This is a list of notable people from Finland. Finland is a Nordic country located between Sweden, Norway and Russia.
Actors and actresses
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- Kalevi Aho – composer
- Paavo Berglund – conductor
- Linda Brava – violinist
- Mikko Franck – conductor
- Ralf Gothóni – pianist (father of Maris)
- Ilkka Kuusisto – composer
- Pekka Kuusisto – conductor, violinist, composer
- Jaakko Kuusisto – conductor, violinist, composer
- Risto Lauriala – pianist
- Hannu Lintu – conductor
- Klaus Mäkelä – conductor, cellist
- Janne Mertanen – pianist
- Olli Mustonen – pianist, composer
- Sakari Oramo – conductor
- Selim Palmgren – composer, pianist, conductor
- Jorma Panula – conductor and conducting educator pioneer
- Einojuhani Rautavaara – composer
- Herman Rechberger – composer
- Santtu-Matias Rouvali – conductor, percussionist
- Kaija Saariaho – composer
- Esa-Pekka Salonen – conductor, composer
- Jukka-Pekka Saraste – conductor
- Jean Sibelius – composer
- Dalia Stasevska – conductor
- John Storgårds – conductor
- Elina Vähälä – violinist
- Osmo Vänskä – conductor, composer, clarinetist
- Sauli Zinovjev – composer
- Diana Ringo – composer
- Miika Eloranta & Janne Mansnerus – musicians, producers (as Super8 & Tab)
- Paavo Siljamäki – DJ and producer; part of a Trance music group Above & Beyond
- Jori Hulkkonen – DJ, musician, producer
- Petri Kuljuntausta – composer, musician
- Erkki Kurenniemi – musician, inventor
- Lassi Lehto a.k.a. Jimi Tenor – acid jazz musician
- Lassi Nikko a.k.a. Brothomstates a.k.a. Dune – musician
- Sasu Ripatti a.k.a. Vladislav Delay – musician, DJ
- Esa Juhani Ruoho a.k.a. Lackluster – musician
- Jaakko Salovaara a.k.a. JS16 – musician, producer
- Mika Vainio – musician, member of Pan Sonic
- Ville Virtanen a.k.a. Darude
- Ilpo Väisänen – musician, member of Pan Sonic
- Heidi Kilpeläinen – multimedia artist, singer and recording artist, known by the stage name HK119
- Diana Ringo – composer
- Marko Hietala – bassist and backing vocalist of Nightwish, main vocalist and co-founding member of Tarot
- Zachary Hietala – guitarist and co-founding member of Tarot
- Sami Hinkka – bassist and lyricist of Ensiferum
- Esa Holopainen – Main songwriter, current lead guitarist, and founding member of the Finnish metal band Amorphis
- Tuomas Holopainen – composer, songwriter, keyboardplayer and founding member of Nightwish
- Jan Jämsen – ex-vocalist and current lyricist of folk metal band Finntroll
- Tomi Joutsen – lead singer of Amorphis
- Tony Kakko – vocalist, composer and songwriter of Sonata Arctica
- Jari Kainulainen – ex-bassist of Stratovarius
- Antti Boman – guitarist and vocalist of death metal band Demilich
- Perttu Kivilaakso – cellist of cello-metal band Apocalyptica
- Timo Kotipelto – lead singer of Stratovarius
- Ville Laihiala – frontman of Sentenced and Poisonblack
- Alexi Laiho – frontman and lead guitarist of Children of Bodom
- Roope Latvala – guitarist of Children of Bodom
- Jani Liimatainen – former guitarist for Sonata Arctica
- Petri Lindroos – guitarist and main vocalist of Ensiferum and formerly Norther
- Jari Mäenpää – composer, singer and guitarist of Ensiferum and Wintersun
- Jukka Nevalainen – drummer of Nightwish
- Anne Nurmi – vocalist and keyboard player of Lacrimosa
- Janne Parviainen – drummer of Ensiferum, Sinergy and Barathrum
