Famous Egyptian Men

Imagine life without a toothbrush, toothpaste, haircut, eye makeup, wig or even high heels? Some of the quintessential products and services of today bear their roots to the Land of Pharaohs and Mummy’s. And that is not all for Egyptians are responsible for the 365-day calendar that we use today and the papyrus paper and black ink that revolutionized the way people wrote and penned their thoughts and beliefs. Quite startling, isn’t it? Egypt, one of the world’s first nations, has the longest history that any modern country can boast of. Its legacy and heritage stretching back to the tenth millennium BC is soaked in richness and foretells the earliest developments known to mankind and the universe.

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 1 

Mohamed Salah

(Egyptian Professional Football Player Who Plays as a Forward)

Birthdate: June 15, 1992

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Nagrig, Egypt

Egyptian professional footballer Mohamed Salah is considered one of the best players in the world. Known for his finishing, dribbling, and speed, he plays for the Premier League club Liverpool and the Egyptian national team. He has been named the CAF African Footballer of the Year twice. His fans and the press have nicknamed him "The Pharaoh."

Birthdate: 1341 BC

Birthplace: Amarna

Died: 1323 BC

Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh who ruled between 1334 and 1325 BC. He is one of the most studied ancient Egyptian pharaohs, thanks to his well-preserved tomb. Although he was not a popular ruler, the global exhibitions of artifacts associated with him have made Tutankhamun the most renowned pharaoh in the modern world.

Birthdate: 1303 BC

Birthplace: Egypt

Died: 1213 BC

Ramesses II, son of Seti I, was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty. Also known as the “Great Ancestor,” he is remembered for his aggressive military expeditions to Nubia and Canaan. The second longest-reigning ruler of Egypt, he is credited for building monuments and cities such as the Pi-Ramesses.

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 4 

Saladin

(Sultan of Egypt and Syria (1174 - 1193))

Birthdate: 1138 AD

Birthplace: Tikrit, Iraq

Died: March 4, 1193

Named the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Saladin founded the Ayyubid Dynasty. He abolished the Fatimid Caliphate and later defeated the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin, thus taking control of Palestine. As the de facto Caliph of Islam, he controlled a vast area, including Egypt, Syria, and Yemen.

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Birthdate: January 27, 1929

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: El-Gomorok, Alexandria

Mohamed Al-Fayed is a businessman whose son Dodi Fayed's death in a car crash alongside Diana, Princess of Wales became international news. Apart from being one of the richest businessmen in the world, Al-Fayed is also a humanitarian. In 1987, he established the Al Fayed Charitable Foundation, which aims at helping children living in poverty and children with life-limiting conditions.

Birthdate: April 10, 1932

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Alexandria, Egypt

Died: July 10, 2015

Egyptian actor Omar Sharif shot to fame with the iconic film Lawrence of Arabia, which won him two Golden Globes and an Academy Award nomination. He is also remembered for his role in Doctor Zhivago. He was one of the world’s top 50 contract bridge players and spoke six languages.

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 7 

Akhenaten

(Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Who Reigned from 1353 BC to 1336 BC)

Birthdate: 1372 AD

Birthplace: Egypt

Died: 1335 AD

Akhenaten ruled Egypt in 14th century B.C. He is believed to be Tutankhamun’s father. Akhenaten’s monuments and statues were destroyed following his death, as his deviation from the traditional polytheistic Egyptian culture, to worshipping Aten, was rejected by people. His capital city and his mummy were later unearthed by researchers.

Birthdate: 1481 AD

Birthplace: Ancient Egypt

Died: 1425 AD

The Napoleon of Egypt, Thutmose III is remembered for his ruthless expansion strategies. After co-ruling the kingdom with his regent stepmother, Hatshepsut, he enriched Egypt’s treasuries with the plunders from his raids as a pharaoh. He would often enter the battlefield on a chariot of gold, to intimidate his enemies.

