# List of Bulgarians

This is a list of famous or notable Bulgarians throughout history.

## Bulgarian monarchs

* Kubrat
* Batbayan
* Asparukh of Bulgaria
* Tervel of Bulgaria
* Kormesiy of Bulgaria
* Sevar of Bulgaria
* Kormisosh of Bulgaria
* Vinekh of Bulgaria
* Telets of Bulgaria
* Sabin of Bulgaria
* Umor of Bulgaria
* Toktu of Bulgaria
* Pagan of Bulgaria
* Telerig of Bulgaria
* Kardam of Bulgaria
* Krum of Bulgaria
* Omurtag of Bulgaria
* Malamir of Bulgaria
* Presian of Bulgaria
* Boris I Michael
* Simeon the Great
* Peter I of Bulgaria
* Boris II of Bulgaria
* Roman of Bulgaria
* Samuil of Bulgaria
* Gavril Radomir of Bulgaria
* Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria
* Presian II of Bulgaria
* Peter (II) Delyan of Bulgaria
* Constantin Bodin (Peter (III))
* Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria
* Peter IV of Bulgaria
* Kaloyan of Bulgaria
* Boril of Bulgaria
* Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria
* Kaliman I of Bulgaria
* Michael Asen I of Bulgaria
* Kaliman II of Bulgaria
* Mitso Asen of Bulgaria
* Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria
* Michael Asen II of Bulgaria
* Ivaylo of Bulgaria
* Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria
* George I of Bulgaria
* Smilets of Bulgaria
* Chaka of Bulgaria
* Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria
* George II of Bulgaria
* Michael III Shishman of Bulgaria
* Ivan Stephen of Bulgaria
* Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria
* Ivan Shishman of Bulgaria
* Ivan Sratsimir of Bulgaria
* Constantine II of Bulgaria
* Alexander I of Bulgaria
* Ferdinand I of Bulgaria
* Boris III of Bulgaria
* Simeon II of Bulgaria

## Performing arts
### Directors

* Stephen C. Apostolof
* Christo Christov
* Slatan Dudow
* Georgi Djulgerov
* Tonislav Hristov
* Lyudmil Kirkov
* Nikola Korabov
* Nikola Kovachev
* Vulo Radev
* Petar B. Vasilev
* Binka Zhelyazkova

### Actors

    See also List of Bulgarian actors
* Zahari Baharov
* Maria Bakalova
* George Baker
* Nikolay Binev
* Radina Borshosh
* Stefan Danailov
* Nina Dobrev
* Yana Marinova
* Itzhak Fintzi
* Georgi Georgiev
* Georgi Georgiev-Getz
* Kiril Gospodinov
* Stanislav Ianevski
* Gloria Ivanova
* Georgi Kaloyanchev
* Apostol Karamitev
* Nevena Kokanova
* Todor Kolev
* Victoria Koleva
* Julian Kostov
* Marius Kurkinski
* Moni Moshonov (born 1951), Bulgarian-born Israeli actor and comedian
* Stoyanka Mutafova
* Lyubomir Neikov
* Georgi Partsalev
* Katya Paskaleva
* Bashar Rahal
* Hristo Shopov
* Naum Shopov
* Petar Slabakov
* Kosta Tsonev
* Grigor Vachkov

### Models

* Silvia Dimitrova
* Nina Dobrev
* Nansi Karaboycheva
* Yana Marinova
* Diliana Popova

### Dancers

* Asen Gavrilov

## Journalists

* Oggy Boytchev
* Nikolay Kolev - Michmana
* Elena Yoncheva

## Television

* Todor Kolev
* Niki Kunchev
* Milen Tsvetkov
* Aleksandra Sarchadjieva
* Slavi Trifonov
* Ralitsa Vassileva

