Notable Algerians include:

Artists

Actors

thumb|180px|[[Sofia Boutella]]

  • Hadj Abderrahmane, actor and comedian
  • Isabelle Adjani, French actress
  • Allalou, playwright, theatre director, and actor known as the father of Algerian theater
  • Mahieddine Bachtarzi, singer of opera (tenor), actor, writer, and director of the TNA (Théâtre National Algérien)
  • Jean-Pierre Bacri, actor and screenwriter
  • Ramzy Bedia, French-Algerian actor
  • Leïla Bekhti, French-Algerian actress
  • Alice Belaïdi, French-Algerian actress
  • Catherine Belkhodja, French-Algerian actress
  • M'hamed Benguettaf, actor and playwright
  • Jean Benguigui, stage, screen, and television actor
  • Dali Benssalah, actor in James Bond movie No Time to Die (2021)
  • Biyouna, singer, actress and comedian
  • Mohamed Bouchaïb, Libya-born Algerian actor
  • Sofia Boutella, actress, model and dancer
  • Rachida Brakni, French actress
  • Patrick Bruel, singer, actor, and professional poker player
  • Alain Chabat, actor and director
  • Mohamed Chouikh, filmmaker
  • Mohamed Fellag, actor and comedian
  • Eva Green, actress and model
  • Khaled Habib, singer-songwriter, composer, actor, film director
  • Roger Hanin, film actor and director
  • Marlène Jobert, actress, singer and author
  • Reda Kateb, actor
  • Sid Ali Kouiret, actor
  • Rachid Ksentini, actor and comedian
  • Karim Leklou, actor
  • Maïwenn, actress, film director and producer
  • Tahar Rahim, actor
  • Rouiched, comedy actor
  • Lyes Salem, actor and film director
  • Hadj Smaine Mohamed Seghir, actor, director, and man of stage
  • Samy Seghir, French-Algerian actor
  • Smaïn, actor and humorist
  • Marie Soussan, actress and singer
  • Patrick Timsit, comedian, writer, and film director
  • Larbi Zekkal, actor and comedian

Directors and filmmakers

  • Merzak Allouache, film director
  • Abdelkader Alloula, theatre producer
  • Jean-Luc Azoulay, television producer
  • Yamina Benguigui, filmmaker
  • Malek Bensmaïl, film director
  • Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina, film director, Palme d'Or at the 1975 Cannes Festival
  • Ahmed Rachedi, film director–producer, pioneer of Algerian cinema
  • Fatma Zohra Zamoum, film director

Fashion (designers, models)

  • Loli Bahia, model
  • Farida Khelfa, former model and actress
  • Yves Saint Laurent, designer

Illustrators

  • Baya, painter
  • Ali Dilem, editorial cartoonist
  • Le Hic, editorial cartoonist
  • Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer, artist
  • Rezki Zerarti, painter
  • Hocine Ziani, painter

New media

  • Maurice Benayoun, artist and theorist

Writers (including poets)

thumb|180px|[[Assia Djebar]]

thumb|180px|[[Moufdi Zakaria]]

  • Ferhat Abbas (1899–1985), political leader and essayist
  • Mohamed Aïchaoui (1921–1959), political leader and journalist
  • Al-Akhdari (1512–1575), Arab-Algerian poet, Alim, astronomer, jurist and logician of Sherifian descent
  • Abdelkader Alloula (1939–1994), playwright
  • Malek Alloula (1937–2015), poet, writer, and critic
  • Djamal Amrani (1935–2005), poet and essayist
  • Jean Amrouche (1906–1962), 20th-century poet and writer
  • Taos Amrouche (1913–1976), singer and writer
  • Apuleius (–), Latin prose writer
  • Mohammed Arkoun (born 1928), scholar and thinker
  • Zighen Aym (born 1957), writer and engineer
  • Farida Belghoul (born 1958), author
  • Omar Belhouchet (born 1954), journalist
  • Myriam Ben (1928–2001), novelist, poet, painter, and activist
  • Berthe Bénichou-Aboulker (1888–1942), poet
  • Mohammed Benchicou (born 1952), director and publisher of the Algerian newspaper Le Matin
  • Salah Benlabed (born 1950), architect, academic, novelist and poet
  • Malek Bennabi (1905–1973), writer and philosopher
  • Rachid Boudjedra (born 1941), poet, novelist, playwright and critic
  • Albert Camus (1913–1960), journalist, author, philosopher
  • Mohamed Cherak, journalist
  • Hélène Cixous, feminist writer
  • Mohammed Dib (1920–2003), 20th-century writer
  • Leila Djabali (born 1933)
  • Tahar Djaout (1954–1993), poet, journalist, critic
  • Assia Djebar (1936–2015), novelist, translator and filmmaker
  • Mouloud Feraoun (1913–1962), writer and independence war hero
  • Mohamed Hassaïne (1945–1994), journalist
  • Miloud Hmida (born 1961), poet, critic, translator
  • Yasmina Khadra (also known as Mohamed Moulessehoul) (born 1955), writer
  • Aïssa Khelladi, journalist, novelist and playwright
  • Ahmed Mahsas (1923–2013), political leader and writer
  • Latifa Ben Mansour (born 1950), writer, psychoanalyst, and linguist
  • Fodil Mezali (born 1959), journalist and writer
  • Hocine Mezali (born 1938), journalist and writer
  • Rachid Mimouni (1945–1995), writer, poet
  • Ahlam Mostaghanemi, writer
  • Sarah Rivens, writer
  • Othmane Senadjki (1959–2010), journalist
  • Ahmed Ben Triki (1650–1750), Algerian poet from Tlemcen
  • Kateb Yacine (1929–1989), 20th-century writer
  • Moufdi Zakaria (1908–1977), lyricist of the Algerian national anthem "Kassaman"

