List of Kurds

This is a list of well known Kurdish people. The most influential of all may have been Saladin, who became the first Ayyubid Sultan of Egypt and Syria in the Middle Ages.

Iran

Filmmakers

• Ghotbeddin Sadeghi, Iranian director.
• Behrouz Gharibpour, Iranian director.
• Jamil Rostami, Iranian director.
• Shahram Alidi, Iranian director.
• Bahman Ghobadi, Iranian director.

Music

• Shahram Nazeri, Iranian vocalist and musician.
• Susan (singer), Iranian singer.
• Kamkars, Kurdish music family.
• Saeed Farajpouri, Iranian kamancheh player.
• Azad (rapper), German rapper.
• Rojan (musician), Iranian singer.
• Ghader Abdollahzadeh, Kurdish flute player.
• Mohammad Mamle, Kurdish singer.
• Hassan Zirak, Kurdish singer.
• Ali Akbar Moradi, Iranian musician.
• Sohrab Pournazeri, Iranian musician.
• Roknoddin Mokhtari, Iranian violin player.
• Kayhan Kalhor, Iranian kamancheh player.

Authors, poets, journalists and scholars

• Abū Ḥanīfa Dīnawarī, Kurdish polymath.
• Baba Tahir, Kurdish poet.
• Nezami Ganjavi, poet of the Persian language, of maternal Kurdish descent.
• Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi, Kurdish philosopher.
• al-Shahrazuri, Kurdish physician and philosopher.
• Sharafkhan Bidlisi, Historian, author of Sharafnama in Persian.
• Mastoura Ardalan, Kurdish poet and historiographer.
• Alaaddin Sajadi, Kurdish writer.
• Abdol-Hamid Heyrat Sajjadi, Iranian writer.
• Bakhtiar Sajjadi, Iranian writer.
• Mohammad Ghazi, Iranian translator.
• Ahmad Ghazi, Kurdish translator.
• Karim Hisami, Kurdish author .
• Hossein Khalighi, Kurdish author.
• Hamid Hassani, Iranian author.
• Savareh Ilkhanizadeh, Kurdish poet.
• Misbaholdiwan Adab, Kurdish poet.
• Wafaei, Kurdish poet.
• Hemin Mukriyani, Kurdish poet.
• Hejar, Kurdish poet.
• Amir Hassanpour, Kurdish scholar and researcher.
• Abbas Vali, political scientist.
• Hashim Ahmadzadeh, Kurdish writer and translator.
• Mozaffar Partowmah, Iranian Kurdish author and scholar of Islam and Nuclear physics.
• Erfan Ghaneifard, Iranian author.
• Ata Nahai, Kurdish author.
• Parviz Jahani, Kurdish author.
• Mustafa Besarani, Kurdish poet.
• Khana Qubadi, Kurdish poet.
• Nasser Sina, Swedish-Kurdish journalist.

Sports

• Mohammad Oraz, Iranian mountain climber.
• Aram Khalili, Norwegian second league football player.
• Ziaeddin Niknafs, Iranian football player.
• Bijan Zolfagharnasab, Former Iranian football player and current coach.
• Brwa Nouri, Swedish-Kurdish football player.
• Kianoush Rostami, Kurdish-Iranian World Weightlifting Champion

Politicians and Political activists

• Madig, Kurdish king.
• Nasr, also called Theophobos, Kurdish commander of the Byzantine Empire.
• Amir Khan Lepzerin, leader of the Kurds during the Battle of DimDim.
• Karim Khan Zand, Laki Kurd, founder of the Zand Dynasty.
• Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou, former leader of PDKI.
• Simko Shikak, Kurdish revolutionary.
• Ghazi Mohammad, Former leader of PDKI.
• Sadegh Sharafkandi, Leader of PDKI.
• Karim Sanjabi, former Iranian Mister of Education and of Foreign Affairs and National Front leader.
• Bahaedin Adab, Political activist.
• Ahmad Moftizadeh, Sunni Islamic Kurdish leader in Iran.
• Foad Mostafa Soltani, Former leader of Komaleh.
• Mohammad Seddigh Kaboudvand, Human rights activist.
• Sedigh Kamangar, Political activist.
• Farzad Kamangar, Political activist.
• Soraya Serajeddini, Human rights activist.
• Roya Toloui, Kurdish journalist.
• Amineh Kakabaveh, member of the Swedish-Kurdish Parliament.
• Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, former Khatami-administration spokesman and governor of Kurdistan province.
• Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, former General and police chief, current Mayor of Tehran (Kurdish father, Persian mother).
• Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, Vice President of Iran.
• Karim Mohammedzadeh, Swedish-Kurdish dissident.