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 9 

Caesarion

(Pharaoh)

Birthdate: June 23, 0047

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Alexandria, Egypt

Died: August 23, 0030

Caesarion reigned as the last pharaoh of ancient Egypt from September 44 BC to August 30 BC. He was Julius Caesar's only known biological son and his mother Cleopatra ruled over ancient Egypt along with him. Caesarion's death at the age of 17 marked the beginning of the famous Roman Empire and the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt.

Birthdate: December 25, 1918

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Mit Abu al-Kum

Died: October 6, 1981

Anwar Sadat served as the president and prime minister of Egypt till his assassination in 1981. He was part of the Free Officers, a group that overthrew King Farouk. He became the first Muslim Nobel laureate, after winning the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty.

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 11 

Mamdouh Elssbiay

(Egyptian Professional Bodybuilder)

Birthdate: September 16, 1984

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Baltim, Egypt

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Birthdate: 3150 BC

Birthplace: Thinis

While many historians believe Narmer of the First Dynastic Period was the first Egyptian king who brought about peace in the region, some scholars later claimed Narmer was the same as Menes. The Narmer Palette is one of the most significant relics that describe Narmer’s heroics through hieroglyphics.

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 13 

Seti I

(Pharaoh)

Birthdate: 1323 BC

Birthplace: Avaris

Died: 1279 BC

The son of Ramesses I, Seti I was an Egyptian king of the 19th dynasty. Known for his glorious reign, as opposed to his father’s short 2-year rule, he fought wars in Palestine and Syria. He also built temples, mines, and wells, and completed the hypostyle hall at Karnak.

Birthdate: May 4, 1928

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Monufia Governorate

Died: February 25, 2025

Egyptian military and political leader Hosni Mubarak served as the fourth president of Egypt from 1981 to 2011. An Egyptian Air Force officer prior to entering politics, he assumed office as the president after the incumbent Anwar Sadat's assassination in 1981. After 30 years, he had to step down from the presidency during the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. 

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Birthdate: November 14, 1922

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt

Died: February 16, 2016

Grandson of former Egyptian prime minister Boutros Ghali Bey, politician Boutros Boutros-Ghali is remembered for his tenure as the secretary-general of the UN, which witnessed peacekeeping activities in war-torn areas such as Bosnia and Herzegovina. His illustrious career boasted of various prestigious academic positions and a Fulbright scholarship.

 16 

Ahmed Zewail

(Chemist)

Birthdate: February 26, 1946

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Damanhour, Egypt

Died: August 2, 2016

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 17 

Ashraf Marwan

(Egyptian billionaire who worked as a spy for the Israeli Mossad and deceived Israel in 1973 war.)

Birthdate: February 2, 1944

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt

Died: June 27, 2007

Ashraf Marwan was an Egyptian billionaire businessman and diplomat. He is best remembered for his work as a spy for Mossad, Israel's national intelligence agency. In 2002, it was revealed that Ashraf Marwan had been working for Egyptian Intelligence and that he may have misled Mossad with wrong information in the years leading up to the Yom Kippur War.

 18 

Zahi Hawass

(Egyptian Egyptologist, Archaeologist, and Politician)

Birthdate: May 28, 1947

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Damietta

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 19 

Cambyses II

(Pharaoh of Egypt)

Birthplace: Unknown

Died: June 30, 0522

Cambyses II was the second King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire. He ruled from 530 BC to 522 BC. He was the son of Cyrus the Great and Cassandane. Before claiming the throne, he served as the governor of northern Babylonia under his father. His reign was relatively brief and marked by his conquests in Africa, notably Egypt. 

 20 

Ramesses I

(Pharaoh, Sovereign)

Birthplace: Avaris

Died: 1294 BC

Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses I was the founder of the 19th dynasty but had a brief reign. His mummy was stolen from Egypt by looters and transported through Turkish agents to the US and eventually ended up in a Canadian museum. Years later, it was returned to Egypt and displayed at Luxor Museum.

 21 

Moses

(Hebrew Religious Leader, Prophet)

Birthplace: Land of Goshen, Ancient Egypt

A prominent prophet in Islam, Christianity, and the Baháʼí Faith among other Abrahamic religions, Moses is also the most important prophet in Judaism. One of the most important biblical characters, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. The Ten Commandments are fundamental to both Christianity and Judaism. The authorship of the Torah is also attributed to Moses.