## Literature
### Authors

* Elisaveta Bagryana
* Petar Beron
* Ran Bosilek
* Assen Bossev
* Hristo Botev
* Elias Canetti
* Dobri Chintulov
* Chudomir
* Clement of Ohrid
* Constantine of Preslav
* Atanas Dalchev
* Dimcho Debelyanov
* Alexenia Dimitrova
* Dimitar Dimov
* Vasil Drumev
* Petya Dubarova
* John Exarch
* Dora Gabe
* Nikolai Haitov
* Paisiy Hilendarski
* Chernorizetz Hrabar
* Nikolai Hristozov
* Angel Karaliychev
* Lyuben Karavelov
* Stefan Kisyov
* Aleko Konstantinov
* Miladinov Brothers
* Aleksandra Monedzhikova
* Grigor Parlichev
* Elin Pelin
* Ivailo Petrov
* Valeri Petrov
* Julian Popov
* Maria Popova
* Yordan Radichkov
* Radoy Ralin
* Kuzman Shapkarev
* Pencho Slaveykov
* Petko Slaveykov
* Hristo Smirnenski
* Emiliyan Stanev
* Zahari Stoyanov
* Anton Strashimirov
* Stanislav Stratiev
* Edvin Sugarev
* Dimitar Talev
* Tzvetan Todorov
* Stefan Tzanev
* Nikola Vaptsarov
* Ivan Vazov
* Pavel Vezhinov
* Vladislav the Grammarian
* Dobri Voinikov
* Sofronii Vrachanski
* Peyo Yavorov
* Nedyalko Yordanov
* Yordan Yovkov

## Music
### Composers

    See also List of Bulgarian composers
* Nikola Atanasov
* Victor Chuchkov
* Alexandra Fol
* Marin Goleminov
* Michail Goleminov
* Dobri Hristov
* Nikolay Kaufman
* Nikolo Kotzev
* Petar Krumov
* John Kukuzelis
* Filip Kutev
* Kiril Lambov
* Milcho Leviev
* Emanuil Manolov
* Georgi Minchev
* Dimitar Nenov
* Ivo Papasov
* Albena Petrovic-Vratchanska
* Stefan Popov
* Anna-Maria Ravnopolska-Dean
* Petko Stainov
* Dobrinka Tabakova
* Ralitsa Tcholakova
* Georgi Tutev
* Stefan Valdobrev
* Pancho Vladigerov

### Singers and musicians

    See also List of Bulgarian musicians and singers
* 100 Kila
* Alexis Weissenberg
* Andrea
* Angela Tosheva
* Azis
* Boris Christoff
* Christina Morfova
* Desi Slava
* Elena Nicolai
* Elitsa Todorova
* Emil Dimitrov
* Filipp Kirkorov
* Gena Dimitrova
* Georgi Minchev
* Gery-Nikol
* Gloria
* Ivan Yanakov (pianist)
* Ivanka Ninova
* Ivo Papasov
* Kiril Marichkov
* Kamen Tchanev
* Lili Ivanova
* Ljuba Welitsch
* Ludmilla Diakovska
* Marius Kurkinski
* Mira Aroyo
* Nayden Todorov
* Neva Krysteva
* Nicolai Ghiaurov
* Nikola Giuzelev
* Petia (singer)
* Poli Genova
* Raina Kabaivanska
* Ralitsa Tcholakova
* Slavi Trifonov
* Spens
* Stefan Valdobrev
* Svetla Protich
* Sylvie Vartan
* Theodosii Spassov
* Triphon Silyanovski
* Valya Balkanska
* Vassil Naidenov
* Vesselina Kasarova
* Yildiz Ibrahimova
* Yoan Kukuzel

## Visual arts
### Architects

* Victoria Angelova
* Milka Bliznakov
* Kolyu Ficheto
* Georgi Fingov
* Naum Torbov