Criminals

<!-- Commented out: thumb|180px|[[Mokhtar Belmokhtar]] -->

  • Djamel Beghal, French Algerian convicted of terrorism
  • Mokhtar Belmokhtar, sentenced to death for murder and terrorism
  • Abdul Nacer Benbrika, found guilty of being the leader of a terrorist organisation
  • Hamza Bendelladj, cyber-criminal also known as the "Smiling Hacker"
  • Rédoine Faïd, French-Algerian bank robber and jailbreaker
  • Slimane Khalfaoui, French-Algerian terrorist convicted of the Strasbourg cathedral bombing plot
  • Ahmed Ressam, Algerian al-Qaeda member convicted of attempting to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport on New Year's Eve 1999
  • Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud, leader of the Algerian Islamic militant group Al-Qaeda organization in the Islamic Maghreb

Journalists

  • Abdessami' Abdelhaï, journalist

Leaders and politicians

Ancient Algeria

thumb|180px|[[Juba II]]

thumb|180px

  • Juba I, 1st century BC, king of Numidia under Roman rule
  • Saburra, Numidian general
  • Juba II, 1st century BC, king of Numidia under Roman rule
  • Naravas, Numidian chief
  • Jugurtha, 2nd century BC, king of Numidia
  • Zelalsen, king of the Massylii
  • Ozalces, king of the Massylii
  • Capussa, king of the Massylii tribe and brother to King Gaia
  • Gala, king of the Massylii tribe
  • Lacumazes, king of the Massylii tribe
  • Syphax, king of the Massylii tribe
  • Vermina, son of Sypbax and king of the Masaesyli tribe
  • Archobarzane, last king of the Masaesylians
  • Massinissa, 3rd century BC, king of Numidia
  • Micipsa, king of Numidia
  • Gulussa, king of Numidia along with his two brothers
  • Mastanabal, king of Numidia
  • Adherbal, king of Numidia
  • Hiempsal I, king of Numidia
  • Gauda, Jugurtha's brother; a king of Numidia
  • Iarbas, Gaetulian king
  • Hiarbas, king, usurped the throne of Numidia
  • Hiempsal II, son of Gauda and king of Numidia
  • Masteabar, king of western Numidia
  • Massinissa II, king of western Numidia
  • Arabio, last independent king of Numidia
  • Cleopatra Selene II, wife of juba II
  • Ptolemy of Mauretania, last king of Mauretania
  • Tacfarinas, leader of a rebellion against the Romans
  • Firmus, Numidian prince and Roman usurper
  • Gildo, Roman Berber general
  • Macrinus, Roman emperor
  • Pope Gelasius I, pope from 1 March 492 to his death in 496
  • Quintus Lollius Urbicus, governor of Roman Britain
  • Masuna, first recorded king of the Mauro-Roman Kingdom
  • Mastigas, Masuna's successor
  • John, Berber military leader
  • Garmul, last recorded king of the Mauro Roman kingdom
  • Masties, founder and first king of the Kingdom of the Aurès
  • Iaudas, Berber leader and king of the Aurès
  • Kusaila, last king of Altava who led a resistance against Islam
  • Dihya, uncontested ruler of the whole Maghreb
  • Tabat, Dihya's father

