singer
Eusebio Delfín, singer
Francisco Aguabella, percussionist
German Nogueira Gomez, songwriter, composer, producer
Gloria Estefan, singer, composer
Gonzalo Rubalcaba, pianist
Guillermo Portabales, singer, songwriter
Guillermo Rubalcaba, musician
Horacio Gutiérrez, concert pianist
Hubert de Blanck, pianist, composer
Ignacio Piñeiro, composer
Ibrahim Ferrer, musician
Issac Delgado, singer
Jacobo Rubalcaba, musician
Jorge Bolet, concert pianist
Juan Croucier, bassist
Juan Formell, composer
Juan de Marcos González, musician
La Lupe, singer
Lena, singer
Lissette, singer
Malena Burke, singer
Manuel Barrueco, classical guitarist
María Teresa Vera, composer, guitarist, singer
Mayra Verónica, singer
Miguel Matamoros, singer, composer
Moisés Valle, musician
Moisés Simons, composer
Mongo Santamaría, jazz musician
Moraima Secada, singer
Nelson Martinez, baritone
Ñico Saquito, composer, singer
Olga Guillot, singer
Omara Portuondo, singer
Orlando "Cachaito" López, bassist
Pablo Milanés, singer, songwriter
Pío Leyva, singer
Pitbull, rapper
Raul Paz, singer
Rey Ruiz, singer
Rita Montaner, singer
Roberto Faz, singer, conductor
Rubén González, pianist
Rudy Sarzo, rock bassist
Sen Dog, rapper
Silvio Rodríguez, singer, songwriter
Tico Torres, drummer, percussionist
Willy Chirino, singer, songwriter
Voltaire (musician), musician
Xavier Cugat, musician
Yalil Guerra, producer, musician, composer
Yotuel Romero, rapper
Harold Lopez Nussa, jazz pianist

Film directors

Journalists

Calixto Martínez
German Pinelli
Héctor Zumbado, writer, journalist, humorist, and critic.
Nicolás Guillén
Oscar Espinosa Chepe
Pablo de la Torriente Brau
Raúl Rivero
Rick Sanchez

Dancers

Alicia Alonso, Prima Ballerina Assoluta, director of the Cuban National Ballet (Ballet Nacional de Cuba)
Carlos Acosta, dancer
Sadaise Arencibia, star dancer with the Cuban National Ballet
Fernando Bujones, dancer
Jose Manuel Carreño, American Ballet Theatre principal dancer
Lydia Diaz Cruz, prima ballerina
Miguel Campaneria, ballet dancer, currently artistic director of the National Ballet Theater of Puerto Rico
Vida Guerra, video dancer
Yat-Sen Chang, principal dancer, English National Ballet

Other entertainment

Alvarez Guedes, comedian and author
Ana María Polo, television personality and lawyer
A Pair of Nuts: The Comedy Duo comedians and actors
Alina María Hernández "Cachita", television personality
Cristina Saralegui, magazine editor, talk show host (Cristina) and actress
Vida Guerra, model/actress
Lili Estefan, television personality and former model
Mauricio Zeilic, television personality
Mayra Verónica, model
Nelson Ascencio, comedian (Madtv)
Pedro Zamora, AIDS activist, featured on The Real World: San Francisco
Raúl De Molina, television personality
Raúl Musibay, Food Network chef and author
Rosaura Andreu, children's television entertainer

