Think of Iraqis and the first name that strikes the mind is that of the notorious dictator Saddam Hussein. And why not, for he remained the face of Iraq for almost two decades, presiding over the Iran-Iraq War and the Gulf War. The brutality of this condemned man was finally over in 2003 when US invaded Iraq and dethroned him from power. Saddam was hanged to death in 2006 following charges of killing 148 Iraqi Shi’ites. However, Saddam Hussein is not the only famous Iraqi of the country. Nouri al-Maliki, a world leader and politician, served as the prime minister of Iraq. He was responsible for drafting Iraq’s constitution. He also played a key role in drafting the Status of Forces agreement with the United States that mandated American forces be out of Iraqi cities by June 2009. Ignatius Zakka is yet another prominent Iraqi figure. A religious leader, he dedicated his entire life for bridging the gap between the different Christian churches. In 1980, he served as the head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church. And who can forget the contribution made by Iraqi architect, Hisham N. Ashkouri, an urban planner who was the key to the reconstruction of Kabul. With this segment, find out more about famous Iraqis, their life and their works.
This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.
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Famous As: 5th king of the Sumerian city-state of Uruk
Birthdate: 0000 BC
Mesopotamian hero Gilgamesh is the leading character in the 2nd millennium B.C. Akkadian Epic of Gilgamesh. Experts believe he was a Sumerian ruler from 2900-2500 B.C., who became a legendary figure in the Third Dynasty of Ur. Gilgamesh’s tale is said to have inspired the Iliad and the Odyssey.
Famous As: King of the Akkadian Empire (2334-2279 BC)
Birthdate: 0000 BC
Birthplace: Akkadian Empire
Died: 2279 BC
Sargon of Akkad reigned as the king of the Akkadian Empire from 2334 to 2284 BC. The first person to rule the Akkadian Empire, Sargon is sometimes recognized as the first person to rule over an empire in recorded history. He is credited with founding the Old Akkadian or Sargonic dynasty, which ruled for several years after his death.
Famous As: President of Iraq (1979-2003)
Birthdate: April 28, 1937
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Al Awja, Iraq
Died: December 30, 2006
Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq as its president from 1979 to 2003. Described as one of the last of the great dictators of the 20th century, his regime caused the deaths of at least 250,000 Iraqis. Saddam was deposed in 2003 when a U.S led coalition invaded Iraq. Accused of crimes against humanity, Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death in 2006.
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Birthdate: 3317 BC
Birthplace: Ancient Near East
Methuselah was a biblical patriarch and a prominent figure in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. He was the son of Enoch and the grandfather of Noah. It is believed that he lived for 969 years, due to which Methuselah has become synonymous with longevity. Over the years, he has been referenced and portrayed in several films, television series, and music videos.
Famous As: Abraham's wife
Birthdate: 0000 BC
Birthplace: Ur of the Chaldees
Famous As: Mathematician
Birthdate: 0965 AD
Birthplace: Basrah, Iraq
Died: 1040 AD
Ibn al-Haytham was an Arab mathematician, physicist, and astronomer of the Islamic Golden Age. He is best remembered for his contributions to the principles of optics for which he is called the father of modern optics. He was the first person to explain visual perception. A polymath, Ibn al-Haytham also wrote influential books on philosophy, medicine, and theology.
Famous As: Babylon King
Birthdate: 1810 BC
Birthplace: Babylon, Iraqi
Died: 1750 BC
Hammurabi reigned as the first Babylonian dynasty's sixth king from 1792 BC to 1750 BC. During his reign, Hammurabi conquered the city-states of Eshnunna, Larsa, and Mari and brought nearly all of Mesopotamia under Babylonian rule. He is also known for issuing the Code of Hammurabi, which is one of the first law codes to establish the presumption of innocence.
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Famous As: Military Commander, King
Birthdate: 0740 BC
Birthplace: Nimrud
Died: December 31, 0681
Sennacherib reigned as the king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire between 705 BC and 681 BC. One of the most famous Assyrian kings, Sennacherib is mentioned as an important figure in the Hebrew Bible. He is credited with destructing the city of Babylon and expanding Nineveh, the last great Assyrian capital.
Famous As: Last Great Ruler of the Neo-Assyrian Empire
Birthdate: 0685 BC
Birthplace: Assyria, Iraq
Died: 0631 BC
Ashurbanipal reigned as the king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire from 669 BC until his death in 631 BC. Widely regarded as the last great king of Assyria, Ashurbanipal is best remembered for the establishment of the famous Library of Ashurbanipal. The library has great historical significance as it holds texts like the Epic of Gilgamesh, the earliest surviving notable literature.
Famous As: Biblical Figure
Birthdate: 0000 BC
Nimrod appears in the Bible as a ruler of Shinar, or Mesopotamia. Genesis and the Books of Chronicles state he was the son of Cush. Some sources link him to the Towel of Babel. He has been identified with countless real and mythical figures, such as the Mesopotamian god Ninurta.
Famous As: Physicist
Birthdate: September 20, 1962
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq
Famous As: Former body double of Uday Hussein
Birthdate: June 14, 1964
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq
Famous As: 6th President of Iraq
Birthdate: 1933 AD
Birthplace: Kalkan, Iraq
Died: October 3, 2017
Famous As: Indian actress
Birthdate: December 5, 1932
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq
Died: February 9, 2006
Famous As: King of Judah
Birthdate: 0618 BC
Died: April 3, 0561
Famous As: Caliph of Baghdad
Birthdate: September 14, 0786
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq
Died: August 9, 0833
Famous As: Political leader
Birthdate: November 21, 1914
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq
Died: February 9, 1963
Famous As: Methuselah's father
Birthdate: 0000 AD
Birthplace: Babylon
Famous As: Sasanian King of Kings of Iran from 531 to 579
Birthdate: 0501 AD
Birthplace: Ardestan, Iran
Died: January 31, 0579
Khosrow I was a 6th-century Persian king of the Sasanian Empire. Though most of the information on him is known through legends, he is believed to have been a patron of the arts. He introduced major tax reforms and also brought changes to the Sasanian bureaucracy.