Birthdate: December 11, 1911

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt

Died: August 30, 2006

Nobel Prize-winning Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz had previously worked in the Egyptian civil service. Initially a short story writer, he later wrote novels such as Al-Thulāthiyyah, or The Cairo Trilogy. His novel Children of the Alley was banned for its religious references and led him to be stabbed by Islamists.

 23 

Ramesses III

(Pharaoh of Egypt)

Birthdate: 1217 BC

Birthplace: Thebes, Egypt

Died: 1155 BC

The son of Setnakhte, the founder of the 20th dynasty in Egypt, Ramesses III, or the warrior Pharaoh, had a long reign that was marked by peace and his successful defense against foreign invasions. Studies suggest he was assassinated in a coup led by one of his wives.

 24 

Amr Diab

(Singer)

Birthdate: October 11, 1961

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Port Said

Birthdate: November 16, 1935

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Belbin, Ashraqya, Egypt

Magdi Yacoub is a retired professor who worked at Imperial College London. He is best known for his work in repairing heart valves, a procedure which came to be known as the Ross-Yacoub procedure. In 1983, he performed the United Kingdom's first combined lung and heart transplant. Also a humanitarian, Yacoub co-founded the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Foundation in 2008.

 26 

Philo

(Jewish Philosopher Who Lived in Alexandria)

Birthdate: 0020 BC

Birthplace: Alexandria, Egypt

Died: 0050 BC

Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria was perhaps the first to use allegory to fuse Jewish scriptures with Greek philosophy. Though not much is known about his life, it is believed Philo was a lover of theater, boxing contests, and lavish dinners. His written works showcase the development of Hellenistic Judaism.

 27 

Nassef Sawiris

(entrepreneur, businessperson)

Birthdate: 1961 AD

Birthplace: Egypt

One of the wealthiest businessmen from Egypt, Nassef Sawiris has helmed Orascom Construction Industries as its CEO. The youngest son of construction magnate Onsi Sawiris, he became the richest Arab in 2021. He was also 4th on the Forbes list of Africa's Billionaires in 2022.

 28 

Ahmose I

(Ruler)

Birthplace: Thebes

Ahmose I was an Egyptian pharaoh credited with founding the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Identified as the New Kingdom of Egypt's first dynasty, Ahmose's Eighteenth Dynasty marked the beginning of an era, during which ancient Egypt achieved the height of its power. Ahmose started construction projects which culminated in the erection of the last pyramid constructed by native Egyptian rulers.

 29 

Sneferu

(King of Ancient Egypt from 2575 BC to 2465 BC)

Birthplace: Ancient Egypt

Died: 2589 BC

Sneferu reigned as a pharaoh during the Old Kingdom. The founding pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt, Sneferu is credited with introducing important innovations in the construction and design of the Egyptian pyramids. At least three pyramids, which were built during his time, have survived to this day.

 30 

Horemheb

(Pharaoh)

Birthplace: Heracleopolis Magna

Died: 1292 BC

The last king of the 18th dynasty of Egypt, Horemheb is best remembered for reviving the Amon religion, which was suppressed by Akhenaton. He headed an army under Tutankhamen and succeeded Ay as the ruler. He dismantled temples of god Aton and rebuilt statues of god Amon.

 31 

Mohamed A. El-Erian

(Egyptian-American Economist and Former CEO of 'PIMCO')

Birthdate: August 19, 1958

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Born to Egyptian parents in New York, Mohamed A. El-Erian grew up in the U.S., Egypt, and France, with his diplomat father. Educated at Cambridge and Oxford, he later served as the CEO of PIMCO. Apart from being a Bloomberg columnist, he has also written bestsellers such as When Markets Collide.

 32 

Menes

(Pharaoh)

Died: 3125 BC

Menes is credited with unifying Upper and Lower Egypt and thus establishing Egypt’s 1st dynasty. While Greek historian Herodotus mentioned him as Min, many modern scholars believe he was one of the archaic kings, namely Scorpion, Aha, and Narmer. Manetho’s accounts state he was killed by a hippopotamus.