### Painters

* Angel Metodiev
* Bencho Obreshkov
* Boris Georgiev
* Christo Yavashev – Christo
* Chudomir
* Dechko Uzunov
* Dimitre Mehandjiysky
* Ekaterina Savova-Nenova
* George Papazov
* Hristofor Zhefarovich
* Ilia Beshkov
* Ivan Markvichka
* Ivan Nenov
* Ivan Vukadinov
* Jules Pascin
* Keratza Vissulceva
* Konstantin Shtarkelov
* Nikola Avramov
* Nikola Marinov
* Radi Nedelchev
* Silvia Dimitrova
* Vladimir Dimitrov - Maistora
* Yaroslav Veshin
* Yanko Tihov
* Zahariy Zograf
* Zlatyu Boyadzhiev

### Sculptors

* Ivan Minekov
* Christo
* Todor Todorov
* Vezhdi Rashidov

### Others

* Annie Ivanova, arts curator
* Christo Vladimirov Javacheff, along with Jeanne-Claude
* Peter Lazarov, graphic artist
* Alex Maleev, cartoonist
* Toma Tomov, graphic artist

## Business

* Delyan Peevski
* Emil Kyulev
* Georgi Naydenov
* Iliya Pavlov
* Kroum Pindoff
* Tihomir Kamenov

## State
### Politicians

* Georgi Atanasov
* Prince Alexander of Battenberg
* Nikola Mushanov
* Boyko Borisov
* Todor Burmov
* Teodor Teodorov
* Filip Dimitrov
* Georgi Dimitrov
* Konstantin Dimitrov
* Simeon Djankov
* Kimon Georgiev
* Reneta Indzhova
* Vasil Kolarov
* Ivan Kostov
* Andrey Lukanov
* Nadezhda Mihailova
* Georgi Parvanov
* Solomon Pasi
* Krasimir Premyanov
* Rumen Radev
* Vasil Radoslavov
* Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
* Aleksandar Stamboliyski
* Stefan Stambolov
* Aleksandar Malinov
* Petar Stoyanov
* Andrey Lyapchev
* Zhan Videnov
* Zhelyu Zhelev
* Todor Zhivkov

### Revolutionaries

* Todor Aleksandrov
* Georgi Benkovski
* Dame Gruev
* Gotse Delchev
* Tsanko Dyustabanov
* Hadzhi Dimitar
* Ilarion Dragostinov
* Panayot Hitov
* Todor Kableshkov
* Stefan Karadzha
* Lyuben Karavelov
* Nikola Karev
* Asen Kojarov
* Vasil Levski
* Ivan Mihailov
* Georgi Obretenov
* Nikola Obretenov
* Tonka Obretenova
* Gjorche Petrov
* Kosta Shahov
* Yane Sandanski
* Boris Sarafov
* Georgi Sava Rakovski
* Hristo Tatarchev
* Filip Totyu
* Panayot Volov
* Stoyan Zaimov
* Hristo Botev
* Mara Buneva

### Voivodes

* Angel
* Apostol Petkov
* Chavdar
* Ilyo
* Indzhe
* Karposh
* Manush
* Kapitan Petko Voyvoda

## Academics

* Stephan Angeloff, microbiologist
* Krassimir Atanassov, mathematician
* Angel Balevski, inventor
* Petar Beron, educator
* Veselin Beshevliev, classicist
* Georgi Bliznakoff, chemist
* Kiril Bratanov, biologist
* Ljubomir Chakaloff, mathematician
* George Chaldakov, vascular biologist
* Stamen Grigorov, physician
* Asen Hadjiolov, biologist
* Anastas Ishirkov, human geographer
* Christo Ivanov, organic chemist
* Assen Jordanoff, airplane constructor
* Rostislaw Kaischew, physical chemist
* Ludmil Katzarkov, mathematician
* Georgi Kitov, archaeologist
* Boicho Kokinov, cognitive scientist
* Boris Komitov, astronomer
* Mimoza Konteva, geographer
* Georgi Lozanov, psychologist
* Georgi Manev, physicist
* Stefan Marinov, dissident physicist
* Marco Mincoff, literary scholar
* Nikola Mollov, organic chemist
* Georgi Nadjakov, physicist, discovered the external photoeffect
* Nikola Obreshkov, mathematician
* Dimiter Orahovats, physiologist
* Dimitar Paskov, pharmacist and chemist
* Angel Penchev, neurologist
* Peter Petroff, prolific inventor
* Ivan Atanassov Petrov, neurologist
* Stefka Petrova, nutritionist
* Dimitar Sasselov, astrophysicist
* Blagovest Sendov, mathematician
* Ivan Stranski, physical chemist, proposed the mechanism of Stranski-Krastanov growth
* Elka Todorova, social psychologist
* Venelin Tsachevsky, economist
* Evgeny Vatev, physicist, inventor
* Asen Zlatarov, chemist
* Vasil Zlatarski, historian
* Dimitar Kalev, humanities scholar, oncologist, poet

