List of Famous Left-Handers
This list does not attempt to be comprehensive or definitive, merely indicative and illustrative. Any such list is necessarily a product of the editor’s personal choice, and I have explained some of my considerations, inclusions and exclusions on the Famous Left-Handers page, as well as on specific subject pages such as Handedness and Music, Handedness and Artistic Ability, Handedness and Intellect, Handedness and Military Leadership, Handedness and Sport, Handedness and Politics, etc.
Where I have included people of dubious or partial left-handedness in the list, I have tried to give some explanation in the Notes column (as much as anything to show that such categorization is rarely simple, but also to indicate that this list probably gives an exaggerated picture of the extent of left-handedness in the public sphere).
Even the categorization of occupation and country has been necessarily simplified (in the interests of keeping down the number of different categories), and is no doubt also open to criticism and debate.
But here, for what it is worth, is my own list. It is presented in alphabetical order by Name by default, but you can click on the headings to re-order the list by Country, Occupation or Date. Click the heading again to change from ascending to descending. The links are to the Wikipedia entries for the individual.
| Name | Country | Occupation | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbas, Mahmoud | Palestine | Politician | 1935- | |
| Adams, Douglas | UK | Writer | 1952-2001 | |
| Akram, Wasim (cricket) | Pakistan | Sport | 1966- | |
| Albarn, Damon | UK | Musician | 1968- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Aldrin, Buzz (astronaut) | USA | Other | 1930- | Writes right-handed |
| Alexander the Great | Macedonia | Leader/Military | ...356BC-323BC | Debatable/unlikely (see here) |
| Allman, Duane | USA | Musician | 1946-1971 | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Allman, Gregg | USA | Musician | 1947- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Aristotle | Greece | Other | ....384BC-322BC | Debatable/unlikely (see here) |
| Aykroyd, Dan | Canada | Film, TV & Stage | 1952- | |
| Bachchan, Abhishek | India | Film, TV & Stage | 1976- | |
| Bachchan, Amitabh | India | Film, TV & Stage | 1942- | |
| Baden-Powell, Robert | UK | Other | 1857-1941 | Debatable/unlikely (see here) |
| Baron Cohen, Sacha | UK | Film, TV & Stage | 1971- | |
| Barrymore, Drew | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1975- | |
| Basinger, Kim | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1953- | |
| Berra, Yogi (baseball) | USA | Sport | 1925-2015 | Batted left, threw right |
| Bin Laden, Osama | Saudi Arabia | Leader/Military | 1957-2011 | Wrote with right hand |
| Bird, Larry (basketball) | USA | Sport | 1956- | |
| Blackmore, Ritchie | UK | Musician | 1945- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Bloomberg, Michael | USA | Politician | 1942- | |
| Boggs, Wade (baseball) | USA | Sport | 1958- | Bats left, throws right |
| Bonaparte, Napoleon | France | Leader/Military | 1769-1821 | Debatable/unlikely (see here) |
| Bonds, Barry (baseball) | USA | Sport | 1964- | Writes right-handed |
| Border, Alan (cricket) | Australia | Sport | 1955- | Bats and bowls left-handed |
| Bowie, David | UK | Musician | 1947-2016 | |
| Branagh, Kenneth | UK | Film, TV & Stage | 1960- | Writes right-handed |
| Broderick, Matthew | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1962- | |
| Bruce, Lenny | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1925-1966 | |
| Bryson, Bill | USA | Writer | 1951- | |
| Buonarroti, Michelangelo | Italy | Artist | 1475-1564 | Debatable/unlikely (see here) |
| Bush, George H.W. | USA | Politician | 1924- | |
