 | | Caitlin Wachs | Actor | Chloe Waters on Profiler | 1989 | |
 | | John Francis Wade | Hymn Writer | Adeste Fideles | 1711 | 1786 |
| | | Honus Wagner | Baseball | Pittsburgh shortstop | 1874 | 1955 |
 | | Richard Wagner | Composer | Ride of the Valkyries | 1813 | 1883 |
| | | Robert F. Wagner | Politician | U.S. Senator | 1877 | 1953 |
| | | Siegfried Wagner | Composer | Son of Richard Wagner - Grandson of Franz Liszt | 1869 | 1930 |
| | | Porter Wagoner | Country Musician | The Thin Man from West Plains | 1927 | 2007 |
| | | Donnie Wahlberg | Singer | New Kids on the Block | 1969 | |
| | | Mark Wahlberg | Actor | Formerly of the Funky Bunch | 1971 | |
| | | Loudon Wainwright III | Singer/Songwriter | Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road) | 1946 | |
| | | Andy Waits | Radio Personality | Westwood One Radio Network On Air Personality | 1962 | |
| | | Tom Waits | Musician | Heartattack and Vine | 1949 | |
 | | Kurt Waldheim | Government | UN Secretary General, 1972-82 | 1918 | 2007 |
 | | Emile Waldteufel | Composer | Ice Skaters waltz | 1837 | 1915 |
 | | Lech Walesa | Head of State | Polish labor leader, president | 1943 | |
| | | Arthur Waley | Author | English Orientalist and Sinologist | 1889 | 1966 |
| | | Christopher Walken | Actor | | 1943 | |
| | | Alice Walker | Author | The Color Purple | 1944 | |
| | | Ally Walker | Actor | Dr. Sam Waters on Profiler | 1961 | |
| | | Cindy Walker | Singer/Songwriter | You Don't Know Me | 1918 | 2006 |
| | | Edward Walker | Inventor | Invented the lava lamp | 1918 | 2000 |
| | | Margaret Walker | Author | | 1915 | 1998 |
| | | Mary Edwards Walker | Doctor | 1st Female U.S. Army Surgeon | 1832 | 1919 |
| | | Mort Walker | Cartoonist | Beetle Bailey | 1923 | |
| | | Nancy Walker | Actor | | 1922 | 1992 |
| | | T-Bone Walker | Guitarist | | 1910 | 1975 |
| | | DeWitt Wallace | Author | Founder of Reader's Digest | 1889 | 1981 |
| | | Edgar Wallace | Journalist | | 1875 | 1932 |
| | | George Wallace | Politician | Governor of Alabama | 1919 | 1998 |
| | | Ian Wallace | Drummer | Ex-Crimson and active session drummer | 1946 | 2007 |
| | | Lew Wallace | Military | | 1827 | 1905 |
| | | Marcia Wallace | Actor | The Simpsons | 1942 | |
| | | Eli Wallach | Actor | The Magnificent Seven | 1915 | |
 | | Raoul Wallenberg | Activist | Worked to save Hungarian Jews | 1912 | 1947 |
| | | Karl Wallenda | Daredevil | The Flying Wallendas | 1905 | 1978 |
| | | Edmund Waller | Poet | | 1606 | 1687 |
| | | Fats Waller | Pianist | | 1904 | 1943 |
| | | Gordon Waller | Musician | | 1945 | |
| | | Deborah Walley | Actor | Gidget Goes Hawaiian | 1943 | 2001 |
| | | Horace Walpole | Author | Wrote the first Gothic novel | 1717 | 1797 |
| | | Hugh Walpole | Novelist | English novelist | 1884 | 1941 |
| | | Bill Walsh | Football | 49ers Head Coach, 1979-88 | 1931 | 2007 |
| | | Kate Walsh | Actor | Dr. Montgomery on Grey's Anatomy | 1967 | |
| | | Ray Walston | Actor | My Favorite Martian | 1914 | 2001 |
| | | Bruno Walter | Conductor | New York Philharmonic | 1876 | 1962 |
| | | Barbara Walters | Journalist | 20/20 | 1929 | |
| | | Henry B. Walthall | Actor | The Birth of a Nation | 1878 | 1936 |
| | | Johann Gottfried Walther | Composer | Cousin of Johann Sebastian Bach | 1684 | 1748 |
| | | Bill Walton | Basketball | NBA Most Valuable Player for 1978 | 1951 | |
| | | Helen Robson Walton | Relative | Sam Walton's widow | 1919 | 2007 |
| | | Izaak Walton | Author | The Compleat Angler | 1593 | 1683 |
| | | Sam Walton | Business | Founded Wal-Mart | 1918 | 1992 |
| | | William Walton | Composer | Facade | 1905 | 1983 |