- Tomi Putaansuu – frontman and singer of Lordi
- Jaska Raatikainen – drummer for Children of Bodom
- Sami Raatikainen – guitarist for Necrophagist
- Henkka Seppälä – bassist for Children of Bodom
- Emmi Silvennoinen – keyboardist of Ensiferum
- Jani Stefanovic – guitarist, drummer, keyboardist, and bassist for Miseration and Solution .45, formerly of Crimson Moonlight and Renascent
- Markus Toivonen – founder, guitarist, songwriter and backing vocalist of Ensiferum
- Timo Tolkki – guitarist and ex-singer of Stratovarius
- Eicca Toppinen – cellist of cello-metal band Apocalyptica
- Emppu Vuorinen – guitarist of Nightwish
- Janne Wirman – keyboard player of Children of Bodom
- Jonne Aaron – frontman of Negative
- Ismo Alanko – rock musician
- Jukka Ammondt – literature professor and musician who has recorded songs of Elvis Presley in Latin and Sumerian.[1][2]
- Nikke Ankara – rap musician
- Mikko Aspa – lead singer of Deathspell Omega and owner of Northern Heritage label
- Kirill Babitzin (1950–2007)
- Maximilian Theodor Buch – historic academic and nationalist
- Carola – jazz and pop singer
- Elastinen – rap musician, half of the rap duo Fintelligens
- Cheek – rap musician, broke many Spotify records in Finland
- Irwin Goodman a.k.a. Antti Hammarberg (1943–1991) – protest singer
- Sara Forsberg a.k.a. SAARA – Swedish-Finnish American
- Samu Haber – singer and guitarist from Sunrise Avenue, solo singer-songwriter and tv music competition judge
- Aki Hakala – drummer of The Rasmus
- Hector
- Lasse Heikkilä – composer, songwriter, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist
- Eero Heinonen – bassist of The Rasmus
- Reino Helismaa (1913–1965)
- Janita – soul, pop, and alternative singer-songwriter
- Tomi Joutsen – lead singer of Amorphis
- Markus Kaarlonen – "Captain" keyboardist and producer of rock band Poets of the Fall
- Maria Kalaniemi
- Mika Karppinen – drummer from the band HIM
- Viktor Klimenko
- Samuli Kosminen
- Sakari Kukko
- Mikko Kuustonen – singer-songwriter
- Hildá Länsman (born 1993) – Sámi pop singer
- Juice Leskinen – rock musician
- Mikko Lindström – guitarist from the band HIM
- Jyrki Linnankivi – lead singer of the 69 Eyes
- Jaska Makinen – rhythm guitarist of rock band Poets of the Fall
- Tommy Mansikka-Aho
- Jarkko Martikainen
- Andy McCoy – former guitarist of Hanoi Rocks, rock musician
- Michael Monroe – former singer of Hanoi Rocks, rock musician
- Käärijä a.k.a. Jere Mikael Pöyhönen – rap musician and Finland's representative in Eurovision Song Contest 2023
- Sara Nunes – singer
- Tuomari Nurmio
- Harri Nuutinen
- Mikko Paananen – bass player for the rock band HIM
- Olga Oinola (1865–1949) – President of the Finnish Women Association
- Hanna Pakarinen – Finland's first Idols winner, pop singer
- Paleface – rap musician
- Maukka Perusjätkä – punk rocker
- Mika Pohjola – jazz pianist and composer
- Pekka Pohjola
- Kimmo Pohjonen
- Lauri Porra
- Janne Puurtinen – keyboard player from the band HIM
- Iiro Rantala
- Riku Rajamaa – lead guitarist and background singer from Sunrise Avenue, also active as a singer-songwriter
- Pauli Rantasalmi – guitarist of The Rasmus
- Tapio Rautavaara
- Marko Saaresto – lyricist, lead singer of rock band Poets of the Fall
- Jari Salminen – drummer of rock band Poets of the Fall
- Jari Sillanpää – Finnish "tango king", singer
- Sir Christus – former guitarist for the band Negative
