List of people from Helsinki



The following are notable people who were either born, raised or have lived for a significant period of time in the city of Helsinki, Finland.

Academics and scientists

 * Lars Ahlfors (1907–1996), mathematician, Fields Medalist
 * Kai Donner (1888–1935), linguist, anthropologist & politician
 * Peter Forsskål (1732–1763), Swedish-Finnish naturalist & orientalist
 * Ragnar Granit (1900–1991), Finnish-Swedish neurophysiologist, Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine (1967)
 * Elina Haavio-Mannila (born 1933), social scientist & professor
 * Bengt Holmström (born 1949), Professor of Economics at MIT, Nobel laureate in Economics (2016)
 * Olli Lehto (1925–2020), mathematician
 * Rolf Nevanlinna (1895–1980), mathematician, university teacher & writer
 * Gunnar Nordström (1881–1923), theoretical physicist
 * Jakob Sederholm (1863–1934), petrologist
 * Artturi Ilmari Virtanen (1895–1973), chemist, Nobel laureate in Chemistry (1945)
 * Marianne Kärrholm (1921–2018), Swedish chemical engineer and professor
 * Ulla Vuorela (1945–2011), professor of social anthropology

Architects

 * Axel Hampus Dalström (1829–1882), architect
 * Carl Ludvig Engel (1778–1840), German architect
 * Juha Leiviskä (born 1936), architect

Fiber art, textile design

 * Kirsti Ilvessalo (1920–2019), textile artist

Entrepreneurs

 * Karl Fazer (1866–1932), baker, confectioner, chocolatier, entrepreneur, & sport shooter
 * Peter Nygård (born 1941), Finnish-Canadian businessman, arrested in December 2020 for sex crimes
 * Armi Ratia (1912–1979), textile designer & co-founder of Marimekko
 * Linus Torvalds (born 1969), software engineer, creator of Linux

Clergy

 * Lennart Koskinen (born 1944), Evangelical Lutheran Bishop of Visby (2003–2011)
 * Samuel Lehtonen (1921–2010), Evangelical Lutheran Bishop of Helsinki (1982–1991)

Filmmakers

 * Aki Kaurismäki (born 1957), film director, screenwriter & producer
 * Erkki Karu (1887–1935), film director & producer
 * Gustaf Molander (1888–1973), Swedish director & screenwriter
 * Diana Ringo (born 1992), film director & composer
 * Mauritz Stiller (1883–1928), Russian-Swedish director & screenwriter

Musicians

 * Paavo Berglund (1929–2012), conductor
 * Laci Boldemann (1921–1969), composer
 * Reino Helismaa (1913–1965), writer, film actor & singer
 * Tuomas Holopainen (born 1976), songwriter, multi-instrumentalist & record producer
 * Lill Lindfors (born 1940), Finnish-Swedish singer & television presenter
 * Magnus Lindberg (born 1958), composer & pianist
 * Georg Malmstén (1902–1981), singer, musician, composer, orchestra director & actor
 * Tauno Marttinen (1912–2008), composer
 * Oskar Merikanto (1868–1924), composer
 * Jari Mäenpää (born 1977), founder, former lead guitarist & current lead singer in melodic death metal band Wintersun, former lead singer & guitarist of folk metal band Ensiferum
 * Klaus Mäkelä (born 1996), cellist & conductor
 * Susanna Mälkki (born 1969), conductor
 * Sakari Oramo (born 1965), principal conductor of BBC Symphony Orchestra
 * Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928–2016), composer
 * Kaija Saariaho (born 1952), composer
 * Esa-Pekka Salonen (born 1958), composer, principal conductor of Philharmonia Orchestra (2008–2021)
 * Heikki Sarmanto (born 1939), jazz pianist & composer
 * Agnes Tschetschulin (1859–1942), composer & violinist
 * Ville Valo (born 1976), lead singer of the rock band HIM
 * Lauri Ylönen (born 1979), lead singer of the rock band The Rasmus
 * Alexi Laiho (1979-2020), Founding member, lead vocalist & lead guitarist of Finnish Melodic Death Metal band Children of Bodom

Entertainment

 * George Gaynes (1917–2016), American actor & singer
 * Maggie Gripenberg (1881–1976), dancer
 * Ella Eronen (1900-1987), actor
 * Vesa-Matti Loiri (1945–2022), actor, comedian, singer
 * Markku Peltola (1956–2007), actor & musician
 * Anne Pohtamo (born 1955), beauty queen, Miss Suomi 1975, Miss Universe 1975
 * Asko Sarkola (born 1945), actor

Political and military figures

 * Tarja Cronberg (born 1943), politician
 * Tarja Halonen (born 1943), President of Finland (2000–2012)
 * Johan Helo (1889–1966), lawyer & politician
 * Abdirahim Hussein Mohamed (born 1978), Finnish-Somalian media personality & politician
 * Yrjö Leino (1897–1961), communist politician, Minister of the Interior (1946–1948)
 * Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (1867–1951), statesman and Marshal of Finland
 * Elisabeth Rehn (born 1935), Minister of Defence (1990–1995)
 * Alexander Stubb (born 1968), Prime Minister of Finland (2014–2015)
 * Väinö Tanner (1881–1966), Prime Minister of Finland (1926–1927)
 * Toivo Wiherheimo (1898–1970), economist & politician
 * Karl Wiik (1883–1946), Social Democratic politician

Sports people

 * Nina Ehrnrooth (born 1962), alpine skier
 * Kim Hirschovits (born 1982), ice hockey player
 * Shawn Huff, Finnish basketball player
 * Walter Jakobsson (1882–1957), figure-skater
 * Petteri Koponen, Finnish basketball player
 * Emil Lindh (1867–1937), sailor
 * Lennart Lindroos (1886–?), swimmer, Olympic games 1912
 * Hanno Möttölä Finnish basketball player
 * Miron Ruina (born 1998), Finnish-Israeli basketball player
 * Riitta Salin (born 1950), athlete
 * Sasu Salin (born 1991), Finnish basketball player
 * Teemu Selänne (born 1970), Hall of Fame ice hockey player

Writers

 * Helena Anhava (1925-2018), poet, author & translator
 * Irja Agnes Browallius (1901–1968), Swedish writer
 * Bo Carpelan (1926–2011), Finnish-Swedish writer, literary critic & translator
 * Elmer Diktonius (1896–1961), Finnish-Swedish writer & composer
 * Tove Jansson (1914–2001), Finnish-Swedish writer, painter, cartoonist, author of “Moomins”
 * Märta Tikkanen (born 1935), Finnish-Swedish writer
 * Sirkka Turkka (1939–2021), poet
 * Mika Waltari (1908–1979), writer

Others

 * Minna Craucher (1891–1932), socialite & spy
 * Elin Törnudd (1924– 2008), Finnish chief librarian & professor