 33 

Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator

(Pharaoh of Egypt (51–47 BC))

Birthdate: 0062 BC

Birthplace: Egypt

Died: January 13, 0047

The son of pharaoh Ptolemy XII, Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator co-ruled with his sister, Cleopatra VII. Faced with a civil war after he forced his sister to flee to Syria, he later ruled with Arsinoe IV, another sister. He was killed while battling Julius Caesar’s forces in the Alexandrian War.

Birthdate: 1411 BC

Birthplace: Ancient Egypt

Died: 1353 BC

Amenhotep III reigned as the ninth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt during the early and mid-14th century BC. Nicknamed Amenhotep the Magnificent, Amenhotep III's reign witnessed Egypt reach the height of its international and artistic power. Under his reign, Egypt also enjoyed unprecedented splendor and prosperity.

 35 

Bardiya

(Pharaoh of Egypt)

Birthplace: Pasargadae, Iran

Died: 0522 AD

Born to Cyrus the Great of Persia, Bardiya was also known as Tanyoxarces. Though most sources believe he was the king of Persia, some sources claim an impersonator ruled Persia, pretending to be the real son of Cyrus. Both historian Herodotus and king Darius believed the impersonator was Gaumata, a magus.

 36 

Ptolemy XII Auletes

(King of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt)

Birthdate: 0117 AD

Birthplace: Egypt

Died: 0051 AD

Being an illegitimate son of Ptolemy IX, Ptolemy XII Auletes apparently bribed Julius Caesar, in exchange for a law acknowledging his kingship in Egypt. He was later exiled, but came back to Egypt and killed his daughter, Berenice IV, who ruled in his absence and with the support of the opposition.

 37 

Fuad I of Egypt

(Sultan of Egypt)

Birthdate: March 26, 1868

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt

Died: April 28, 1936

Fuad I of Egypt was the Sultan of Egypt who ruled as the ninth ruler of Sudan and Egypt from the Muhammad Ali dynasty. Fuad played an important role in modern Egyptian historiography. His efforts to depict his ancestors as benevolent monarchs and nationalists would prove to be a long-lasting influence on Egyptian history.

 38 

Mohamed Aboutrika

(Egyptian Retired Professional Footballer Who Played As An Attacking Midfielder)

Birthdate: November 7, 1978

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Nahia, Giza, Egypt

Mohamed Aboutrika is an Egyptian former footballer who helped his national team win the 2006 African Cup of Nations. In the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, he played a key role in Egypt's success by scoring the winning goal in the finals. A controversial figure, Aboutrika's association with the Muslim Brotherhood has earned him a place in a terror list.

 39 

Djoser

(Ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the 3rd Dynasty during the Old Kingdom and the founder of this epoch)

Birthplace: Egypt

 40 

ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm Ḥāfiẓ

(Egyptian singer)

Birthdate: June 21, 1929

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Al-Ḥalāwāt, Egypt

Died: March 30, 1977

 41 

Yusuf al-Qaradawi

(Egyptian Islamic Scholar)

Birthdate: September 9, 1926

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Saft Turab, Egypt

Yusuf al-Qaradawi was an Egyptian scholar based in Qatar. An important influencer in the Muslim world, Al-Qaradawi is best remembered for his program, Sharia and Life. In addition to authoring over 120 books, Yusuf al-Qaradawi also helped found a website known as IslamOnline. Al-Qaradawi is often counted among the most influential Islamic scholars of his generation.

 42 

Isma'il Pasha

(Khedive)

Birthdate: December 31, 1830

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt

Died: March 2, 1895

Isma'il Pasha, also called Ismail the Magnificent, was the Khedive of Egypt and Sudan. He remained instrumental in modernizing Egypt and Sudan and invested considerably in economic and industrial development and urbanization. His administrative policies, particularly those that led to accumulation of huge foreign debt, paved way for his toppling from power and eventually the British occupation of Egypt.