- Aki Sirkesalo (1962–2004) – singer
- Jani "Hellboy" Snellman – bass guitarist of rock band Poets of the Fall
- Kyllikki Solanterä (1908–1965) – popular singer, vocal teacher and lyricist
- Topi Sorsakoski – schlager and rock'n'roll singer
- Gösta Sundqvist
- Jonna Tervomaa – pop singer
- Jukka Tolonen
- Antti Tuisku – pop musician, Idols star
- Olli Tukiainen – lead guitarist of rock band Poets of the Fall
- Tellu Turkka
- Tarja Turunen – former lead singer of the symphonic metal band Nightwish
- Petri Walli (1969–1995)
- Juha Watt Vainio
- Ville Valo – lead singer of HIM
- Edward Vesala (1945–1999) – jazz musician, composer, drummer
- Jussi Heikki Tapio Vuori – drummer of the 69 Eyes
- Olavi Virta – singer
- Laura Voutilainen – pop singer
- Maija Vilkkumaa – pop/rock singer
- Lauri Ylönen – lead singer of The Rasmus
- A. W. Yrjänä – rock singer, bass guitarist, songwriter, poet
- Lars Valerian Ahlfors – mathematician, Fields Medalist 1936 (1907–1996)
- Väinö Auer – explorer, geologist, geographer (1895–1981)
- Matthias Castren – ethnologist (1813–1852)
- Anders Chydenius – classical liberal (1729–1803)
- Kari Enqvist – cosmologist
- Teppo Felin – professor at the University of Oxford
- Johan Gadolin – chemist (1760–1852)
- Ragnar Granit – medicine, Nobelist (1900–1991)
- Hilma Granqvist – anthropologist (1890–1972)
- Ilkka Hanski – Crafoord Prize winning ecologist (1953–2016)
- Bengt Holmström – economist, Nobelist (1949–)
- Kimmo Innanen – astronomer (1937–2011)
- Pehr Kalm – botanist (1716–1779)
- Teuvo Kohonen – neurocomputing pioneer (1934–)
- Anders Johan Lexell – mathematician, astronomer (1740–1784)
- Ernst Lindelöf – mathematician, researcher of function theory and topology (1870–1946)
- Olli Lounasmaa – physicist, researcher of low-temperature physics (1930–2002)
- Hjalmar Mellin – mathematician (1854–1933)
- Risto Näätänen – psychologist and neuroscientist (born 1939)
- Rolf Nevanlinna – mathematician (1895–1980)
- Nils Gustaf Nordenskiöld – mineralogist (1792–1866)
- Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld – polar explorer, political refugee in Sweden (1832–1901)
- Gunnar Nordström – theoretical physicist (1881–1923)
- Aili Nurminen – meteorologist (1896–1972)
- Liisi Oterma – astronomer (1915–2001)
- Leena Palotie – gene scientist (1952–2010)
- Simo Parpola – orientalist, assyriologist
- Tuija I. Pulkkinen – space scientist (born 1962)
- Helena Ranta – pathologist, forensic dentist
- Eric Tigerstedt – inventor, Thomas Edison of Finland (1887–1925)
- Kari S. Tikka – justice and finance professor (1944–2006)
- Esko Valtaoja – astronomer
- Tatu Vanhanen – political scientist (1929–2015)
- Artturi Ilmari Virtanen – chemist, Nobelist (1895–1973)
- Vilho Väisälä – mathematician, inventor of meteorological instruments (1889–1969)
- Yrjö Väisälä – astronomer, meteorologist (1891–1971)
- Edvard Westermarck – philosopher, sociologist (1862–1939)
- Joy Wolfram – nanoscientist (1989–)
- Arvo Ylppö – pediatrician (1887–1992)
- Ashprihanal Pekka Aalto – ultramarathoner and extreme endurance athlete
- Arto Bryggare – hurdling athlete
- Sari Essayah – race walker, world champion
- Tommi Evilä – long jumper
- Arsi Harju – shot putter, Olympic champion
- Eduard Hämäläinen – decathlete
- Arto Härkönen – javelin thrower, Olympic champion
- Gunnar Höckert – runner, Olympic champion (1910–1940)
- Volmari Iso-Hollo – runner, two Olympic gold medals (1907–1969)