| | | John Wanamaker | Business | Father of modern advertising. | 1838 | 1922 |
 | | An Wang | Engineer | | 1920 | 1990 |
| | | Felix Wankel | Inventor | Inventor of the Wankel rotary engine | 1902 | 1988 |
| | | William Warburton | Religion | Divine Legation | 1698 | 1779 |
| | | Artemus Ward | Columnist | Humorist | 1834 | 1867 |
| | | Geoffrey Ward | Screenwriter | | 1940 | |
| | | Robert Ward | Composer | The Crucible | 1917 | |
| | | Samuel Augustus Ward | Composer | Materna, used for "America the Beautiful" | 1847 | 1903 |
| | | William A. Ward | Author | Fountains of Faith | 1921 | 1994 |
| | | Jack Warden | Actor | 12 Angry Men | 1920 | 2006 |
| | | Lancelot Ware | Business | Co-founder of Mensa | 1915 | 2000 |
| | | William Warham | Religion | Archbishop of Canterbury, 1504-32 | 1450 | 1532 |
| | | Andy Warhol | Artist | Outrageously successful pop artist. | 1928 | 1987 |
| | | Fred Waring | Conductor | Innovative bandleader and musician | 1900 | 1984 |
| | | Peter Warlock | Composer | Capriol Suite | 1894 | 1930 |
| | | Cy Warman | Songwriter | Sweet Marie | 1855 | 1914 |
| | | Charles Dudley Warner | Author | Harper's editorialist | 1829 | 1900 |
| |  | Jack Warner | Film/TV Producer | Co-Founder, Warner Bros. | 1892 | 1978 |
| | | Malcolm-Jamal Warner | Actor | Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show | 1970 | |
| | | Diane Warren | Songwriter | Because You Loved Me | 1956 | |
| | | Earl Warren | Judge | US Supreme Court Justice | 1891 | 1974 |
| | | Harry Warren | Songwriter | Chattanooga Choo Choo | 1893 | 1981 |
| | | Lesley Ann Warren | Actor | Tina on Will & Grace | 1946 | |
| | | Robert Penn Warren | Novelist | | 1905 | 1989 |
| | | Ruth Warrick | Actor | | 1915 | 2005 |
| | | Dee Dee Warwick | Singer | Influential but obscure soul singer | 1945 | 2008 |
| | | Dionne Warwick | Singer | Walk On By | 1940 | |
| | | Booker T. Washington | Author | | 1856 | 1915 |
| | | Denzel Washington | Actor | Training Day | 1954 | |
| | | Dinah Washington | Singer | Queen of the Blues | 1924 | 1963 |
| | | George Washington | President | First US President, 1789-97 | 1732 | 1799 |
| | | Martha Washington | First Lady | Wife of US President George Washington | 1731 | 1802 |
| | | Ned Washington | Songwriter | When You Wish Upon A Star" | 1901 | 1976 |
| | | Ethel Waters | Singer | Sweet Mama Stringbean | 1896 | 1977 |
| | | John Waters | Film Director | | 1946 | |
| | | Muddy Waters | Musician | Hoochie Coochie Man | 1915 | 1983 |
| | | Roger Waters | Musician | Pink Floyd | 1943 | |
| | | James Watkins | Government | US Secretary of Energy 1989-93 | 1927 | |
| | | Sara Watkins | Country Musician | Fiddle Player for Nickel Creek | 1981 | |
| | | Thomas Watson Jr. | Business | CEO of IBM, 1956-71 | 1914 | 1993 |
| | | Emily Watson | Actor | Angela's Ashes | 1967 | |
| | | Emma Watson | Actor | Hermione in the Harry Potter films | 1990 | |
| | | James Watson | Scientist | Co-discoverer of DNA | 1928 | |
| | | Thomas J. Watson | Business | Founder of IBM | 1874 | 1956 |
| | | Tom Watson | Golf | Three-time Vardon Trophy winner | 1949 | |
| | | James Watt | Inventor | Invented modern steam engine | 1736 | 1819 |
| | | Bill Watterson | Cartoonist | Calvin and Hobbes | 1958 | |
| | | Alan Watts | Philosopher | Zen beat counterculture sage | 1915 | 1973 |
| | | André Watts | Pianist | Professor at the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana | 1946 | |
| | | Charlie Watts | Drummer | | 1941 | |
| | | Isaac Watts | Hymn Writer | Father of English Hymnody | 1674 | 1748 |
 | | Naomi Watts | Actor | The Ring | 1968 | |
| | | Evelyn Waugh | Novelist | Brideshead Revisited | 1903 | 1966 |