Religious figures

• Safi-ad-din Ardabili, founder of the Safaviyya.
• Hajj Nematollah (1871–1919), mystic and poet.
• Nur Ali Elahi (1895–1974), Spiritual leader of the Ahl-e Haqq religion.

Others

• Firuz Shah Zarrin Kolah, ancestor of the Safavids.
• Mirza Mohammad Reza Kalhor, Iranian calligraphist.

Iraq

Poets, writers and journalists

• Nali, Kurdish poet.
• Mahwi, Kurdish poet and sufi.
• Mawlawi Tawagozi, Kurdish poet and sufi.
• Abdulla Goran, Kurdish poet.
• Haji Qadir Koyi, Kurdish poet.
• Dildar, Kurdish poet.
• Sheikh Reza Talabani, Kurdish poet.
• Piramerd, Kurdish poet, writer, novelist and journalist.
• Muhamed Amin Zaki, writer, historian and politician.
• Muhamad Salih Dilan, One of the founders of modern Kurdish poetry.
• Taufiq Wahby, writer and linguist.
• Nuri Barzinji, Kurdish journalist and poet.
• Rafiq Hilmi, Kurdish writer, literary analyst and politician.
• Ibrahim Ahmad, Kurdish writer, novelist and translator.
• Husein Muhammed, Kurdish writer.
• Ahmad Hardi, Kurdish poet.
• Maruf Khaznadar, academic and researcher.
• Abdulla Pashew, contemporary Kurdish poet.
• Farhad Pirbal, Kurdish writer and academic.
• Jamal Nebez, writer, linguist and researcher.
• Sherko Bekas, Kurdish poet.
• Rauf Hassan, Kurdish writer and journalist.
• Latif Halmat, Kurdish poet.
• Mahabad Qaradaghi, Kurdish writer, poet and translator.
• Rafiq Sabir, Kurdish poet.
• Farhad Shakely, poet, writer and academic.
• Khalil Duhoki, Kurdish writer.
• Khalil Rashow, Kurdish writer and academic.
• Jalal Barzanji, writer, poet and journalist.
• Fawaz Hussain, writer and translator.
• Zeynelabidin Zinar, Kurdish writer, researcher and specialist in Kurdish folklore.
• Najiba Ahmad, Kurdish writer and poet.
• Nazand Begikhani, Kurdish writer, poet and researcher.
• Kajal Ahmad , Kurdish poet, writer and journalist.
• Choman Hardi, Kurdish poet, researcher and painter.
• Jalal Dabagh, Kurdish writer and journalist.
• Sardasht Osman, Kurdish Journalist.

Academics and Researchers

• Saad Eskander, academic and researcher, director of the Iraq National Library and Archive.
• Yona Sabar, Kurdish-Jewish scholar and linguist.
• Mulla Effendi , Islamic philosopher, scholar, astronomer, politician.
• Ibn Khallikan, Muslim judge and author of a classic Arabic.
• Hadhrat Mawlânâ Khâlid-i Baghdâdî, founder of a significant branch of the Naqshbandi Sufi order - named Khalidiyya after him.

Musicians

• Ziryab, musician, poet and trendsetter.
• Ali Merdan, singer.
• Tahir Tewfiq, musician and singer.
• Tara Jaff, musician and singer.
• Dilshad Said, musician and composer.
• Adnan Karim, singer.
• Chopy Fatah, singer.
• Darin Zanyar, Swedish-Kurdish pop singer.