Sport

Baseball

Adeiny Hechavarria, Miami Marlins
Adolfo Luque, Cincinnati Reds
Alex Fernandez, Chicago White Sox, Florida Marlins
Alex Sánchez
Ariel Pestano, Cuba national baseball team
Ariel Prieto, Oakland Athletics
Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds
Aurelio Monteagudo, Kansas City Athletics
Barbaro Canizares, Atlanta Braves
Bárbaro Garbey, Detroit Tigers
Bert Campaneris, Kansas City Athletics
Brayan Peña, Atlanta Braves
Cristóbal Torriente, Negro Leagues – Baseball Hall of Fame
Danys Báez, Baltimore Orioles
Diego Seguí, Kansas City Athletics
Eli Marrero, New York Mets
Esteban Bellán, first Latin American professional baseball player to play in the United States
Germán Mesa, trainer for the Cuban national baseball team
Jack Calvo, Washington Senators
Jorge Soler, Chicago Cubs
José Abreu, Chicago White Sox
José Canseco, Oakland Athletics
José Cardenal, San Francisco Giants
José Contreras, Chicago White Sox
José Fernández, Miami Marlins
José Iglesias, Detroit Tigers
José Méndez, Kansas City Monarchs – Baseball Hall of Fame
José Rodríguez, New York Giants
José Tartabull, Kansas City Athletics
Kendrys Morales, Kansas City Royals
Liván Hernández, Arizona Diamondbacks
Luis Tiant, Cleveland Indians
Martín Dihigo, Negro Leagues – Baseball Hall of Fame
Mike Cuellar, Cincinnati Reds
Minnie Miñoso, Chicago White Sox
Octavio "Cookie" Rojas, Cincinnati Reds
Omar Linares, Pinar del Río Vegueros, Cuban national baseball team
Orestes Destrade, New York Yankees, ESPN on-air personality
Orlando Hernández, New York Mets
Ozzie Canseco, Oakland Athletics
Pedro Ramos, Washington Senators
Preston Gómez, Washington Senators
Rafael Palmeiro, Baltimore Orioles
Ray Noble, New York Giants
René Arocha, St. Louis Cardinals
René Monteagudo, Washington Senators
Rey Ordóñez, New York Mets
Roberto "Bobby" Estalella, Washington Senators
Rolando Arrojo, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Sandy Amorós, Brooklyn Dodgers
Tony Fossas, Texas Rangers
Tony González, Cincinnati Reds
Tony Oliva, Minnesota Twins
Tony Pérez, Cincinnati Reds
Tony Taylor, Chicago Cubs
Yuniesky Betancourt, last played for the Milwaukee Brewers
Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers
Yasmani Grandal, Los Angeles Dodgers
Yoenis Céspedes, New York Mets
Zoilo Versalles, Minnesota Twins, first Latin American Major League MVP in 1965.
Alexei Ramírez, Chicago White Sox
Yunel Escobar, Washington Nationals

Boxing

Adolfo Horta, Featherweight Olympic boxer
Ariel Hernández, Middleweight Olympic boxer
Armando Martínez, light middle-weight olympic boxer
Benny Paret, boxer
Eliseo Castillo, boxer
Félix Savón, olympic boxer
Florentino Fernández, boxer
Guillermo Rigondeaux Ortiz, amateur boxer
Joel Casamayor, boxer
Jorge Rubio, boxing trainer
José Nápoles, boxer
Kid Charol, boxer
Kid Chocolate, boxer
Kid Gavilán, boxer
Lorenzo Aragon Armenteros olympic welterweight boxer
Luis Manuel Rodríguez, boxer
Mario César Kindelán Mesa, Olympic gold medal winning boxer
Raúl González, boxer
Roberto Balado, Olympic Super Heavyweight boxer
Sugar Ramos, world champion boxer
Teófilo Stevenson, amateur boxer
Yan Bartelemí Light Flyweight gold medal winning boxer
Yanqui Díaz, boxer
Yudel Johnson Cedeno Light-Welterweight Olympic Boxer
Yuriorkis Gamboa Flyweight olympic gold medal winning boxer

Athletes

Alberto Juantorena, track
Aliecer Urrutia, triple jump
Ana Fidelia Quirot 800m
Anier García, hurdler
Dayron Robles, hurdling athlete
Emeterio González, javelin thrower.
Héctor Herrera, sprinter
Ioamnet Quintero, high jumper
Iván García, sprinter
Iván Pedroso, long jump
Javier Sotomayor, track and field record setter
Joel Isasi, sprinter
Joel Lamela, sprinter
Jorge Aguilera, sprinter
Lázaro Martínez, sprinter
Luis Alberto Pérez-Rionda, sprinter
Osleidys Menéndez, javelin
Roberto Hernández (athlete)
Roberto Moya, discus throw
Víctor Moya, high jumper
Yargelis Savigne, jump
Yipsi Moreno, hammer thrower
Yoandri Betanzos, triple jump
Yoel García, triple jumper
Yoel Hernández hurdler
Yudelkis Fernández long jumper.
Yunaika Crawford, hammer thrower
Yuniel Hernández, hurdler

Swimming

Joel Armas, record holder in the US in monofin swimming
Neisser Bent, bronze medalist at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Rodolfo Falcón, silver medalist at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Leonel "Bebito" Smith, gold medalist in the 1926 and 1930 Central American and Caribbean Games