| | | Franz Waxman | Composer | Carmen Fantasie for violin and orchestra | 1906 | 1967 |
| | | Damon Wayans | Actor | My Wife and Kids | 1960 | |
| | | Carl Wayne | Musician | Lead vocalist of The Move | 1943 | 2004 |
| | | Carol Wayne | Actor | Art Fern's Tea-Time Movie Lady | 1942 | 1985 |
| | | David Wayne | Actor | The Andromeda Strain | 1914 | 1995 |
| | | John Wayne | Actor | The Duke | 1907 | 1979 |
| | | Frederick Weatherly | Songwriter | Danny Boy | 1848 | 1929 |
| | | Carl Weathers | Actor | Action Jackson | 1948 | |
| | | Dennis Weaver | Actor | | 1924 | 2006 |
| | | Sigourney Weaver | Actor | Alien | 1949 | |
| | | Beatrice Webb | Economist | Co-operative movement | 1858 | 1943 |
| | | Chick Webb | Musician | | 1905 | 1939 |
| | | Clifton Webb | Actor | Laura | 1889 | 1966 |
| | | Jack Webb | Actor | Joe Friday in Dragnet | 1920 | 1982 |
| | | Jimmy Webb | Songwriter | Up, Up, and Away! | 1946 | |
| | | Mary Webb | Novelist | | 1881 | 1927 |
| | | Richard Webb | Actor | Captain Midnight | 1915 | 1993 |
| | | Veronica Webb | Model | Revlon spokeswoman | 1965 | |
| | | Carl Maria von Weber | Composer | Oberon | 1786 | 1826 |
| | | Anton Webern | Composer | Atonal composer | 1883 | 1945 |
| | | Daniel Webster | Politician | US Senator and Secretary of State | 1782 | 1852 |
| | | John Webster | Playwright | The White Devil | 1578 | 1634 |
| | | Noah Webster | Lexicographer | Webster's Dictionary | 1758 | 1843 |
| | | Paul Francis Webster | Songwriter | The Shadow of Your Smile | 1907 | 1984 |
| | | Thomas Weelkes | Composer | English composer and organist | 1576 | 1623 |
| | | Ted Weems | Musician | The Man from the South. | 1901 | 1963 |
 | | Gaspar van Weerbeke | Composer | | 1445 | 1516 |
| | | Alfred Wegener | Scientist | Continental Drift | 1880 | 1930 |
| | | Karl Weigl | Composer | Austrian composer | 1949 | 1949 |
| | | Andre Weil | Mathematician | Foundational work in number theory and algebraic g | 1906 | 1998 |
| | | Cynthia Weil | Songwriter | On Broadway | 1940 | |
| | | Simone Weil | Philosopher | The Iliad, or the Poem of Force | 1909 | 1943 |
| | | Kurt Weill | Composer | The Threepenny Opera | 1900 | 1950 |
| | | Mieczysław Weinberg | Composer | Soviet composer of Polish-Jewish origin | 1919 | 1996 |
| | | Steven Weinberg | Physicist | Electroweak Theory | 1933 | |
| | | Caspar Weinberger | Government | 15th Secretary of Defense | 1917 | 2006 |
| |  | Jaromir Weinberger | Composer | Schwanda the Bagpiper | 1896 | 1967 |
| | | Bob Weir | Guitarist | Grateful Dead | 1947 | |
| | | Judith Weir | Composer | | 1954 | |
| |  | Hugo Weisgall | Composer | American composer | 1912 | 1997 |
| | | George David Weiss | Songwriter | | 1921 | |
| | | Silvius Leopold Weiss | Composer | German composer and lutenist. | 1687 | 1750 |
| | | Brian Welch | Guitarist | | 1970 | |
| | | Gillian Welch | Country Musician | Country singer-songwriter | 1967 | |
| | | Lew Welch | Poet | Beat generation of poets | 1926 | 1971 |
| | | Raquel Welch | Actor | Cocktail waitress turned 60s sexpot | 1940 | |
| | | Tuesday Weld | Actor | Looking for Mr. Goodbar | 1943 | |
 | | Roy Welensky | Head of State | Rhodesian Prime Minister, 1956–63 | 1907 | 1991 |
| | | Lawrence Welk | Musician | TV champagne music host | 1903 | 1992 |
| | | Thomas H. Weller | Scientist | Cultured the polio virus | 1915 | 2008 |
| | | Orson Welles | Actor | Citizen Kane | 1915 | 1985 |
| | | Arthur Wellesley | Head of State | | 1769 | 1852 |
| | | Egon Wellesz | Composer | First pupil of Arnold Schoenberg | 1885 | 1974 |
| | | H. G. Wells | Author | The War of the Worlds | 1866 | 1946 |
