Top 10 Famous People from Columbus, Ohio

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Top 10 Famous People from Columbus, Ohio


 

Let’s take a journey to Columbus, Ohio, home to some of America’s most famous people. The amount of talent that hails from Ohio’s state capital is amazing! From athletes and actors to politicians and entrepreneurs, this Midwestern metropolis has produced a number of notable figures who have made their mark on history. In this article, 10 of the most famous individuals from Columbus will be discussed. We’ll explore their backgrounds, accomplishments and legacies that can inspire recent and future generations. Each individual had unique stories about how they rose above adversity or achieved greatness despite humble beginnings; all inspiring tales that can motivate anyone looking for success today! So without further ado, let us begin our journey through time as we uncover the top ten famous people from Columbus!

 

Simone Biles

Top 10 Famous People from Columbus, Ohio

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Simone Biles is a gymnastic ‘GOAT’- an award-winning gymnast hailing from Columbus, Ohio. Biles landed on the scene with a bang and took home the all-around gold medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2013, the first African-American woman to do so. She has since gone on to win numerous other medals and accolades. Having won 25 World Championship medals, she is the most decorated gymnast in the history of the Gymnastics World Championships. Biles is known for her exceptional athleticism, including her powerful tumbling and vaulting skills, as well as her grace and artistry on the balance beam and uneven bars.  In 2021, Biles made headlines when she withdrew from several events at the Tokyo Olympics, citing concerns for her mental health and well-being. Her decision sparked a larger conversation about the importance of mental health in athletics. In 2022, Biles was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Joe Biden.

Granville T. Woods

Granville T. Woods was an African American inventor and engineer. His contributions to electric power, transportation, and communication technologies in the late 19th century led to significant developments.  There are more than 50 patents to his name. He is credited with inventing over 50 different devices including a telephone transmitter that allowed multiple users on one line, an improved steam boiler furnace, and an early version of the third rail for use in subway systems. The “third rail” system allowed trains to receive electrical power from a rail that ran alongside the tracks. The technology runs electric power to trains on existing railroad tracks, a major breakthrough in transportation technology. Though he had little formal education, The Columbus-born Woods had an aptitude for mechanics and engineering.

10 of the Most Famous American Inventions.

Guy Fieri

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With his signature, spiky bleached hair Guy Fieri is one of the world’s most influential culinary stars. The Columbus-born Fieri is a restaurateur, author, and Emmy Award-winning TV host.  His passion for food started in grade school where he sold pretzels and later washed dishes to finance his trip to France for culinary studies.  The Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in was his ticket to fame.  Fieri is also known for his hit television series on the Food Network, which includes Guy’s Big Bite, Diners and Guy’s Grocery Games. Guy Fieri owns several restaurants across the United States. His enthusiasm for all things food related ensured that in 2019 he received a star on the celebrated Hollywood Walk of Fame, a rare feat for a chef.

Josh Radnor

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Josh Radnor is widely known for his role in the Sitcom How I Met Your Mother, (2005 to 2014). The Columbus-born Josh Radnor is an American actor, writer and director. Radnor studied at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he majored in drama. He began his career on stage, performing in various plays Off-Broadway. Radnor’s television debut was on the series Welcome to New York then Six Feet Under, ER and Law & Order. However, How I Met Your Mother’s role is what made him famous. He made his writing and directorial debut with the 2010 comedy-drama film Happythankyoumoreplease, for which he won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. Liberal Arts, was his second directorial attempt and it premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

Related Read: 10 of the Most Popular American Actors.

“Lil Bow Wow”

Lil Bow Wow is the most iconic rap artist from Columbus, Ohio. Shad Gregory Moss, better known by his stage name Bow Wow, is an American rapper and actor. First gaining notoriety as a child by appearing on BET’s 106 & Park with his mentor Jermaine Dupri, Lil Bow Wow quickly became one of the most successful rap stars of the early 2000s after dropping two gold-certified albums at only 13 years old. He has experienced huge success with tracks that became household favourites such as Butterfly Kisses, Bounce With Me and Game Over, topping music charts all over America.