Early Islamic Algeria

  • Abu Qurra, proclaimed caliph by the banu ifran Berber tribe; founder of the indigenous Berber Muslim movement of Kharijite tendencies in North Africa; founder of the Emirate of Tlemcen
  • Sulayman ibn Abd-Allah, known as "Sulayman I of Tlemcen"; emir of Tlemcen (786 / 7–813)
  • Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam, of Persian descent, founder of the Rustamid dynasty centered around Tiaret in modern-day Algeria
  • Buluggin ibn Ziri, 10th-century emir; founder of the city of Algiers (Dzayer in Algerian Arabic refers to his father Ziri ibn Manad, founder of the Zirid dynasty)
  • Hammad ibn Buluggin, founder and first Sultan of the Hammadid dynasty centered around Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad from 1008 to 1090, then Béjaïa from 1090 to 1152
  • Abd al-Mu'min, first caliph and founder of the Almohad dynasty
  • Yaghmurasen Ibn Zyan, founder and first sultan of the Zayyanid dynasty centered around Tlemcen in modern-day Algeria

Ottoman Algeria

  • Hassan Agha, 16th-century Prince of Algiers; defeated Emperor Charles V in Algiers
  • Baba Aruj, 16th-century corsair; leader of the Regency of Algiers
  • Hayreddin Barbarossa, brother and successor of Aruj
  • Zymen Danseker, Dutch privateer during the Eighty Years' War, became admiral of the Algerian fleet from 1600 to 1610; said to have introduced the round ship to the Algerians
  • Rais Hamidou, nicknamed 'Amir el Bihar' (leader of the seas), admiral and last great leader of the Algerian Navy, of Berber descent
  • Sulayman Reis, Dutch privateer during the Eighty Years' War; later turned to the corsair activity swearing allegiance to the Sultan of Algiers and became an officer under Zymen Danseker

Algeria under French colonization

  • Emir Abdelkader, 19th-century leader of the resistance against French colonisation
  • Hadj Ahmed Bey, last Bey of Constantine; fought the French Army during two sieges in 1836 and 1837
  • Cheikh Boumerdassi, 19th-century leader of the resistance against French colonisation
  • Mohamed Seghir Boushaki, 20th-century leader of the Kabyle political resistance against the French
  • Mohamed Deriche, 20th-century leader of the Kabyle political resistance against the French
  • Messali Hadj, co-founder of "l'Etoile Nord-Africaine", the first Algerian nationalist party
  • Belkacem Radjef, co-founder of ENA with Messali Hadj and Amar Imache
  • Lalla Fatma N'Soumer, 19th-century female leader of the Kabyle resistance against the French
  • Mohamed ben Zamoum, 19th-century leader of the resistance against French colonisation
  • Omar ben Zamoum, 19th-century leader of the resistance against French colonisation

Revolutionary War of Independence

  • Ferhat Abbas, president of the provisional government of Algeria before independence, 1958–1961
  • Mohamed Aïchaoui, journalist and independence war hero
  • Colonel Amirouche, independence war hero
  • Krim Belkacem, independence war hero; vice president of the provisional government of Algeria
  • Jeanine Belkhodja, doctor, communist and activist
  • Hassiba Benbouali, female hero of the independence war
  • Mostefa Benboulaid, Commander of Zone 1 during the independence war
  • Djamila Bouhired, female hero of the revolution
  • Yahia Boushaki, political and military leader of the independence war
  • Lyès Deriche, political leader of the independence war; member of the Revolutionary Committee of Unity and Action
  • Ali La Pointe, also known as Ali Ammar; independence war hero
  • Ahmed Mahsas, sociologist and independence war hero
  • Larbi Ben M'hidi, commander of Zone 5 during the independence war
  • Mohamed Rahmoune, political and military leader of the independence war
  • Abane Ramdane, political leader of the independence war; author of the "political over military" and "interior over exterior" principles
  • Yacef Saadi, fighter in the independence war in the 1957 Battle of Algiers; actor in the 1966 war film by the same name after independence
  • Zazi Sadou, spokeswoman for the Algerian women's resistance movement

Independent Algeria

thumb|180px|[[Ahmed Ben Bella]]