| | | Kitty Wells | Country Musician | First Queen of Country Music | 1919 | |
| | | Eudora Welty | Author | The Optimist's Daughter | 1909 | 2001 |
| | | Wim Wenders | Film Director | Wings of Desire | 1945 | |
| | | Pete Wendling | Composer | | 1888 | 1974 |
| | | George Wendt | Actor | Norm on Cheers | 1948 | |
| | | Jann Wenner | Business | Publisher of Rolling Stone magazine | 1946 | |
| | | Percy Wenrich | Composer | When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Big Red Rose | 1880 | 1952 |
| | | Franz Werfel | Novelist | The Song of Bernadette | 1890 | 1945 |
| | | Oskar Werner | Actor | The Spy Who Came in from the Cold | 1922 | 1984 |
 | | Lina Wertmüller | Film Director | The Seduction of Mim | 1928 | |
| | | Charles Wesley | Hymn Writer | Hark! the Herald Angels Sing | 1707 | 1788 |
| | | John Wesley | Religion | Founder of Methodism | 1703 | 1791 |
| | | Samuel Wesley | Composer | English organist and composer | 1766 | 1837 |
| | | Samuel Sebastian Wesley | Composer | Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace | 1810 | 1876 |
| | | Horst Wessel | Activist | Nazi martyr | 1907 | 1930 |
| | | Adam West | Actor | Batman TV series | 1928 | |
| | | Dorothy West | Novelist | The Wedding | 1907 | 1998 |
| | | Dottie West | Country Musician | Miss Country Sunshine | 1932 | 1991 |
| | | Jessamyn West | Author | The Friendly Persuasion | 1902 | 1984 |
| | | Mae West | Actor | Go West Young Man | 1892 | 1980 |
| | | Rebecca West | Author | Reporter on the Nuremburg Trials | 1892 | 1983 |
| | | Paul Westerberg | Musician | The Replacements | 1959 | |
| | | Ruth Westheimer | Talk Show Host | | 1928 | |
| | | William Westmoreland | Military | U.S. Army General | 1914 | 2005 |
| | | Jack Weston | Actor | Wait Until Dark | 1924 | 1996 |
| | | Randy Weston | Composer | | 1926 | |
| | | Wes Westrum | Baseball | Second manager of the New York Mets | 1922 | 2002 |
| | | John Wetton | Bassist | | 1949 | |
| | | Jerry Wexler | Music Producer | Music journalist turned music producer | 1917 | 2008 |
| | | Tina Weymouth | Bassist | Talking Heads | 1950 | |
| | | Joanne Whalley | Actor | The Singing Detective | 1964 | |
| | | Edith Wharton | Novelist | The Age of Innocence | 1862 | 1937 |
| | | Richard Whately | Religion | Anglican Archbishop of Dublin. | 1787 | 1863 |
| | | Joss Whedon | Film/TV Producer | Creator of Buffy, Angel, and Firefly | 1964 | |
| | | John Archibald Wheeler | Physicist | The Mechanism of Nuclear Fission | 1911 | 2008 |
| | | Kenneth S. Wherry | Politician | | 1892 | 1951 |
| | | Fred Whipple | Astronomer | Earth, Moon and Planets | 1906 | 2004 |
| | | James Whistler | Painter | Whistler's Mother | 1834 | 1903 |
| | | William Whiston | Religion | Apostolical Constitutions | 1667 | 1752 |
| | | Forest Whitaker | Actor | Ghost Dog | 1961 | |
| | | Barry White | Singer | Love songs | 1944 | 2003 |
| | | Betty White | Actor | The Golden Girls | 1922 | |
| | | Byron White | Judge | US Supreme Court Justice | 1917 | 2002 |
| | | Charles Albert White | Songwriter | | 1830 | 1892 |
| | | E.B. White | Author | Charlotte's Web | 1899 | 1985 |
| | | Patrick White | Novelist | Riders in the Chariot | 1912 | 1990 |
| | | Ronnie White | Musician | The Miracles | 1939 | 1995 |
| | | Shaun White | Sports Figure | The Flying Tomato | 1986 | |
| | | Slappy White | Comic | Melvin on Sanford and Son | 1921 | 1995 |
| | | T. H. White | Author | The Once and Future King | 1906 | 1964 |
| | | Theodore White | Historian | | 1915 | 1986 |
| | | Tony Joe White | Singer/Songwriter | | 1943 | |
| | | Vanna White | Model | | 1957 | |
| | | William Allen White | Journalist | The Emporia Gazette | 1868 | 1944 |