Famous As: Politician
Birthdate: February 17, 1951
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Tikrit, Iraq
Died: January 15, 2007
Famous As: considered to be the last great Sasanian king (shah) of Iran, ruling from 590 to 628, with an interruption of one year
Birthdate: 0570 AD
Birthplace: Ctesiphon, Iraq
Died: February 28, 0628
Famous As: Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq (2005-06)
Birthdate: October 30, 1944
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kadhimiya, Baghdad, Iraq
Died: November 3, 2015
Ahmed Chalabi was an Iraqi politician who served as the president of the Governing Council of Iraq from 1 September 2003 to 30 September 2003. He is credited with founding the Iraqi National Congress and served as its leader for many years.
Famous As: Actress
Birthdate: April 18, 1989
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Riverside, California, USA
Famous As: Iraqi former professional wrestler and manager
Birthdate: March 1, 1939
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq
Famous As: Saddam Hussein’s Son
Birthdate: June 18, 1964
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Tikrit
Died: July 22, 2003
Uday Hussein was an the eldest child of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Uday was reportedly intimidating and erratically ruthless. Many claim that his relatives and acquaintances were victims of his rage. He was killed in 2003 by an American task force following the invasion of Iraq.
Famous As: king
Birthdate: 0634 BC
Died: 0562 BC
Famous As: Businessman
Birthdate: June 9, 1943
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Baghdad
Charles Saatchi is an Iraqi-British businessman. He is credited with co-founding the popular advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi. He then went on to co-found another international advertising agency called M&C Saatchi after Charles and his brother Maurice were forced out of Saatchi & Saatchi in 1995. He also owns Saatchi Gallery and is known for sponsoring the Young British Artists.
Famous As: Ruler
Birthdate: January 31, 1118
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Mosul, Iraq
Died: May 15, 1174
Famous As: Sennacherib's son, king
Birthdate: 0000 BC
Birthplace: Harran
Died: 0669 BC
Famous As: King
Birthdate: November 14, 1913
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Taif, Saudi Arabia
Died: July 14, 1958
Famous As: Priest
Birthdate: 0480 BC
Birthplace: Babylon
Died: 0440 BC
Famous As: King
Birthdate: 0000 AD
Birthplace: Iraq
Died: 0727 AD
Famous As: Wife of Saddam Hussein
Birthdate: June 24, 1937
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Tikrit, Iraq
Married to former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, Sajida Talfah was also his first cousin. Theirs was an arranged marriage fixed before the two were even 10. Fond of her luxurious lifestyle, Sajida also often mistreated her servants. She disappeared during the Gulf War, like many other fugitives.
Famous As: Ruler
Birthdate: 1085 AD
Birthplace: Sinjar, Iraq
Died: May 8, 1157
Famous As: Theologian and scholar
Birthdate: 0776 AD
Birthplace: Basra, Iraq
Died: 0868 AD
Famous As: king
Birthdate: 0658 BC
Died: 0605 BC
Famous As: Son of Saddam Hussein
Birthdate: May 17, 1966
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq
Died: July 22, 2003
Qusay Hussein was the younger son of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. As in charge of the Iraqi Republican Guard, a branch of the Iraqi military during the presidency of Saddam Hussein, Qusay Hussein was an influential man in Iraq. It is also believed that he had authority over other military units in Iraq. He was killed by U.S special forces in 2003.
Famous As: Politician
Birthdate: August 12, 1973
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Najaf, Iraq
Son of Iraqi Shi'a cleric Grand Ayatollah Muḥammad Ṣādiq al-Ṣadr, known for his opposition to Saddam Hussein, Muqtada al-Sadr started the Sadrist Movement. His initial militant stint transformed into a nationalist phase later. Shi'a people consider him a hero who stood against Sunni insurgents.
Famous As: politician, diplomat, journalist
Birthdate: 1940 AD
Birthplace: Hillah
Famous As: Politician
Birthdate: March 14, 1903
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Barzan, Iraq
Died: March 1, 1979
Famous As: Historian
Birthdate: 0896 AD
Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq
Died: August 31, 0956
Famous As: Poet
Birthdate: 0915 AD
Birthplace: Kufa, Iraq
Died: September 3, 0965
Famous As: King
Birthdate: 0000 BC
Famous As: Theologian
Birthdate: September 5, 0698
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kūfah, Iraq
Died: June 14, 0767
Famous As: One of the postdiluvian men in the Shem–Terah genealogy
Birthdate: 0000 BC
Birthplace: Southern Iraq
Died: 1665 BC
Famous As: Politician, Diplomat, Journalist
Birthdate: April 28, 1936
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Tel Keppe
Died: June 5, 2015
Famous As: President
Birthdate: April 14, 1916
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq
Died: August 24, 2007
Famous As: King
Birthdate: 0000 BC
Birthplace: Neo-Assyrian Empire
Died: 0859 BC
Famous As: Traveler
Birthdate: 0879 AD
Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq
Died: 0960 AD
Famous As: Football player
Birthdate: February 3, 1983
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dibis, Kirkuk, Iraq