This is a list of famous people from İzmir, Turkey. * Rita Abatzi (1914–1969) – Greek rebetiko singer *

Kayahan Açar Kayahan Açar (29 March 1949 – 3 April 2015) was a Turkish pop music singer-songwriter. He was an accomplished composer, consistently ranking among the best-selling Turkish musicians of all time. Kayahan composed all of his own material and ...

(1949–2015), singer, composer and lyricist * Sezen Aksu – (born 1954), Turkish singer–songwriter,

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

, record producer; born in Sarayköy,

Denizli Denizli is an industrial city in the southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about . Denizli is located in the country's Aegean Region. ...

and raised in central İzmir *

Ekrem Akurgal Ekrem Akurgal (March 30, 1911 – November 1, 2002) was a Turkish archaeologist. During a career that spanned more than fifty years, he conducted definitive research in several sites along the western coast of Anatolia such as Phokaia (Foça), ...

– (1911–2002), Turkish archaeologist born in

Tulkarem Tulkarm, Tulkarem or Tull Keram ( ar, طولكرم, ''Ṭūlkarm'') is a Palestinian city in the West Bank, located in the Tulkarm Governorate of the State of Palestine. The Israeli city of Netanya is to the west, and the Palestinian cities of ...

, explorer of Old Smyrna, Pitane, Phocaea and Erythrai *

Furkan Aldemir Furkan Aldemir (born August 9, 1991) is a Turkish professional basketball player who last played for Darüşşafaka of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the EuroLeague. Standing at , he mainly plays the power forward position, but he c ...

– Turkish basketball player *

Bahadır Alkım Uluğ Bahadır Alkım (February 28, 1915 – May 6, 1981) was a Turkish archaeologist. Uluğ Bahadır Alkım was born in İzmir, then Ottoman Empire on February 28, 1915. After his high school education, he entered the Faculty of Letters at Ista ...

(1915–1981), archaeologist *

George K. Anderson George K. Anderson, is a former Major general (United States), major general in the United States Air Force. Early life Anderson was born in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1964, he graduated from high school in Izmir, Turkey. He later graduated fr ...

– U.S. Air Force general *

Necati Ateş Necati Ateş (; born 3 January 1980) is a retired Turkish professional footballer who played as a forward. Club career Born in İzmir, Ateş made his professional debut with Altay S.K. and Adanaspor, scoring for both at an impressive rate. In ...

– Turkish soccer player * Alexander Balas – ruler of the Greek Seleucid kingdom in 150–146 BC * Édouard Balladur – (born 1929), former

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

Prime Minister *

Halil Berktay Halil Berktay is a Turkish people, Turkish historian at Ibn Haldun University and was columnist for the daily ''Taraf''. Life and career Berktay was born into an intellectual Turkish communist family. His father, Erdogan Berktay, was a member o ...

– (born 1947), Turkish historian *

Haluk Bilginer Nihat Haluk Bilginer (; born 5 June 1954) is a Turkish actor. In addition to his acting career in Turkey, he has also worked in the United Kingdom and remains best known for his role as Mehmet Osman in the television soap opera ''EastEnders'' ...

(born 1954), theater and film actor * Can Bonomo – Turkish singer of

Sephardic Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), ...

Jewish descent; represented Turkey in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 *

Mahir Çağrı I kiss you Mahir tr, I kiss you Mahir , spouse = , relations = , years_active = 1999—present , notable_works = , known_for = Blogging ( romance and personal life) , w ...

– Turkish Internet phenomenon *

Olcay Çakır Olcay Çakır Turgut (born 13 July 1993) is a Turkish basketball player for Fenerbahçe where she played for since 2005 in youth level. Çakır was selected 27th overall in the 2013 WNBA Draft's Round 3 by the New York Liberty. She is so the f ...

– Turkish basketball player *

Demetrios Capetanakis Demetrios Capetanakis or Kapetanakis or Capetanaces ( el, Δημήτριος Καπετανάκης; 22 January 1912 in Smyrna – 9 March 1944 in London) was a Greek poet, essayist, and critic. For the last five years of his life (1939-1944) he l ...

(1912–1944) – Greek poet, essayist and critic *

Anton Christoforidis Anton Christoforidis (; 26 May 1917 – 19 October 1985) was a Greek professional light heavyweight boxer. He won the NBA Light Heavyweight Championship in 1941, making him the first Greek to become a world boxing champion. Early life Chris ...

(1918–1985) – Greek light heavyweight boxer *

Salvator Cicurel Salvator Cicurel (سليلفاتور شيكوريل3; March 1893 – 15 February 1975) was an Egyptian Olympic foil and epee fencer, and later the president of Cairo's Sephardi Jewish Community Council from 1946 until 1957. Personal life C ...