| Byrne, David | UK | Musician | 1952- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Caesar, Julius | Rome | Leader/Military | ..|100BC-44BC | Debatable/unlikely (see here) |
| Callaghan, James | UK | Politician | 1912-2005 | |
| Cameron, James | Canada | Film, TV & Stage | 1954- | |
| Carlyle, Thomas | UK | Writer | 1795-1881 | Switched to left after injury |
| Chaplin, Charlie | UK | Film, TV & Stage | 1889-1997 | Wrote right-handed |
| Charest, Jean | Canada | Politician | 1958- | |
| Charlemagne | France | Leader/Military | .|742-814 | Debatable/unlikely (see here) |
| Chávez, Hugo | Venezuela | Politician | 1954-2013 | |
| Clinton, Bill | USA | Politician | 1946- | |
| Close, Brian (cricket) | UK | Sport | 1931-2015 | Bats left, bowls right |
| Cobain, Kurt | USA | Musician | 1967-1994 | Played guitar left-handed, but otherwise right-handed |
| Cobb, Ty (baseball) | USA | Sport | 1886-1961 | Batted left, threw right |
| Cockburn, Bruce | Canada | Musician | 1945- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Collins, Phil | UK | Musician | 1951- | |
| Commodus, Emperor | Rome | Leader/Military | .|161-192 | |
| Compton, Denis (cricket) | UK | Sport | 1918-1997 | Batted right, bowled left |
| Connors, Jimmy (tennis) | USA | Sport | 1952- | |
| Cooper, Henry (boxing) | UK | Sport | 1934-2011 | Used right-handed stance |
| Corbett, “Gentleman Jim” (boxing) | USA | Sport | 1866-1933 | |
| Corgan, Billy | USA | Musician | 1967- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Costello, Elvis | UK | Musician | 1954- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Cruise, Tom | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1962- | Writes and throws with right hand |
| Curie, Marie | Poland | Scientist | 1867-1934 | Debatable/unlikely (see here) |
| De Klerk, F.W. | South Africa | Politician | 1936- | |
| De La Hoya, Oscar (boxing) | USA | Sport | 1973- | Boxes “orthodox”, but left-handed |
| DeSalvo, Albert (Boston Strangler) | USA | Other | 1931-1973 | |
| Dillon, Matt | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1964- | |
| Dole, Bob | USA | Politician | 1923- | Switched to left due to injury |
| Dufy, Raoul | France | Artist | 1877-1953 | Wrote with right hand |
| Dürer, Albrecht | Germany | Artist | 1471-1528 | Debatable/unlikely (see here) |
| Edward III, King | UK | Royalty | 1312-1377 | Switched to left after a stroke |
| Ehud | Israel | Other | ....1300BC | |
| Elizabeth, The Queen Mother | UK | Royalty | 1900-2002 | |
| Eminem | USA | Musician | 1972- | |
| Escher, M.C. | Netherlands | Artist | 1898-1972 | |
| Everly, Don | USA | Musician | 1937- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Fey, Tina | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1970- | |
| Fields, W.C. | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1880-1946 | |
| Fishburne, Laurence | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1961- | |
| Fonda, Peter | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1940- | |
| Ford, Henry | USA | Businessman | 1863-1947 | Debatable/unlikely |
| Ford, Gerald | USA | Politician | 1913-2006 | |
| Foster, Norman | UK | Artist | 1935- | Writes with left hand |
| Freeman, Morgan | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1937- | |
| Fripp, Robert | UK | Musician | 1946- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Gallagher, Noel | UK | Musician | 1967- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Gandhi, Mohandas (“Mahatma”) | India | Politician | 1869-1948 | Wrote with both hands |
| Garfield, James A. | USA | Politician | 1831-1881 | Wrote with both hands |
| Garland, Judy | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1922-1969 | |
| Gates, Bill | USA | Businessman | 1955- | Writes with left, but otherwise right-handed |
| Gaultier, Jean Paul (fashionista) | France | Other | 1952- | |
| Gehrig, Lou (baseball) | USA | Sport | 1903-1941 | Wrote right-handed |