| | | Alfred North Whitehead | Mathematician | Metaphysical mathematician | 1861 | 1947 |
| | | William Whitelaw | Politician | UK Deputy Prime Minister, 1979-88 | 1918 | 1999 |
| | | Paul Whiteman | Jazz Musician | | 1890 | 1967 |
| | | Norman Whitfield | Songwriter | I Heard It Through the Grapevine | 1943 | 2008 |
| | | Margaret Whiting | Singer | Singer of American popular music | 1924 | |
| | | Richard Whiting | Songwriter | Hooray for Hollywood | 1891 | 1938 |
| | | Meg Whitman | Business | CEO of eBay | 1956 | |
| | | Slim Whitman | Country Musician | Western singer, balladeer and yodeler | 1924 | |
| | | Walt Whitman | Poet | Leaves of Grass | 1819 | 1892 |
| | | James Whitmore | Actor | Tora! Tora! Tora! | 1921 | |
| | | John Hay Whitney | Business | Publisher of the New York Herald Tribune | 1904 | 1982 |
| | | John Greenleaf Whittier | Poet | American abolitionist poet | 1807 | 1892 |
| | | Charlotte Whitton | Activist | | 1896 | 1975 |
| | | Richard Widmark | Actor | Kiss of Death | 1914 | 2008 |
| | | Charles-Marie Widor | Composer | Toccata | 1844 | 1937 |
| | | Michelle Wie | Golf | Young pro golfer | 1989 | |
| | | Jane Wiedlin | Guitarist | | 1958 | |
| | | Henryk Wieniawski | Composer | Polish violinist and composer | 1835 | 1880 |
| |  | Elie Wiesel | Activist | Anti-Holocaust and human-rights activist | 1928 | |
| |  | Simon Wiesenthal | Activist | Nazi hunter | 1908 | 2005 |
| | | Dianne Wiest | Actor | Footloose | 1948 | |
| | | Kate Douglas Wiggin | Novelist | Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | 1856 | 1923 |
| | | Ella Wheeler Wilcox | Poet | Poems of Passion | 1850 | 1919 |
| | | Cornel Wilde | Actor | A Song to Remember | 1915 | 1989 |
| | | Kim Wilde | Musician | Kids in America | 1960 | |
| | | Olivia Wilde | Actor | Skin | 1984 | |
 | | Oscar Wilde | Playwright | The Importance of Being Earnest | 1854 | 1900 |
| | | Alan Wilder | Musician | Depeche Mode | 1959 | |
| | | Alec Wilder | Composer | I'll Be Around | 1907 | 1980 |
| | | Billy Wilder | Film Director | Film Noir director and writer | 1906 | 2002 |
| | | Douglas Wilder | Politician | Governor of Virginia, 1990-94 | 1931 | |
| | | Gene Wilder | Actor | Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory | 1933 | |
| | | Laura Ingalls Wilder | Author | Little House on the Prairie | 1867 | 1957 |
| | | Thornton Wilder | Novelist | The Bridge of San Luis Rey | 1897 | 1975 |
| | | Michael Wilding | Actor | Torch Song | 1912 | 1979 |
| | | Lee Wiley | Jazz Musician | American jazz singer | 1908 | 1975 |
| | | Hoyt Wilhelm | Baseball | Knuckleball relief pitcher | 1923 | 2002 |
| | | Roy Wilkins | Activist | NAACP | 1901 | 1981 |
| | | Kendra Wilkinson | TV Personality | The Girls Next Door | 1985 | |
| | | George Will | Columnist | Conservative pundit, baseball lover | 1941 | |
 | | Adrian Willaert | Composer | | 1490 | 1562 |
| | | Healey Willan | Composer | O Lord, Our Governour | 1880 | 1968 |
| | | Fred Willard | Actor | Fernwood 2night | 1933 | |
| | | Niklas Willén | Conductor | | 1961 | |
| | | William the Conqueror | Royalty | Laid foundation of modern England | 0000 | 1087 |
| | | Clarence Williams III | Actor | Linc in The Mod Squad | 1939 | |
| | | Hank Williams Jr | Country Musician | Monday Night Football theme | 1949 | |
| | | Andy Williams | Singer | Moon River | 1927 | |
| | | Anson Williams | | Potsie on Happy Days | 1949 | |
| | | Ashley Williams | Actor | Good Morning Miami | 1978 | |
| |  | Bert Williams | Singer | Best-selling black recording artist before 1920 | 1874 | 1922 |
| | | Cindy Williams | Actor | Shirley of Laverne and Shirley | 1947 | |