- Akilles Järvinen – decathlete (1905–1943)
- Matti Järvinen – javelin thrower, Olympic champion (1909–1985)
- Verner Järvinen – discus thrower, Olympic champion (1870–1941)
- Kaarlo Kangasniemi – weightlifter, Olympic champion 1968 Mexico
- Olli-Pekka Karjalainen – hammer thrower
- Veikko Karvonen – marathon runner (Boston Marathon winner 1954)
- Elias Katz – runner, Olympic champion (3,000m team steeplechase) and silver (3,000m steeplechase) (1901–1947)
- Jukka Keskisalo – runner
- Kimmo Kinnunen – javelin thrower, world champion
- Hannes Kolehmainen – runner, four Olympic gold medals (1889–1966)
- Valentin Kononen – race walker, world champion
- Tapio Korjus – javelin thrower, Olympic champion
- Teodor Koskenniemi – runner, Olympic champion (1887–1965)
- Paavo Kotila – marathon runner (Boston Marathon winner 1960)
- Harri Larva – runner, Olympic champion (1906–1980)
- Lauri Lehtinen – runner, Olympic champion (1908–1973)
- Eero Lehtonen – pentathlete, two Olympic gold medals (1898–1959)
- Heikki Liimatainen – runner, two Olympic gold medals (1894–1980)
- Tiina Lillak – javelin thrower, world champion
- Toivo Loukola – runner, Olympic champion (1902–1984)
- Taisto Mäki – long-distance runner, multiple world record holder (1910–1979)
- Jonni Myyrä – javelin thrower, two Olympic gold medals (1892–1955)
- Pauli Nevala – javelin thrower, Olympic champion
- Elmer Niklander – discus thrower and shot putter, Olympic champion (1890–1942)
- Paavo Nurmi – runner, nine Olympic gold medals (1897–1973)
- Eino Oksanen – marathon runner (Boston Marathon winner 1959, 1961,1962)
- Aki Parviainen – javelin thrower, world champion
- Tero Pitkämäki – javelin thrower, world champion
- Ville Pörhölä – shot putter, Olympic champion (1897–1964)
- Heli Rantanen – javelin thrower, Olympic champion
- Tapio Rautavaara – javelin thrower, Olympic champion (1915–1979)
- Ville Ritola – runner, five Olympic gold medals (1896–1982)
- Seppo Räty – javelin thrower, three Olympic medals, world champion
- Julius Saaristo – javelin thrower, Olympic champion (1891–1969)
- Ilmari Salminen – runner, Olympic champion (1902–1986)
- Albin Stenroos – marathon runner, Olympic champion (1889–1971)
- Olavi Suomalainen – marathon runner (Boston Marathon winner 1972)
- Armas Taipale – discus thrower, Olympic champion (1890–1976)
- Juha Tiainen – hammer thrower, Olympic champion
- Abraham Tokazier – sprinter
- Vilho Tuulos – triple jumper, Olympic champion (1895–1967)
- Pekka Vasala – runner, Olympic champion
- Lasse Virén – runner, four Olympic gold medals
- Paavo Yrjölä – decathlete, Olympic champion
- Janne Ahonen – ski jumper
- Antti Autti – snowboarder
- Eero Ettala – snowboarder, 2006 World Champion
- Veikko Hakulinen – cross-country skier, three Olympic gold medals
- Janne Happonen – ski jumper
- Heikki Hasu – Nordic combined, two Olympic gold medals
- Matti Hautamäki – ski jumper
- Antti Hyvärinen – ski jumper
- Kalevi Hämäläinen – cross-country skier
- Risto Jussilainen – ski jumper
- Marjatta Kajosmaa – cross-country skier
- Veikko Kankkonen – ski jumper
- Jouko Karjalainen – Nordic combined
- Klaes Karppinen – cross-country skier
- Kalle Keituri – ski jumper
- Harri Kirvesniemi – cross-country skier
- Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi – cross-country skier, three Olympic gold medals
- Anssi Koivuranta – Nordic combined