| Geldof, Bob | Ireland | Musician | 1951- | |
| Genet, Jean | France | Writer | 1910-1986 | |
| George VI, King | UK | Royalty | 1895-1952 | Forced to write with right hand |
| Goldberg, Whoopi | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1955- | |
| Gould, Glenn | Canada | Musician | 1932-1982 | |
| Gower, David (cricket) | UK | Sport | 1957- | Bats left, bowls right |
| Grant, Cary | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1904-1986 | |
| Griffey Jr., Ken (baseball) | USA | Sport | 1969- | Writes right-handed |
| Groening, Matt | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1954- | |
| Hagler, Marvin (boxing) | USA | Sport | 1954- | Boxes left, but right-handed |
| Hawn, Goldie | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1945- | |
| Hendrix, Jimi | USA | Musician | 1942-1970 | Wrote and ate with right hand |
| Henson, Jim | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1936-1990 | Wrote with right hand |
| Holbein, Hans (the Younger) | Germany | Artist | 1497-1543 | |
| Hoover, Herbert | USA | Politician | 1874-1964 | Wrote with right hand |
| Hudson, Rock | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1925-1985 | |
| Ivanisevic, Goran (tennis) | Croatia | Sport | 1971- | |
| Jackman, Hugh | Australia | Film, TV & Stage | 1968- | |
| Jack the Ripper | UK | Other | 1880s- | |
| Joan of Arc | France | Leader/Military | 1412-1431 | Debatable/unlikely (see here) |
| Jobs, Steve | USA | Businessman | 1955-2011 | Debatable/claimed ambidexterity |
| Johansson, Scarlett | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1984- | |
| Johnson, Randy (baseball) | USA | Sport | 1963- | Batted right, threw left |
| Jolie, Angelina | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1975- | |
| Keller, Helen | USA | Other | 1880-1968 | |
| Kidman, Nicole | Australia | Film, TV & Stage | 1967- | |
| King, Albert | USA | Musician | 1923-1992 | Played guitar right-handed |
| King, B.B. | USA | Musician | 1925-2015 | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Klee, Paul | Switzerland | Artist | 1879-1940 | Wrote with his right hand |
| Knopfler, Mark | USA | Musician | 1949- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Lara, Brian (cricket) | Trinidad | Sport | 1969- | Bats left, bowls right |
| Laver, Rod (tennis) | Australia | Sport | 1938- | |
| Leconte, Henri (tennis) | France | Sport | 1963- | |
| Lee, Spike | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1957- | |
| Lee, Stan | USA | Artist | 1922- | |
| Lennox, Annie | UK | Musician | 1954- | |
| Leno, Jay | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1950- | |
| Lovell, Jim (astronaut) | USA | Other | 1928- | |
| Lowe, Nick | UK | Musician | 1949- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Lydon, John (Johnny Rotten) | UK | Musician | 1956- | |
| Maradona, Diego (soccer) | Argentina | Sport | 1956- | Left-footed but right-handed |
| Marsalis, Wynton | USA | Musician | 1961- | |
| Marx, Harpo | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1888-1964 | Wrote right-handed |
| McCain, John | USA | Politician | 1936-2018 | |
| McCartney, Paul | UK | Musician | 1942- | |
| McEnroe, John (tennis) | USA | Sport | 1959- | |
| McQueen, Steve | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1930-1980 | Debatable/unlikely |
| Messi, Lionel | Argentina | Sport | 1987- | Left-footed but right-handed |
| Michael, George | UK | Musician | 1963- | |
| Mickelson, Phil (golf) | USA | Sport | 1970- | Right-handed apart from golf |
| Moore, Demi | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1962- | |
| Moore, Julianne | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1960- | |
| Morse, Steve | USA | Musician | 1954- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Nadal, Rafael (tennis) | Spain | Sport | 1986- | Right-handed apart from tennis |