| | | Clarence Williams | Jazz Musician | American jazz pianist, composer, promoter, vocalis | 1898 | 1965 |
| | | Deniece Williams | Singer | Let's Hear It For The Boy | 1950 | |
| | | Don Williams | Singer | I Wouldn't Want to Live If You Didn't Love Me | 1939 | |
| | | Esther Williams | Actor | Aquatic thespian of the '40s and '50s | 1921 | |
| | | Grant Williams | Actor | The Incredible Shrinking Man | 1930 | 1985 |
| | | Hank Williams | Country Musician | Take These Chains From My Heart | 1923 | 1953 |
| | | Joe Williams | Jazz Musician | Jazz baritone | 1918 | 1999 |
| | | John Williams | Composer | Jaws, E.T. | 1932 | |
| | | John Williams | Guitarist | Classical guitarist | 1941 | |
| | | Kiely Williams | Singer | The Cheetah Girls | 1986 | |
| | | Mason Williams | Guitarist | Classical Gas | 1938 | |
| | | Michelle Williams | Actor | Jen Lindley on Dawson's Creek | 1980 | |
| | | Milan Williams | Musician | Commodores | 1948 | 2006 |
| | | Otis Williams | Singer | Founder of The Temptations | 1939 | |
| | | Paul Williams | Musician | Love Theme from A Star Is Born (Evergreen) | 1940 | |
| | | Paul Williams | Singer | The Temptations | 1939 | 1973 |
| | | Robin Williams | Actor | Mork from Ork | 1952 | |
| | | Roger Williams | Pianist | Pop pianist | 1924 | |
| | | Roy Williams | Talk Show Host | Mickey Mouse Club host | 1907 | 1976 |
| | | Spencer Williams | Songwriter | Basin Street Blues | 1889 | 1965 |
| | | Ted Williams | Baseball | Cryonically preserved .400 hitter | 1918 | 2002 |
| | | Tennessee Williams | Playwright | The Glass Menagerie | 1911 | 1983 |
| | | Tex Williams | Country Musician | Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) | 1917 | 1985 |
| | | Tony Williams | Drummer | American jazz drummer | 1945 | 1997 |
| | | Tony Williams | Singer | Lead singer of The Platters | 1928 | 1992 |
| | | Wendy O. Williams | Singer | Singer for The Plasmatics | 1949 | 1998 |
| | | William Carlos Williams | Poet | Pictures from Brueghel | 1883 | 1963 |
| | | Malcolm Williamson | Composer | | 1931 | 2003 |
| | | Nicol Williamson | Actor | Merlin in Excalibur | 1938 | |
| | | Sonny Boy Williamson | Musician | Blues harmonica player | 1914 | 1948 |
| | | Noble Willingham | Actor | C.D. Parker on the TV series Walker, Texas Ranger | 1931 | 2004 |
| | | Bruce Willis | Actor | | 1955 | |
| | | Richard Storrs Willis | Hymn Writer | It Came Upon the Midnight Clear | 1819 | 1900 |
| | | Wesley Willis | Musician | Schizophrenic street musician | 1963 | 2003 |
| | | Wendell Willkie | Politician | Defeated by Roosevelt in 1940 | 1892 | 1944 |
| | | Bob Wills | Country Musician | King of Western Swing | 1905 | 1975 |
| | | Meredith Willson | Songwriter | The Music Man | 1902 | 1984 |
| | | John Wilmot | Poet | Sodom, or the Quintessence of Debauchery | 1647 | 1680 |
| | | A. N. Wilson | Novelist | The Lampitt Papers | 1950 | |
| | | Alan Wilson | Musician | Canned Heat | 1943 | 1970 |
| | | Ann Wilson | Musician | Heart | 1950 | |
| | | August Wilson | Playwright | The Piano Lesson | 1945 | 2005 |
| | | Bill Wilson | Activist | Alcoholics Anonymous cofounder | 1895 | 1971 |
| | | Brian Wilson | Musician | Beach Boys | 1942 | |
| | | Carnie Wilson | Singer | Wilson Phillips | 1968 | |
| | | Charles Erwin Wilson | Business | | 1890 | 1961 |
| | | Colin Wilson | Author | The Outsider | 1931 | |
| | | Dick Wilson | Actor | Ladies, please don't squeeze the Charmin! | 1916 | 2007 |
| | | Dooley Wilson | Actor | | 1886 | 1953 |
| | | Earl Wilson | Columnist | It Happened Last Night. | 1907 | 1987 |
| | | Edmund Wilson | Author | Axel's Castle | 1895 | 1972 |