  • Chaâbane Aït Abderrahim, Wali of M'Sila, Constantine, and Algiers provinces
  • Hocine Ait Ahmed, political leader and head of the Socialist Forces Front opposition party (also a prominent independence war leader)
  • Mohamed Bahi (born ), American-Algerian former Chief Liaison of New York City Mayor Eric Adams to the Muslim community
  • Ahmed Ben Bella, Algeria's first president, 1962–1965
  • Mourad Benachenou, minister for the restructure of industry, 1995
  • Zahia Benarous, journalist and politician, Secretary of State for Culture
  • Chadli Bendjedid, president of Algeria, 1979–1992
  • Maamar Benguerba, minister for labour and social affairs in the 1992 government
  • Rabah Bitat, vice president of Algeria's first government, president of parliament
  • Mohamed Boudiaf, president of Algeria, 1992 (also a prominent Independence war leader)
  • Dalila Boudjemaa, agricultural engineer and politician
  • Houari Boumedienne, president of Algeria, 1965–1978
  • Abdelaziz Bouteflika, president of Algeria, 1999–2019
  • Saïd Bouteflika, brother of Abdelaziz Bouteflika
  • Lakhdar Brahimi, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Peace Envoy in Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq
  • Émilie Busquant, French feminist, anarcho-syndicalist and anti-colonial activist; best known for the role in the creation of the Algerian flag
  • Abdallah Djaballah, founder and leader of Al-Islah party
  • Farida Haddouche, politician, party secretary general
  • Louisa Hanoune, founder and female leader of the PT (Workers Party)
  • Abelkader Khamri, former minister for youth and sport, 1992
  • Cheb i Sabbah, DJ and composer/producer

Pop

  • Baaziz, singer
  • Daniel Lévi, singer-songwriter, composer, and pianist
  • Enrico Macias (Gaston Ghrenassia), singer
  • Souad Massi, singer
  • Line Monty (Eliane Sarfati), singer
  • Rajae El Mouhandiz, Dutch/Moroccan/Algerian singer, recording artist, storyteller and poet
  • Zaho, singer

Rai

  • Messaoud Bellemou, raï musician, one of the most influential musicians of modern raï
  • Safy Boutella, musician, composer
  • Faudel, raï musician
  • Cheb Hasni, raï musician
  • Khaled, raï musician, also known as Khaled El Hadj Brahim
  • Cheb Mami, raï musician, also known as Mohamed Khelifati
  • Raïna Raï, band
  • Cheikha Rimitti, rai musician
  • Rachid Taha, raï–rock musician
  • Cheb Tarik, raï musician

Rap

  • Boef, Algerian rapper; one of the Netherlands' most successful rappers
  • Didine Canon 16
  • Double Kanon, rapper, MC, producer, songwriter; songs engaging tracks against political system
  • Kenza Farah, Algerian singer-songwriter, rap, R&B and hip-hop; sings in French
  • Fianso, Franco-Algerian rapper
  • Lacrim, French-Algerian rapper, songwriter, has many hits in French game and American game
  • L'Algerino, singer and rapper
  • PNL, acronym of Peace N' Lovés, rap duo composed of two brothers: Ademo & N.O.S.
  • Soolking, Algerian singer and rapper; incorporates reggae, soul, hip hop and Algerian raï in his music
  • Soso Maness, rapper

Rock

  • Rachid Taha, singer, musician
  • Marc Zermati, producer and promoter of punk rock music

Religious figures

  • Abdelkader El Djezairi, religious and military leader, Islamic scholar and Sufi
  • Augustine of Hippo, Christian theologian
  • Donatus Magnus, Leader of the Donatist christian sect
  • Ahmad al-Alawi, founder of the Sufi Alawiyya order
  • Abdul Baqi Miftah, Sunni Muslim scholar and writer
  • Sidi M'hamed Bou Qobrine, founder of the Rahmaniyya Sufi order
  • Ahmad al-Tijani, founder of the Tijaniyyah Sufi order
  • Hud ibn Muhakkam al-Hawwari, Ibadi Quran exegete
  • Abd al-Rahman al-Tha'alibi, Arab scholar and imam
  • Abu Madyan, influential mystic and Sufi master
  • Sidi El Houari, imam and a saint of Oran
  • Muhammad ibn Ali al-Sanusi, founder of the Senussi Order
  • Makhluf al-Balbali, Islamic scholar
  • Abd al-Rahman al-Waghlisi, Muslim scholar author mufti and an imam born in 1303

Scholars and academics

Historians

  • Annie Cohen-Solal, writer, historian, cultural diplomat and public intellectual
  • Ibn Hammad, medieval historian
  • Mohamed Harbi, independence war historian
  • Évariste Lévi-Provençal, medievalist, orientalist, Arabist, and historian of Islam
  • Ahmed Mohammed al-Maqqari, Algerian historian born in the 16th century

Linguistics

  • Mohamed Bencheneb, 19th-century linguist and historian
  • Abderrahmane Hadj-Salah, 20th-century linguist and president of the Algerian Academy of the Arabic Language
  • Saïd Cid Kaoui, 19th-century lexicographer and interpreter focusing on Berber
  • Judah ibn Kuraish, 9th-century Algerian grammarian and lexicographer focusing on Hebrew
  • Mouloud Mammeri, 20th-century anthropologist, linguist, poet, writer
  • Ibn Muti al-Zawawi, 13th-century Algerian grammarian focusing on Arabic