- Kiira Korpi – figure skater
- Markku Koski – snowboarder and Olympic bronze medalist (Men's Snowboarding Halfpipe)
- Kai Kovaljeff – ski jumper
- Hilkka Kuntola – cross-country skier
- Risto Laakkonen – ski jumper
- Janne Lahtela – freestyle skier
- Mika Laitinen – ski jumper
- Samppa Lajunen – Olympic gold medalist (Nordic combined) and (sprint)
- Ville Larinto – ski jumper
- Hannu Manninen – Nordic combined
- Marjo Matikainen-Kallström – cross-country skier
- Juha Mieto – cross-country skier
- Olli Muotka – ski jumper
- Kaija Mustonen – speed skater
- Mika Myllylä – cross-country skier
- Eero Mäntyranta – cross-country skier, three Olympic gold medals
- Toni Nieminen – ski jumper, two Olympic gold medals
- Ari-Pekka Nikkola – ski jumper, two Olympic gold medals
- Matti Nykänen – ski jumper, four Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver medal
- Harri Olli– ski jumper
- Kalle Palander – skier
- Peetu Piiroinen – snowboarder, one Olympic silver medal (halfpipe)
- Tanja Poutiainen – skier
- Jari Puikkonen – ski jumper
- Siiri Rantanen – cross-country skier
- Marjut Rolig (née Lukkarinen) – cross-country skier, one olympic gold- and silver medal
- Mikko Ronkainen – freestyle skier
- Janne Ryynänen – Nordic combined
- Veli Saarinen – cross-country skier
- Julius Skutnabb – speed skater
- Jani Soininen – ski jumper
- Helena Takalo – cross-country skier
- Jaakko Tallus – Nordic combined
- Clas Thunberg – speed skater, five Olympic gold medals
- Jouko Törmänen – ski jumper
- Tuomo Ylipulli – ski jumper
- Kaisa Mäkäräinen – biathlete, one-time World Champion, 6 total medals at World Championships
- Paavo Aaltonen – gymnast, three Olympic gold medals (1919–1962)
- Jouko Ahola – World's strongest man champion twice
- Patrik Antonius – High-stakes poker player
- Kalle Anttila – wrestler, two Olympic gold medals (1887–1975)
- Kike Elomaa – IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Veikka Gustafsson – mountain climber
- Veikko Huhtanen – gymnast, three Olympic gold medals (1919–1976)
- Robin Hull – snooker player
- Mikko Ilonen – golfer
- Mika Immonen – pool player
- Antti Kasvio – swimmer
- Minna Kauppi – orienteer, nine-time World Champion
- Marko Kemppainen – skeet shooter
- Mika Koivuniemi – ten-pin bowler
- Väinö Kokkinen – wrestler, two Olympic gold medals (1899–1967)
- Pentti Linnosvuo – sport shooter, two Olympic gold medals
- Matti Mattsson – swimmer, one World Championship bronze medal
- Jarkko Nieminen – tennis player
- Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala – inventor of Finnish baseball (1888–1981)
- Kustaa Pihlajamäki – wrestler, two Olympic gold medals (1902–1944)
- Jarno Pihlava – swimmer
- Arto Saari – pro skateboarder
- Ale Saarvala – gymnast, two Olympic gold medals
- Kasperi Salo – badminton player
- Heikki Savolainen – gymnast, two Olympic gold medals (1907–1998)
- Hanna-Maria Seppälä – swimmer, World champion
- Jani Sievinen – swimmer, one Olympic silver and many other international medals, mostly gold medals. Most decorated Finnish swimmer
- Markku Uusipaavalniemi – curler
- Anu Viheriäranta – ballet dancer
- Antti Viitikko – badminton player
- Janne Virtanen – world's strongest man champion
- Emil Väre – wrestler, two Olympic gold medals (1885–1974)
- Verner Weckman – wrestler, two Olympic gold medals (1882–1968)
Theologians, clergymen
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