 43 

Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt

(Viceroy of Egypt)

Birthdate: March 4, 1789

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Drama, Greece

Died: November 10, 1848

Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt was an Egyptian army general who served as the regent of his father's Muhammad Ali dynasty in 1848 due to his father's ill health. Ibrahim Pasha is best remembered for his military victories, including his impressive success against the Ottoman Empire, for which he is counted among the greatest members of the Muhammad Ali dynasty.

 44 

Mohamed Hussein Tantawi

(Politician, Military personnel)

Birthdate: October 31, 1935

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Cairo

Egyptian Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi ruled Egypt as its de facto head of state after the fall of former president Hosni Mubarak. He was also a military attaché in Pakistan and led Egypt in the Gulf War as part of the US-led coalition. He earned an Order of the Nile, too.

 45 

Naguib Sawiris

(Businessperson who is former chairman and CEO of Orascom Telecom Holding)

Birthdate: June 15, 1954

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt

Naguib Sawiris is an Egyptian businessman and former CEO of Orascom Telecom Holding. He is credited with building the telecommunications, information technology, and railway sectors of Orascom. Naguib Sawiris contributed immensely to the diversification of Orascom and turned it into the largest private sector employer of the country. In 2021, he was named Africa's eighth-richest person by Forbes magazine.

Birthdate: January 15, 1918

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Bacos, Egypt

Died: September 28, 1970

Gamal Abdel Nasser was an Egyptian politician. He was the second president of Egypt, serving from 1954 to 1970. Before becoming the president, Nasser played a crucial role in the Egyptian revolution of 1952, in which he led a group of army to overthrow King Farouk. Nasser remains an iconic figure, not just in Egypt, but the entire Arab world.

 47 

Mohamed Zidan

(Egyptian Retired Professional Footballer Who Played as a Striker)

Birthdate: December 11, 1981

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Port Said, Egypt

Mohamed Zidan is an Egyptian former football player who helped his national team win the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations in 2008 and 2010. Apart from his national team, which he represented from 2005 to 2012, Mohamed Zidan also played for popular clubs like Werder Bremen, Mainz 05, Hamburger SV, and Borussia Dortmund. 

 48 

Bassem Youssef

(Egyptian Comedian Best Known for Hosting a Satirical News Program Called 'El-Bernameg')

Birthdate: March 21, 1974

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt

Bassem Youssef is an Egyptian comedian, producer, writer, television host, media critic, doctor, and surgeon. Best known for hosting a satirical news program called El-Bernameg, Youssef was named in Time magazine's list of 100 most influential people in the world in 2013. Bassem Youssef is also a YouTuber; his channel PlantBtv currently targets Arabic and English-speaking audiences around the world.

 49 

Taha Hussein

(One of the Most Influential 20th-century Egyptian Writers and Intellectuals, and a Figurehead for the Egyptian Renaissance)

Birthdate: November 15, 1889

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Maghaghah, Egypt

Died: October 28, 1973

Taha Hussein was an Egyptian writer, intellectual, and one of the most influential personalities in 20th-century Egypt. Best remembered for his literary work, Hussein received 21 nominations for the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature during his lifetime. Taha Hussein is also remembered for his political career; he served as the Minister of Education in Egypt.

 50 

Pepi II Neferkare

(King of Egypt)

Birthdate: 2284 BC

Birthplace: Egypt

Died: 2216 BC

Ancient Egyptian king of the 6th dynasty, Pepi II Neferkare took to the throne at age 6, after Merenre I’s death. While scholars initially thought he was the son of Pepi I and the half-brother of Merenre, later studies suggested he was probably Merenre’s son and Pepi I’s grandson.

Egyptian civilization, by far, has been deemed as the most modern civilization of its times. And while you couldn’t thank enough the Land of Gods (more than 2000 deities) and Pyramids (130 and counting!) for the greatest advancement of civilization, you need to pay your gratitude towards its men and women alike. Egyptian men, particularly, led from the front and helped the country reach its grandiosity and splendour that it is best known of. Dig into this section to know about the life and works of famous Egyptian men.