Other

Deborah Andollo, Holds world-records in Free Diving.
Alberto Delgado, soccer
Ivan Dominguez, two time gold medalist in the Pan American Games and Cuban national champion in cycling
Héctor Socorro, footballer
Ibrahim Rojas, flatwater canoer
Juan Tuñas, former Cuban footballer
Rafael A. Lecuona, gymnast
Rey Ángel Martínez, soccer
Tomás Fernández, footballer in the 1938 World Cup
Yanelis Yuliet Labrada Diaz, Olympic silver medallist in Taekwondo
Maykel Galindo, soccer
Jorge Sánchez Salgado, volleyball player

Politics

Poet and writer, José Martí.

Current

Abelardo Colomé Ibarra vice president of the Council of State of Cuba
Alfonso Fraga-Perez, diplomat, Secretary General of the Organization of Solidarity of the People of Asia, Africa & Latin America (OSPAAAL), former Head of Cuban Interests Section
Carlos Lage Dávila former executive Secretary of the Council of Ministers of Cuba
Felipe Pérez Roque former Cuban government minister
Fidel Castro, previous First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba
José Luis Rodríguez García Cuban government minister
José Ramón Balaguer Cabrera, current Minister for Health in Cuba
Juan Almeida Bosque third ranking member of the Cuban Council of State
Luis Posada Carriles Cuban paramilitary leader, accused terrorist
Mariela Castro, director of the Cuban National Center for Sex Education and daughter of Raúl Castro
Oscar Elías Biscet, physician and dissident and founder of the Lawton Foundation, currently jailed.
Oswaldo Payá, Founder of Proyecto Varela.
Raúl Castro, current First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba
Liaena Hernandez Martínez, youngest member of the Cuban National Assembly
Roberto Fernández Retamar President of the Casa de las Américas
Ricardo Alarcón President of the Cuban National Assembly
Rosa Elena Simeón Negrín former Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment.

Historical

Abel Santamaría, Cuban Revolutionary
Alcibiades Hidalgo, former ambassador to the UN
Ana Betancourt, first to campaign for equal rights for Cuban women, in 1868 during the Ten Years' War
Andrés Rivero Agüero, Cuba's prime minister from March 1957 to March 1958
Anselmo Alliegro, Acting President of Cuba for one day (1–2 January 1959) after the departure of General Fulgencio Batista from the country.
Antonio Guiteras, politician and revolutionary
Antonio Maceo, revolutionary, military strategist
Armando Hart Dávalos, politician and Communist leader
Camilo Cienfuegos, Cuban Revolutionary
Carlos Hevia, provisional president of Cuba 1934
Carlos Manuel Piedra, Acting President of Cuba for one day (2 January 1959) after the departure of General Fulgencio Batista from the country
Carlos Prio Socarras, former President of Cuba
Celia Sánchez, Cuban Revolutionary and Secretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Cosme Torres Espinoza. ambassador to Zimbabwe
Eduardo Chibás, Cuban politician who used radio to broadcast his political views against Batista's government to the public
Federico Laredo Brú, President of Cuba from 1936 to 1940
Fernando Tarrida del Mármol, Cuban anarchist
Fabio Grobart, Communist leader
Fulgencio Batista, former Cuban President
Frank País, 20th century revolutionary
Gerardo Machado, Cuban president 1920–33
Gustavo Arcos, Cuban Revolutionary later became an imprisoned dissident
Huber Matos, Cuban Revolutionary
Ignacio Agramonte, 19th century Cuban revolutionary
Jorge Mas Canosa, Founder of the Cuban American National Foundation
José Miró Cardona, President of Cuba in 1959
José Martí, poet, philosopher, politician, writer, revolutionary
Juan Carlos Robinson Agramonte, former member of the Cuban politburo and First Secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Cuban Communist Party in Santiago de Cuba
Julio Antonio Mella founder of the original Cuban Communist Party
Jorge Payret, diplomat and academic
Leopoldo Cancio, deputy and Sectetary of Education
Manuel Piñeiro, First head of the Cuban General Intelligence Directorate
Manuel Urrutia Lleó, provisional Cuban President January to July 1959
Miguel Mariano Gómez, President of Cuba for seven months in 1936
Paul Lafargue, Cuban-born French Communist and son-in-law to Karl Marx
Rafael Diaz-Balart, Cuban politician and majority leader during presidency of Batista
Ramón Grau, Cuban president for two terms 1933, 1940–44
Saturnino and Mariano Lora, brothers and 19th century revolutionaries
Vilma Espín Guillois, President of the Cuban Federation of Women, wife of Raúl Castro
Virgilio Paz Romero, anti-Castro paramilitary