Science

  • Maamar Bettayeb, control theorist and systems scientist
  • Mohamed Belhocine, internal medicine and epidemiology researcher
  • Mustapha Ishak Boushaki, cosmologist and relativity researcher
  • Rachid Deriche, computational imaging researcher
  • Noureddine Melikechi, atomic, molecular, and optical physicist researcher
  • Elias Zerhouni, radiologist and medical researcher

Philosophy

  • Mohamed Arkoun, author, philosopher, historian
  • Malek Bennabi, social and religious philosopher
  • Frantz Fanon, psychologist
  • Mohamed Lakhdar Maougal, philosopher

Sports

Association football

thumb|180px|[[Rabah Madjer]]

  • Lakhdar Belloumi, footballer; World Cup participation in 1982, 1986
  • Djamel Belmadi, coach, former footballer
  • Said Belmokhtar, Kazakhstani-born Ukrainian footballer of Algerian descent
  • Zahir Belounis, footballer
  • Saïd Benrahma, footballer
  • Said Brahimi, footballer; one of the founders of the Algerian football team
  • Ali Fergani, footballer and trainer
  • Rabah Gamouh, international footballer
  • Adlene Guedioura, footballer and African champion
  • Abdelhamid Kermali, footballer; one of the founders of the Algerian football team
  • Mahieddine Khalef, footballer and trainer
  • Mustapha Khedali), footballer
  • Rabah Madjer, footballer; played in two World Cup games with Algeria, European champion with Porto
  • Riyad Mahrez, footballer; played in one World Cup
  • Raïs M'Bolhi, Algerian goalkeeper
  • Rachid Mekhloufi, footballer; one of the founders of the Algerian football team
  • Yahia Ouahabi, retired player for JS Kabylie
  • Islam Slimani, Algerian national footballer; (World Cup 2014)
  • Abdelaziz Ben Tifour, footballer; one of the founders of the Algerian football team
  • Mohamed Yahi, footballer for JS Kabylie and NA Hussein Dey
  • Karim Ziani, Algerian national footballer; World Cup participation in 2010

Athletics

  • Hassiba Boulmerka, athlete; 1500 m world and Olympic champion
  • Taoufik Makhloufi, athlete; 1500 m Olympic champion
  • Nouria Mérah-Benida, athlete; 1500 m Olympic champion
  • Noureddine Morceli, athlete; 1500 m world and Olympic champion
  • Artur Partyka, Polish high jumper; father is Algerian

Basketball

  • Abdesslem Dekkiche

Boxing

  • Abdelhafid Benchabla, boxer
  • Amine Boushaki, judoka
  • Robert Cohen, world-champion bantamweight boxer
  • Lahouari Godih
  • Alphonse Halimi ("la Petite Terreur"), world-champion bantamweight boxer
  • Myriam Lamare, boxer, French father and Algerian mother
  • Mohamed Missouri, boxer

Fencing

  • Tahar Hamou, foil fencer
  • Anissa Khelfaoui, foil fencer
  • Armand Mouyal (1925–1988), French world champion épée fencer
  • Ferial Salhi, foil fencer
  • Michel Sebastiani, modern pentathlete and Olympic fencing coach

Ice hockey

  • Josef Boumedienne, professional ice hockey player; Algerian and Finnish descent

Judo

  • Hassane Azzoun, Algerian judoka
  • Sami Belgroun, Algerian judoka
  • Abderahmane Benamadi, Algerian judoka
  • Mounir Benamadi, Algerian judoka
  • Amar Benikhlef, Algerian judoka
  • Mohamed Bouaichaoui, Algerian judoka
  • Faycal Bousbiat, Algerian judoka
  • Amine Boushaki, Algerian judoka
  • Lyès Bouyacoub, Algerian judoka
  • Khaled Meddah, Algerian judoka
  • Amar Meridja, Algerian judoka
  • Omar Rebahi, Algerian judoka
  • Mohamed-Amine Tayeb, Algerian judoka
  • Nourredine Yagoubi, Algerian judoka
  • Houd Zourdani, Algerian judoka

Other sports

  • Ali Boulala, professional skateboarder; Algerian and Swedish descent
  • Kahina Bounab, volleyball player
  • Ines Ibbou, tennis player
  • Salaheddine Mokdad Saidi, volleyball player
  • Alfred Nakache, swimmer and water polo player
  • Esraa Warda, dancer

See also

  • List of people by nationality

References