### Economists

* Stoyan Alexandrov
* Lyuben Berov
* Martin Dimitrov
* Simeon Djankov
* Kristalina Georgieva
* Nikolay Nenovsky
* Antoaneta Vassileva

### Philosophers

* Peter Deunov
* Julia Kristeva
* Isaac Passy
* Tzvetan Todorov
* Maria Todorova

## Sports
### Athletics

* Rostislav Dimitrov, triple jumper
* Yordanka Donkova, world record holder and one world title in hurdling (1988)
* Stefka Kostadinova, world record holder and two world titles in high jump (1987, 1995)
* Tereza Marinova, triple jumper
* Khristo Markov, 1988 Olympic triple jump champion
* Petya Pendareva, sprinter
* Iva Prandzheva, long jumper and triple jumper

### Boxing

* Georgi Kostadinov, boxer, won the Olympic Flyweight gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games for Bulgaria
* Daisy Lang, boxer, world champion in three different weight categories
* Ivailo Marinov, boxer, won the Olympic Flyweight gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, among others
* Kubrat Pulev, boxer
* Tervel Pulev, boxer
* Svilen Rusinov, boxer
* Dimitar Shtilianov, boxer
* Serafim Todorov, boxer, won the Olympic Featherweight Silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games

### Chess

* Ivan Cheparinov, chess player
* Antoaneta Stefanova, Women's World Chess Champion (2004)
* Silvio Danailov, chess player and manager
* Veselin Topalov, World Chess Champion (2005)

### Volleyball

* Aleksandra Delcheva
* Strashimira Filipova
* Lyubomir Ganev
* Evgeni Ivanov
* Matey Kaziyski
* Plamen Konstantinov
* Nikolay Nikolov
* Vladimir Nikolov
* Teodor Salparov
* Martin Stoev
* Hristo Tsvetanov
* Eva Yaneva
* Boyan Yordanov
* Ivan Zarev
* Antonina Zetova
* Andrey Zhekov
* Dimitar Zlatanov

### Football

* Georgi Asparuhov
* Krassimir Balakov
* Dimitar Berbatov
* Hristo Bonev
* Dinko Dermendzhiev
* Petar Houbchev
* Trifon Ivanov
* Ivan Kolev
* Emil Kostadinov
* Nikola Kotkov
* Yordan Letchkov
* Stanislav Manolev
* Borislav Mihaylov
* Dimitar Penev
* Luboslav Penev
* Martin Petrov
* Stiliyan Petrov
* Svetoslav Savatov
* Aleksandar Shalamanov
* Nasko Sirakov
* Hristo Stoichkov
* Darin Todorov
* Emil Urumov
* Dimitar Yakimov
* Zlatko Yankov
* Petar Zhekov
* Andrey Zhelyazkov

### Tennis

* Grigor Dimitrov
* Katerina Maleeva
* Magdalena Maleeva
* Manuela Maleeva
* Tsvetana Pironkova