While he has not released an original studio album since 2003’s The Price of Fame, Bow wow recently returned to music after joining fellow hometown artist Machine Gun Kelly’s KickBack Sundays show where they do #Verzuz battles against other hip-hop icons. He also made headlines for joining the most recent instalment of Fast And Furious: Hobbs and Shaw.

Jack Nicklaus

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Jack William Nicklaus, nicknamed The Golden Bear, is a retired American professional golfer and golf course designer. In matters golf, he is G.O.A.T.  Nicklaus turned professional in 1961 and went on to win 73 PGA Tour titles, including a record 18 major championships. His major victories include six Masters Titles, five PGA Championships, four U.S. Opens and three British Opens. Nicklaus designed several golf courses, including Muirfield Village Golf Course in Ohio. He is also a published author with titles including; Golf My Way (1974; co-written with Ken Bowden), Nicklaus by Design (2002; co-written with Chris Millard), and Jack Nicklaus: Memories and Mementos from Golf’s Golden Bear (2007; co-written with David Shedloski). In 2005 Nicklaus was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

10 Most Famous American Golfers of All-Time.

Walker Bryant

Walker Bryant was born in Columbus, Ohio, on September 26, 2006. He was raised in a family of performers. Walker Bryant is an American entertainer, artist, and virtual entertainment character.  His notable roles include those in the motion picture The Bad Seed, the television series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” and the movies The Thundermans and Henry Danger. He has likewise acquired a critical following via online entertainment stages like TikTok and Instagram, where he imparts his singing and moving abilities to his fans. Notwithstanding his acting and web-based entertainment professions, Bryant is likewise a gifted vocalist. He has released Next Generation, Rules, and With You as singles and music videos. Bryant is still making a name for himself in the entertainment industry.

Alexa Bliss

Top 10 Famous People from Columbus, Ohio

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Bliss started his wrestling career in 2013 and was assigned to the NXT brand in 2015 when he signed with WWE.  Her charismatic personality and impressive in-ring skills endeared her to fans. Bliss made her debut on SmackDown Live in 2016 then went on to win the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship.  Aside from wrestling, Bliss is also known for her modelling and acting work. She has appeared in numerous movies and shows such as Sharknado 5: Total Divas and Global Swarming. She has also modelled for brands and publications such as Maxim and Muscle & Fitness Hers.

10 Most Famous People from Ohio.

Tyler Joseph

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Tyler Joseph grew up in a typical musical family in Columbus, Ohio.  From an early age, he played the piano graduating to play bass and ukulele. He is best known as the frontman for the musical duo Twenty One Pilots, alongside bandmate Josh Dun. He has won multiple awards, including the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance of the hit “Stressed Out.” Joseph assisted in much of the production of singer Shania Twain’s sixth studio album Queen of Me, and is a writer on the last song, “The Hardest Stone”. He is known for his introspective and personal writing, which frequently touches on mental health issues. In addition to music, he also studied filmmaking at Ohio State University.

Latto

Top 10 Famous People from Columbus, Ohio

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Alyssa Michelle Stephens professionally known as Latto or Big Latto (formerly known as Mulatto), is an American rapper and singer. In 2016, Stephens entered a contest on the Lifetime reality series The Rap Game, produced by Jermaine Dupri and Queen Latifah. The boot camp-style series followed young aspiring rappers in a competition against one another over a span of eight weeks. Latto, under the stage name “Miss Mulatto” at the time was the overall winner of the competition. She was offered a recording contract from Dupri with So So Def Records but turned down the deal claiming it was not enough money, opting to be an independent artist. In 2021, Latto announced that she would be changing her stage name from “Mulatto” following the controversy of the term being deemed as colourist. Mulatto’s name was changed to simply Latto and she released a new single titled The Biggest, to go with the announcement of her new name.

Related Read: Top 10 Iconic Singers from Cleveland Ohio.


Columbus, Ohio has a rich history and culture that has produced some of the most influential people in American society. This list of ten famous people from Columbus demonstrates the diverse range of talent that can be found within its borders. Each individual listed here has made an impact not only in their respective fields but also in their hometown as well.

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