(1893–1975) – Egyptian Olympic fencer and Jewish community leader * Hüsamettin Cindoruk – (born 1933), Turkish politician, former party leader and Speaker of the Parliament *

Mehmet Culum Mehmet Culum (born 1948) is a contemporary Turkish novelist who was born in Çeşme, a town in western Turkey. He studied political sciences at the University of Ankara. Before starting an antique shop in his hometown, Culum worked as an IT c ...

– Turkish novelist born in Çeşme who worked in İzmir as an IT specialist *

Necati Cumalı Necati Cumalı (13 January 1921 – 10 January 2001) was a Turkish writer of novels, short-stories, essays and poetry. He was born in Florina, Greece to a Turkish family and his family had settled in Urla near İzmir in the framework of the 1 ...

– Turkish novelist born in Florina, raised in nearby Urla * Meltem Cumbul – (born 1969), actress * Cybele (1888–1978), Greek actress *

Anestis Delias Anestis Delias ( el, Ανέστης Δελιάς ''c''. 1912 – 31 July 1944) was a Greek bouzouki player, composer and singer of '' rebetiko''. Delias was from a musical family of Smyrna in Anatolia, who arrived on the Greek mainland as a y ...

(1912–1941), Greek bouzouki player, rebetiko composer and singer *

Michel Elefteriades Michel Elefteriades ( ar, ميشال ألفتريادس; el, Μιχαήλ Ελευθεριάδης; born 22 June 1970) is a Greek- Lebanese politician, artist, producer and entrepreneur. He is noted in the Arab world for his unorthodox beliefs ...

– Greek-Lebanese composer, producer, politician, and Emperor of Nowheristan *

Stéphan Elmas Stéphan Elmas ( hy, Ստեփան Էլմաս; 1862 – August 11, 1937) was an Armenians, Armenian composer, pianist and teacher. Life Elmas was born into a family of wealthy entrepreneurs in Smyrna (now İzmir), a city in the Ottoman Empire. I ...

(1862–1937)- Armenian composer and pianist *

Nehir Erdoğan Nehir Erdoğan (born 16 June 1980) is a Turkish actress. She became famous in ''Yabancı Damat'', the first Turkish TV series sold to channels of Greece. She later played in other hit movies and series. With Engin Altan Düzyatan, she played in ...

– (born 1980), actress *

Gül Gölge Gül Gölge (born September 28, 1981 in İzmir, Turkey) is a Turkish TV presenter. She is the well-known for being the former host of the program ''Canlı Canlı'' which aired on Kanal D. She is also a model and actress, having acted in ''Çiçek ...

– (born 1981), TV show host, model and actress * Homer – Greek epic poet * Attilâ İlhan – Turkish poet, novelist, essayist, journalist, and reviewer * İsmet İnönü – (1884–1973), second President of Turkey * Irenaeus (2nd–3rd century) – theologian, bishop of Lugdunum *

Sir Alec Issigonis Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis (18 November 1906 – 2 October 1988) was a British-Greek automotive designer. He designed the Mini, launched by the British Motor Corporation in 1959, and voted the second Car of the Century, most i ...

– (1906–1988), Greek-British car designer whose most famous work is the Mini *

Manolis Kalomiris Manolis Kalomiris ( el, Μανώλης Καλομοίρης; December 14, 1883, Smyrna – April 3, 1962, Athens) was a Greek classical composer. He was the founder of the Greek National School of Music. Biography Born in Smyrna, he attended sch ...

(1883–1962) – Greek composer *

Selâhattin Kantar Ömer Selahattin Kantar (1878 in İzmir, Ottoman Empire – 17 November 1949 in İzmir, Turkey) was a Turkish archaeologist, museum director, journalist and playwright. In 1927, he became the founding director of İzmir Archaeology Museum and ...

– Turkish archaeologist who pioneered Smyrna excavations * Semih Kaplanoğlu (born 1963), film director, screenwriter and filmproducer *

Semih Kaya Semih Kaya (, born 24 February 1991) is a former Turkish professional footballer who played as a centre back, most recently for Galatasaray. On August 12, 2022, he announced on his social media accounts that he was leaving football. Club career ...

– Turkish soccer player *

Erkut Kızılırmak Erkut Kızılırmak (born 14 September 1969) is an auto racing driver from Turkey. He started racing in rallying in 1992 and switched to touring cars in 2002, at the age of 32. In 2005 he won the Turkish Touring Car Championship, in a Vauxhall As ...

(born 1969), author *

Vedat Kokona Vedat Kokona (August 8, 1913 – October 14, 1998) was an Albanian translator, writer and lexicologist of the 20th century, well known for his dual dictionaries English-Albanian and French-Albanian and his contributions in Albanian lexicology a ...

– Albanian writer and translator * Adamantios Korais (1748–1833) – Greek humanist scholar *

Çağla Kubat Çağla Kubat (; born 16 November 1978) is a Turkish actress, model, windsurfer and beauty pageant titleholder. She is member of Fenerbahçe sailing & windsurfing team. She is 5 feet 10 (1.80m) tall. She was born in İzmir. She graduated from ...