| Navratilova, Martina (tennis) | Czech/USA | Sport | 1956- | Writes with her right hand |
| Nelson, Horatio Lord | UK | Leader/Military | 1758-1805 | Switched after an accident to right |
| Netanyahu, Benjamin | Israel | Politician | 1949- | |
| Obama, Barack | USA | Politician | 1961- | |
| Olsen, Mary-Kate & Ashley | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1986- | |
| O'Neal, Ryan | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1941- | |
| Orr, Bobby (ice hockey) | Canada | Sport | 1948- | |
| Paquiao, Manny (boxing) | Philippines | Sport | 1978- | Boxes left, but right-handed |
| Palmer, Arnold (golf) | USA | Sport | 1929- | Plays golf right-handed |
| Parker, Sarah Jessica | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1965- | |
| Pavlov, Ivan | Russia | Scientist | 1849-1936 | Taught himself to be ambidextrous |
| Perot, Ross | USA | Businessman | 1930- | |
| Pitt, Brad | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1963- | Writes with right-hand |
| Pop, Iggy | USA | Musician | 1947- | |
| Porter, Cole | USA | Musician | 1891-1964 | |
| Pryor, Richard | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1940-2005 | |
| Puskás, Ferenc | Hungary | Sport | 1927-2006 | Left-footed but right-handed |
| Ramses II | Egypt | Leader/Military | ....1303BC-1213BC | Debatable/unlikely (see here) |
| Reagan, Ronald | USA | Politician | 1911-2004 | Switched to right (ambidextrous?) |
| Redford, Robert | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1936- | Writes with his right hand |
| Reeves, Keanu | Canada | Film, TV & Stage | 1964- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Roberts, Julia | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1967- | |
| Rockefeller, John D. | USA | Businessman | 1839-1937 | Forced to write with his right hand |
| Rockefeller, Nelson | USA | Politician | 1908-1979 | Forced to write with his right hand |
| Ruth, “Babe” (baseball) | USA | Sport | 1895-1948 | Wrote with his right hand |
| Schumann, Robert | Germany | Musician | 1810-1856 | Injured his right hand |
| Schwarzkopf, Norman | USA | Leader/Military | 1934-2012 | |
| Scott, Ridley | UK | Film, TV & Stage | 1937- | |
| Searle, Ronald | UK | Artist | 1920-2011 | |
| Seinfeld, Jerry | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1954- | |
| Seles, Monika (tennis) | Serbia | Sport | 1973- | |
| Senna, Ayrton (motor racing) | Brazil | Sport | 1960-1994 | |
| Simon, Paul | USA | Musician | 1941- | Plays guitar right-handed |
| Sobers, Garfield (cricket) | Barbados | Sport | 1936- | |
| Spitz, Mark (swimming) | USA | Sport | 1950- | |
| Starr, Ringo | UK | Musician | 1940- | Drums and writes right-handed |
| Stipe, Michael | USA | Musician | 1960- | |
| Stoppard, Tom | UK | Writer | 1937- | |
| Tesla, Nikola | Serbia/USA | Scientist | 1856-1943 | Taught himself to be ambidextrous |
| Thompson, Emma | UK | Film, TV & Stage | 1959- | |
| Tiberius, Emperor | Rome | Leader/Military | ..||42BC-37AD | |
| Truman, Harry S. | USA | Politician | 1884-1972 | Wrote with right hand |
| Twain, Mark | USA | Writer | 1835-1910 | Wrote with left due to rheumatism |
| Underwood, Derek (cricket) | UK | Sport | 1945- | Batted right, bowled left |
| Victoria, Queen | UK | Royalty | 1819-1901 | Wrote with right hand |
| Vinci, Leonardo da | Italy | Artist | 1452-1519 | Possibly due to injury |
| Watson, James D. | USA | Scientist | 1928- | |
| Weir, Mike (golf) | Canada | Sport | 1970- | Right-handed apart from golf |
| White, Jimmy (snooker) | UK | Sport | 1962- | |
| William, Prince | UK | Royalty | 1982- | Bats and bowls right-handed at cricket |
| Williams, Ted (baseball) | USA | Sport | 1918-2002 | Batted left, threw right |
| Willis, Bruce | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1955- | |
| Winfrey, Oprah | USA | Film, TV & Stage | 1954- | |
| Young, Steve (football) | USA | Sport | 1961- |