| | | Edward O. Wilson | Biologist | Father of Sociobiology | 1929 | |
| | | Flip Wilson | Comic | The Flip Wilson Show | 1933 | 1998 |
| | | Gretchen Wilson | Country Musician | Here for the Party | 1973 | |
| | | Harold Wilson | Head of State | Two-time Prime Minister of Britain | 1916 | 1995 |
| | | Jackie Wilson | Singer | Lonely Teardrops | 1934 | 1984 |
| | | Marie Wilson | Actor | My Friend Irma | 1916 | 1972 |
| | | Nancy Wilson | Musician | | 1937 | |
| | | Olly Wilson | Composer | American composer | 1937 | |
| | | Owen Wilson | Actor | Zoolander | 1968 | |
| | | Peta Wilson | Actor | La Femme Nikita | 1970 | |
| | | Pete Wilson | Politician | Governor of California, 1991-99 | 1933 | |
| | | Sandy Wilson | Composer | | 1924 | |
| | | Sloan Wilson | Author | | 1920 | 2003 |
| | | Teddy Wilson | Jazz Musician | Jazz pianist | 1912 | 1986 |
| | | Tom Wilson | Cartoonist | Ziggy | 1931 | |
| | | Woodrow Wilson | President | 28th US President | 1856 | 1924 |
| | | William M. Winans | | | 0000 | |
| | | Walter Winchell | Radio Personality | Gossip commentator | 1897 | 1972 |
| | | Amy Winehouse | Singer | Rehab | 1983 | |
| | | Winfield Scott | Military | | 1786 | 1866 |
| | | Dave Winfield | Baseball | Twelve-time All Star | 1951 | |
| | | Paul Winfield | Actor | Nigger Jim in the 1974 Huckleberry Finn | 1941 | 2004 |
| | | Oprah Winfrey | Talk Show Host | The Oprah Winfrey Show | 1954 | |
| | | Debra Winger | Actor | An Officer and a Gentleman | 1955 | |
| | | Henry Winkler | Actor | Fonz on Happy Days | 1945 | |
| | | Michael Winner | Film Director | Death Wish | 1935 | |
| | | Kate Winslet | Actor | The female lead in Titanic | 1975 | |
| | | Lizz Winstead | Comic | Daily Show co-creator | 1961 | |
| | | Mary Elizabeth Winstead | Actor | Final Destination 3 | 1984 | |
| | | Johnny Winter | Guitarist | Blues guitarist | 1944 | |
| | | Hugo Winterhalter | Musician | Arranger and conductor | 1909 | 1973 |
| | | Jonathan Winters | Actor | Mearth, son of Mork | 1925 | |
| | | Shelley Winters | Actor | The Diary of Anne Frank, A Patch of Blue | 1920 | 2006 |
| | | Jeanette Winterson | Novelist | Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit | 1959 | |
| | | Estelle Winwood | Actor | The Producers | 1883 | 1984 |
| | | Muff Winwood | Musician | Spencer Davis Group | 1943 | |
| | | Steve Winwood | Musician | Keyboardist, Traffic, Blind Faith | 1948 | |
| | | Dag Wirén | Composer | Serenade for Strings (1937) | 1905 | 1986 |
| | | Norman Wisdom | Comic | English comedian | 1915 | |
| | | Robert Wise | Film Director | The Sound of Music | 1914 | 2005 |
| | | Antoni Wit | Conductor | | 1944 | |
| | | Bill Withers | Singer/Songwriter | | 1938 | |
| | | Reese Witherspoon | Actor | | 1976 | |
| | | Alicia Witt | Actor | 88 Minutes | 1975 | |
| | | Friedrich Witt | Composer | Jena Symphony | 1770 | 1836 |
| | | Ludwig Wittgenstein | Philosopher | Destroyed metaphysics | 1889 | 1951 |
| | | P. G. Wodehouse | Author | Jeeves novels | 1881 | 1975 |
| |  | Hugo Wolf | Composer | 19th century German songwriter | 1860 | 1903 |
| | | Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari | Composer | Il segreto di Susanna | 1876 | 1948 |
| | | Thomas Wolfe | Novelist | Look Homeward, Angel | 1900 | 1938 |
| | | Tom Wolfe | Author | Bonfire of the Vanities | 1931 | |
| | | Wolfram von Eschenbach | Poet | | 1170 | 1220 |
| | | Oswald von Wolkenstein | Composer | Poet, a composer and a diplomat | 1377 | 1445 |
| | | Mary Wollstonecraft | Activist | Vindication of the Rights of Women | 1759 | 1797 |
 | | Stephen M. Wolownik | Musician | | 1946 | 2000 |
| | | Stefan Wolpe | Composer | German-born composer. | 1902 | 1972 |