– (born 1978), Turkish fashion model *

Alex Manoogian Alexander Manoogian ( hy, Ալեք Մանուկեան; June 28, 1901 – July 10, 1996) was an Armenian-American industrial engineer, businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist who spent most of his career in Detroit, Michigan. He was the foun ...

– Armenian-American industrialist; philanthropist; founder and CEO of MASCO Corporation *

Darío Moreno David Arugete (3 April 1921 – 1 December 1968), commonly known under his stage name Darío Moreno, was a Turkish-Jewish polyglot singer, an accomplished composer, lyricist, and guitarist. He attained fame and made a remarkable career centred ...

–

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

- Jewish singer who made a career in France *

James Justinian Morier James Justinian Morier (15 August 1782 – 19 March 1849) was a British diplomat and author noted for his novels about the Qajar dynasty in Iran, most famously for the ''Hajji Baba'' series. These were filmed in 1954. Early life Morier was bo ...

– (1780–1849), British diplomat, traveler and writer * Magali Noël – (1931–2015), French actress and singer *

Metin Oktay Metin Oktay (2 February 1936 – 13 September 1991) nicknamed the Uncrowned King ( tr, Taçsız Kral) by Galatasaray fans, was a Turkish footballer and one of the most successful goal scorers in Turkey. Early life Metin Oktay was born in Kar ...

– Turkish soccer player * Aristotle Onassis (1906–1975) – Greek tycoon *

Alpay Özalan Fehmi Alpay Özalan (born 29 May 1973) is a Turkish former professional footballer, football manager and politician. He last worked as the manager of Samsunspor. He played 90 international games for Turkey between 1995 and 2005, making him Turk ...

– Turkish soccer player *

Hüsnü Özyeğin Hüsnü Özyeğin (born 1944) is a Turkish billionaire. He founded Finansbank in 1987 and later sold the Turkish division of the bank. Nowadays, his financial investments are managed under Fiba Holding while non-financial investments are managed ...

(born 1944), banker * Onur Özsu – Turkish singer–songwriter,

* Leonidas Paraskevopoulos (1860–1936) – Greek military man and politician *

Ambrosios Pleianthidis Ambrosios Pleiathidis ( el, Αμβρόσιος Πλειανθίδης, 1872–1922) also known as Ambrosios of Moschonisia was the Greek Orthodox metropolitan bishop of Moschonisia, in modern Turkey, from February to September 1922. He was execute ...

, (1872–1922), metropolitan bishop * Polycarp – overseer of a Christian congregation *

Giacomo Pylarini Giacomo Pylarini or Jacobus Pylarinus (Greek: Ιάκωβος Πυλαρινός; 1659–1718) was a Greek physician and consul for the republic of Venice in Smyrna. In 1716 he became the first person to have an account of the practice of inoculati ...

– gave the first smallpox inoculation outside of Turkey * Ahmed Adnan Saygun – Turkish composer, musician and writer * Giorgos Seferis (1900–1971) – Greek poet;

Nobel Nobel often refers to: *Nobel Prize, awarded annually since 1901, from the bequest of Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel Nobel may also refer to: Companies *AkzoNobel, the result of the merger between Akzo and Nobel Industries in 1994 *Branobel, or ...

laureate; born in nearby Urla *

Quintus Smyrnaeus Quintus Smyrnaeus (also Quintus of Smyrna; el, Κόϊντος Σμυρναῖος, ''Kointos Smyrnaios'') was a Greek epic poet whose ''Posthomerica'', following "after Homer", continues the narration of the Trojan War. The dates of Quintus Smy ...

– Greek epic poet * Yavuz Tatış – (born 1947), private collector *

Yıldız Tilbe Yıldız Tilbe (born 16 July 1966) is a Turkish singer of Kurdish descent and one of the best-selling musical artists in Turkey, known especially for her eastern-infused ballads. Life and career Yıldız Tilbe was born in the Gültepe district o ...

– (born 1966), musician and pop singer * Tryfon Tzanetis (1918–2001) – Greek footballer and coach *

Bilge Umar Bilge Umar (born 1936) is a Turkish writer, researcher and jurist born in Karşıyaka, İzmir, Turkey. He did his studies in Istanbul University Law School, where he also worked, after graduation in 1958, as an assistant and received his docto ...

– Turkish jurist and writer *

Latife Uşşaki Latife is a Turkish feminine given name derived from the name Latifa. Notable people with the name include: * Latife Tekin (born 1957), Turkish writer * Latife Uşaki (1898–1975), wife of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk {{given name Turkish feminin ...

(1898–1976), wife of

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, or Mustafa Kemal Pasha until 1921, and Ghazi Mustafa Kemal from 1921 Surname Law (Turkey), until 1934 ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish Mareşal (Turkey), field marshal, Turkish National Movement, re ...

* Birsel Vardarlı – Turkish basketball player * Sabbatai Zevi – (1626–1676), self-proclaimed messiah and founder of the community of Sabbateans

References

{{reflist Izmir