Politicians and political activists

• Shirkuh, uncle of Saladin, military commander.
• Saladin, Founder of Ayyubid dynasty and the great Muslim leader who defeated crusaders in Battle of Hattin conquered Jerusalem.
• Sulaiman Shah, Commander in chief of the Caliphate army, Governor of Kurdistan.
• Shaikh Mahmood Barzenji, First King of Kurdistan and leader of the Kurdish nationalist movement in Iraq.
• Mustafa Barzani, Kurdish leader and founder of KDP.
• Idris Barzani, former Prime Minister of the Kurdish Autonomous Region.
• Massoud Barzani, is the President of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq and leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party.
• Nechervan Idris Barzani, former Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraqi Kurdistan.
• Jalal Talabani, Kurdish politician, current President of Iraq and secretary general of PUK.
• Abdul Karim Qassim, (Half Kurdish) first President of Iraq.
• Mahmoud Othman , Founder and former Secretary General of the Kurdish Socialist Party.
• Nawshirwan Mustafa, politician, writer and diarist. Former Deputy Secretary General of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.
• Latif Rashid, Kurdish Politician, Iraqi Minister of Water.
• Barham Salih, Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq. Also a senior member of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.
• Shahab Sheikh Nuri, founder of the Komalay Ranjdaran Party.
• Leyla Qasim, Kurdish politician and Peshmerga.
• Nadhim Zahawi, British Conservative politician and current MP for Stratford-on-Avon.
• Widad Akrawi, activist and Chair of Defend International
• Herro Mustafa, diplomat, Senior Advisor on the Middle East to Vice President Biden, US.
• Houzan Mahmoud, women rights and anti-war activist.
• Rowsch Shaways, former vice president of Iraq in the interim government of 2004 and Parliament speaker in the KRG.
• Dlawer Ala'Aldeen, Kurdish academic, physician, lobbyist, political writer.

Film directors and actors

• Hiner Saleem, Film director.
• Hisham Zaman, Film director.
• Shero Rauf, Actor.

Sports people

• Hawar Mulla Mohammed, Iraqi football player.
• Halgurd Mulla Mohammed, Iraqi football player.
• Rawez Lawan, Swedish-Kurdish football player.
• Bovar Karim, Swedish-Kurdish football player.

Others

• Ahmad ibn Fadlan, Kurdish traveler.
• Rizgar Mohammed Amin , Chief Judge of the Iraqi Special Tribunal setup to judge Saddam Hussein.

Turkey

Poets and writers

• Ali Hariri, Kurdish poet.
• Mahmud Bayazidi, Kurdish writer, translator and historian.
• Ahmad Khani, Kurdish poet and a Muslim scholar, author of Mem û Zîn.
• Malaye Jaziri, Kurdish poet and sufi.
• Faqi Tayran, poet.
• Ahmade Bate, Kurdish poet and Muslim cleric.
• Ali Taramakhi, linguist and writer.
• Arab Shamilov, Kurdish writer and novelist.
• Osman Sabri, Kurdish poet, writer and journalist.
• Jaladat Ali Badirkhan, linguist, journalist and politician, founder of the Latin-based Kurdish alphabet.
• Cigerxwîn, Kurdish poet and writer.
• Qedrîcan, Kurdish poet and writer.
• Emînê Evdal, Kurdish writer and linguist.
• Hecîyê Cindî, Kurdish writer, linguist and researcher.
• Qanate Kurdo, Kurdish writer, linguist and academic.
• Mehmed Emin Bozarslan, Kurdish writer.
• Mehmed Uzun, writer and novelist.
• Mahmud Baksi, Kurdish writer and journalist.
• Rojen Barnas, Kurdish poet and writer.
• Reşo Zîlan, Kurdish writer, translator and linguist.
• Fadıl Öztürk, Kurdish writer.
• Zeynelabidin Zinar , Kurdish writer, researcher and specialist in Kurdish folklore.
• Yekta Uzunoglu, Kurdish writer, translator and entrepreneur.
• Hesenê Metê, Kurdish writer, novelist and translator.
• Mustafa Aydogan, Writer, novelist and translator.
• Firat Cewerî, Kurdish writer, translator and journalist.
• Serdar Roşan, writer, poet and translator.
• Yaşar Kemal, Kurkish writer and novelist.
• Evdile Koçer, Kurdish writer.
• Rohat Alakom, Swedish-Kurdish author.
• Azad Zal, Kurdish poet, writer, journalist, translator and linguist.
• Mustafa Can, Swedish-Kurdish journalist.
• Dilsa Demirbag Sten, Swedish-Kurdish journalist.

Academics and Researchers

• al-Jazari, Kurdish polymath.
• Edip Yuksel, Kurdish/American writer and activist.