| | | Lee Ann Womack | Country Musician | I Hope You Dance | 1966 | |
| | | Stevie Wonder | Singer/Songwriter | Signed, Sealed, and Delivered | 1950 | |
| | | Beatrice Wood | Artist | Mama of Dada | 1893 | 1998 |
| | | Charles Wood | Composer | | 1866 | 1926 |
| | | Ed Wood | Film Director | Plan 9 From Outer Space | 1924 | 1978 |
| | | Elijah Wood | Actor | Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings | 1981 | |
| | | Evan Rachel Wood | Actor | Running with Scissors | 1987 | |
| | | Grant Wood | Artist | American Gothic | 1891 | 1942 |
| | | Haydn Wood | Composer | 20th century English composer | 1882 | 1959 |
| | | Natalie Wood | Actor | Rebel Without A Cause | 1938 | 1981 |
| | | Ron Wood | Guitarist | Guitarist for The Rolling Stones | 1947 | |
| | | Victoria Wood | Comic | Housewife, 49 | 1953 | |
| | | John Wooden | Basketball | Winningest-ever college coach | 1910 | |
| | | James Woods | Actor | Casino, Any Given Sunday | 1947 | |
| | | Tiger Woods | Golf | World's best golfer | 1978 | |
| | | Carter G. Woodson | Historian | Black History Month | 1875 | 1950 |
| | | Joanne Woodward | Actor | | 1930 | |
| | | Sheb Wooley | Actor | | 1921 | 2003 |
| | | Virginia Woolf | Novelist | Between the Acts | 1882 | 1941 |
| | | Alexander Woollcott | Critic | The Man Who Came to Dinner | 1887 | 1943 |
| | | Tom Wopat | Actor | Luke Duke on The Dukes of Hazzard | 1951 | |
| | | William Wordsworth | Poet | | 1770 | 1850 |
| | | Henry Clay Work | Composer | Marching Through Georgia | 1832 | 1884 |
| | | Reggie Workman | Bassist | | 1937 | |
| | | Jo Anne Worley | Comic | Laugh-In | 1937 | |
| | | Nicholas Worth | Actor | Don't Answer the Phone! | 1938 | 2007 |
| | | Henry Wotton | Author | The Character of a Happy Life | 1568 | 1639 |
| | | Herman Wouk | Author | The Caine Mutiny | 1915 | |
| | | Steve Wozniak | Computer Programmer | Co-Founder of Apple Computer | 1950 | |
| | | Faye Wray | Actor | King Kong | 1907 | 2004 |
| | | Christopher Wren | Architect | Designed St. Paul's Cathedral | 1632 | 1723 |
| | | Frank Lloyd Wright | Architect | America's most famous architect | 1867 | 1959 |
| | | O. V. Wright | Singer | Southern gospel and soul singer | 1939 | 1980 |
| | | Orville Wright | Aviator | Co-inventor of the airplane | 1871 | 1948 |
| | | Richard Wright | Author | Native Son | 1908 | 1960 |
| | | Robert Wright | Songwriter | Kismet | 1914 | 2005 |
| | | Steven Wright | Comic | Stand-up comedian | 1955 | |
| | | Teresa Wright | Actor | Shadow of a Doubt | 1918 | 2005 |
| | | Wilbur Wright | Aviator | Co-inventor of the airplane | 1867 | 1912 |
| | | Allie Wrubel | Songwriter | Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah | 1905 | 1973 |
| | | Wu Tingfang | Politician | Minister of Foreign Affairs and briefly as Acting | 1842 | 1922 |
| | | Robert Wuhl | Actor | Arliss on Arli$$ | 1951 | |
| | | Fritz Wunderlich | Singer | Tenor | 1930 | 1966 |
| | | Wilhelm Wundt | Psychologist | Father of Experimental Psychology | 1832 | 1920 |
| | | Charles Wuorinen | Composer | Time's Encomium | 1938 | |
| | | Jane Wyatt | Actor | Father Knows Best | 1910 | 2006 |
| | | W. de Wycombe | Composer | | 1250 | 1299 |
| | | William Wyler | Film Director | Ben-Hur | 1902 | 1981 |
| | | Bill Wyman | Bassist | Former Rolling Stones bassist | 1936 | |
| | | Jane Wyman | Actor | Falcon Crest | 1917 | 2007 |
| | | Tammy Wynette | Country Musician | Stand by Your Man | 1942 | 1998 |
| | | Ed Wynn | Actor | Requiem for a Heavyweight | 1886 | 1966 |
| | | Keenan Wynn | Actor | | 1916 | 1986 |
| | | Philippe Wynne | Singer | The Spinners | 1941 | 1984 |