Religion

Alfredo Llaguno-Canals, former Auxiliary Bishop of Havana
Miguel A. De La Torre, prolific author on Hispanic religiosity
Agustin Roman, retired Auxiliary Bishop of Miami
Braulio Orue-Vivanco, former Bishop of Pinar del Río
Eduardo Tomas Boza-Masvidal, former Auxiliary Bishop of Havana
Félix Varela, beatified priest, candidate for sainthood
Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino, Cardinal Archbishop of Havana
Meyer Rosenbaum, former Rabbi and spiritual leader in Havana

Royalty and nobility

Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Edelmira Ignacia Adriana Sampedro-Robato, Countess of Covadonga, first wife of Alfonso Prince of Asturias
Marta Ester Rocafort-Altazarra, second wife of Alfonso Prince of Asturias

Military

Adolfo Fernández Cavada, captain in the Union Army during the American Civil War who later served as commander-in-chief of the Cinco Villas during Cuba's Ten Year War
Alberto Bayo y Giroud, a Cuban military leader of the defeated left-wing Loyalists in the Spanish Civil War
Antonio Maceo Grajales, second-in-command of the Cuban army of independence
Arnaldo Ochoa, Cuban general
Calixto García, Cuban soldier in the Ten Years' War
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, Cuban general in the war of independence against the Spanish
Emilio Mola Vidal (June 9, 1887 – June 3, 1937) was a Nationalist commander during the Spanish Civil War (1936–39). He is best known for coining the phrase "fifth column."
Federico Fernández Cavada, colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War and later commander-in-chief of all the Cuban forces during Cuba's Ten Year War.
Jesús Sosa Blanco, captain in the Cuban army under Fulgencio Batista
José Braulio Alemán, Cuban general in the Spanish–American War
José Miguel Gómez, Cuban General in the war of independence against the Spanish
Julius Peter Garesché, lieutenant colonel in the Union Army who served as chief of staff, with the rank of lieutenant colonel to Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans
Loreta Janeta Velazquez, a.k.a. "Lieutenant Harry Buford", Velazquez was a Cuban-born woman who masqueraded as a male Confederate soldier during the Civil War
Manuel Artime, leader of the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961
Máximo Gómez, 19th-century leader of Cuban forces in the wars of independence
Pedro Luis Diaz Lanz, chief air force commander and member of Operation 40
Víctor Dreke, Communist leader and a general in the Revolutionary Armed Forces
Tomás Diez Acosta, revolutionary soldier and historian
Víctor Ivo Acuña Velázquez, military commander

Science

Luis Alvarez, winner of the 1968 Nobel Prize in Physics, worked on the Manhattan Project
Agustin Walfredo Castellanos, physician
Carlos Juan Finlay, epidemiologist, proposed the mode of transmission of yellow fever and was instrumental in assisting Walter Reed with his studies in Cuba
Juan Gundlach, 19th century naturalist and taxonomist.
Celia Hart, Cuban physicist
Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, First Cuban cosmonaut and the first person from a country in the Western Hemisphere other than the U.S. to travel to space
Hilda Molina, former chief neuro-surgeon in Cuba
Felipe Poey, zoologist

Other categories

Sebastian Arcos Bergnes Human rights activist
Ramón Castro, older brother of Fidel and Raúl Castro
Mirta Diaz-Balart, Fidel Castro's first wife
Delfín Fernández, High ranking in government, defected to Spain
Gregorio Fuentes, Cuban nautical captain
Elián González, boy who came to the US, leading to a custody battle between his American family and his father in Cuba
Jose Miguel Battle, Sr. Former Godfather of the Cuban Mafia
Antonio Sánchez de Bustamante y Sirven Judge of the Permanent Court of International Justice at the Hague
Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón, educator and college president
Jesus Permuy, Human rights activist, architect, urban planner, community leader
Ignacio José Urrutia, Historian born in 1730
Nitza Villapol, Cuban chef