### Other sports

* Blagoy Blagoev, silver medalist in Olympic Games (1980) and all-time senior world record holder in snatch (195.5 kg, competing at 90 kg)
* Nikolay Bukhalov, two Olympic and five world titles in canoeing
* Albena Denkova, World Figure Skating Champion in ice dancing (pairs) (2006, 2007)
* Vasil Etropolski (born 1959), Olympic and world champion sabre fencer
* Georgi Georgiev, two world titles in Sambo (2003, 2006)
* Maria Gigova, three rhythmic gymnastics world titles (1969, 1971, 1973), Guinness World Records
* Mariya Grozdeva, sport shooter
* Ivan Ivanov, Olympic weightlifter
* Tanyu Kiryakov, pistol shooter
* Dan Kolov, wrestler
* Kaloyan Mahlyanov (Kotooshu), sumo wrestler
* Maria Petrova, three rhythmic gymnastics world titles (1993, 1994, 1995), Guinness World Records
* Hristo Prodanov, mountaineer
* Evgeniya Radanova, speed skater and racing cyclist
* Neshka Robeva, rhythmic gymnast
* Alexander Rusev, wrestler, rower and powerlifter
* Valentin Yordanov, two Olympic, seven world and seven European titles in wrestling
* Yordan Yovchev, world champion and six-time Olympic gymnast

## Theology

* Antim I
* Evtimiy of Tarnovo
* Vladislav the Grammarian
* Peter Deunov (Master Beinsa Douno), founder of the Universal White Brotherhood

## Cuisine

* Silvena Rowe
* Kiradjieff brothers
* Ivan Zvezdev

## Criminals

* Borislav Georgiev
* Emil Kyulev
* Georgi Iliev
* Georgi Stoev
* Iliya Pavlov
* Konstantin "Samokovetsa" Dimitrov
* Vasil Iliev
* Delyan Peevski

## Gallery

* Saint Clement of Ohrid (840–916), often associated as the creator of the Cyrillic script
* Saint Ivan of Rila (876–946), the patron saint of the Bulgarian people
* Tsar Ivan-Asen II (1191–1241), led the Second Bulgarian Empire to its largest territorial extent
* Saint John Kukuzel (1280–1360), composer, singer and reformer of the Orthodox Church music, known as the "Angel-voiced"
* Panayot Hitov (1830–1918), revolutionary, hajduk and voivode, national hero of Bulgaria
* Stefan Karadzha (1840–1868), revolutionary, voivode, national hero of Bulgaria
* Vasil Levski (1837–1873), revolutionary and national hero of Bulgaria
* Hristo Botev (1848–1876), revolutionary and poet, national hero of Bulgaria
* Georgi Benkovski (1843–1876), revolutionary and national hero of Bulgaria
* Panayot Volov (1850–1876), revolutionary and national hero of Bulgaria
* Todor Kableshkov (1851–1876), revolutionary and national hero of Bulgaria
* Aleko Konstantinov (1863–1897), writer created one of the most popular Bulgarian works
* Metropolitan Nathanael Ohridski (1820–1906), revolutionary and organizer of the Kresna-Razlog Uprising
* Gotse Delchev (1872–1903), revolutionary and leader of the Bulgarian Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Committees
* Ivan Vazov (1850–1921), considered as the best Bulgarian author of all time
* Todor Aleksandrov (1881–1924), revolutionary and leader of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, national hero of Bulgaria
* Vladimir Vazov (1868–1945), general and war hero
* Elin Pelin (1877–1949), considered as the best Bulgarian narrator
* John Atanasoff (1903–1995), Bulgarian-American physicist, inventor of the computer
* Christo (left), wrapper of the Reichstag in Berlin, the Pont-Neuf bridge in Paris, the artwork called Running Fence in Sonoma and Marin counties in California and The Gates in New York City's Central Park
* Kaloyan Mahlyanov, the only European sumo wrestler who is winner of the Emperor's Cup
* Hristo Stoichkov, football player, 1994 FIFA World Cup top scorer and winner of the Golden Shoe and the Golden Ball
* Veselin Topalov, 2005–2006 World Chess Champion
* Dimitar Berbatov, football player
* Ivet Lalova, 12th-fastest woman in the history of the 100 metres
* Dilma Rousseff, Bulgarian-Brazilian politician and former President of Brazil
* Nina Dobrev, Bulgarian-American actress