Musicians

• Şivan Perwer, Kurdish singer.
• Nizamettin Arıç, singer, composer and director.
• Şehrîbana Kurdî, singer.
• Rojhan Beken, singer and composer of Rock music.
• Aynur Doğan, singer.
• Rojda Aykoç, singer and dengbêj.
• Ibrahim Tatlıses, singer of maternal Kurdish descent.
• Ahmet Kaya, musician of paternal Kurdish descent.
• Dilba, Swedish-Kurdish pop singer.
• Dilnarin Demirbag, Swedish-Kurdish singer.
• Zakaria Abdulla, Swedish-Kurdish pop singer.

Film directors and actors

• Yilmaz Güney, film director.
• Yılmaz Erdoğan, film director.

Religious figures

• Ali ibn al-Athir, Islamic historian.
• Said Nursi, Islamic thinker.

Politicians and political activists

• Seyid Riza, leader of the Dersim Rebellion.
• Sheikh Said, leader of the Sheikh Said Rebellion.
• Ziya Gökalp, Zaza political activist, advocator of Turkish nationalism.
• Abdullah Cevdet, Kurdish political activist, member of the Young Turks.
• İsmet İnönü,, Second President of Turkey (of Kurdish origin).
• Turgut Özal, former Prime Minister and the 8th President of Turkey.(Partial Kurdish origin)
• Medet Serhat, Kurdish lawyer and politician.
• Ahmet Türk, Chairman of the Democratic Society Party in Turkey
• Abdullah Öcalan, founder and leader of the PKK. (Kurdish father, Turkish mother)
• Murat Karayilan, acting leader of the PKK.
• Selim Sadak, Kurdish politician, MP in Turkey and Mayor of Şırnak.
• Osman Öcalan, one of the founders of PKK.
• Mehdi Zana, Kurdish politician.
• Leyla Zana, human-rights activist and the first Kurdish woman MP in Turkey.
• Aysel Tuğluk, Kurdish rights activist and MP in Turkey from 2007 to 2009.
• Nalin Pekgul, former member of Swedish-Kurdish Parliament.
• Osman Baydemir, current mayor of Diyarbakır, Turkey.
• Nurettin Demirtaş, member of the DTP and MP in Turkey.
• Sebahat Tuncel, Member of the Turkish National Assembly.
• Feleknas Uca, Yazidi-Kurd and MEP for the left German Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS).
• Gulan Avci, Swedish-Kurdish politician.

Sports people

• Eren Derdiyok, Kurdish/Swiss footballer.
• Mervan Çelik, Swedish-Kurdish football player.

Syria

• Abu'l-Fida, Kurdish historian.
• Suleiman al-Halabi, Kurdish assassin.
• Zaradachet Hajo, Kurdish linguist and academic.
• Şahînê Bekirê Soreklî, Kurdish writer, poet and translator.
• Cankurd, Kurdish writer and poet.
• Keça Kurd, poet, writer and linguist.

Azerbaijan

• Shamil Asgarov, poet, researcher on the history and culture of the Kurds in Azerbaijan, translator.
• Jiloan Hamad, Swedish-Kurdish football player.

Armenia

• Ordikhan Jalil, academic and linguist
• Jalile Jalil, Historian and Kurdologist.
• Eskerê Boyîk, Kurdish poet.
• Nado Makhmudov, Kurdish writer and public figure.
• Tosine Rashid, Kurdish writer.
• Tamure Khalil, translator and journalist.
• Amar Suloev, Yezidi mixed martial artist.

Kurdish Jews

• David Alroy, Kurdish Jewish pseudo-Messiah.
• Asenath Barzani, renowned Kurdish Jewish woman.
• Moshe Barazani, Kurdish Jewish freedom fighter.
• Yehezkel Zakai, Kurdish Jewish politician.
• Haviv Shimoni, Kurdish Jewish politician.
• Yona Sabar, Kurdish Jewish scholar.
• Yitzhak Mordechai, Kurdish Jewish politician.
• Yosef Shiloach, Kurdish Jewish actor.

Others

• Nusrat Bhutto, former First Lady of Pakistan, of partial Kurdish descent.
• Jumblatt family, influential Lebanese family, of Kurdish origin.
• Imad family, influential Lebanese family, of Kurdish origin.