List of Famous people born in Portsmouth, United States of America

Patton Oswalt is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian. In television, he is known for his role as Spence Olchin in the sitcom The King of Queens (1998–2007) and guest starring as the Koenigs on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2014–2020). After making his acting debut in the Seinfeld episode "The Couch," he has since appeared in a variety of television shows, including Kim Possible, Parks and Recreation, Community, Two and a Half Men, Drunk History, Reno 911!, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Archer, Veep, A.P. Bio and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He currently narrates the sitcom The Goldbergs (2013–present) as adult Adam F. Goldberg.

Melissa Arnette Elliott is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the early-mid 1990s and later became a member of the Swing Mob collective along with childhood friend and longtime collaborator Timbaland, with whom she worked on projects for American R&B acts Aaliyah, 702, Total, and SWV. Following several collaborations and guest appearances, she launched her solo career on July 15, 1997 with her debut album Supa Dupa Fly, which spawned the top 20 single "Sock It 2 Me". The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, the highest charting debut for a female rapper at the time.

Wanda Yvette Sykes is an American actress, comedian, and writer. She was first recognized for her work as a writer on The Chris Rock Show, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1999. In 2004, Entertainment Weekly named Sykes as one of the 25 funniest people in America. She is also known for her roles on CBS' The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006–10), HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm (2001–11), and ABC's Black-ish (2015–present).

Seema Verma is an American health policy consultant and, since March 2017, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, serving in the Trump and Biden administrations. She is the founder and previous CEO of SVC, Inc., a health policy consulting firm.

Cleo Virginia Andrews, better known as V. C. Andrews or Virginia C. Andrews, was an American novelist. She was born in Portsmouth, Virginia and died of breast cancer at the age of 63. Following her death, many subsequent novels have been written by Andrew Neiderman, using Andrews's pen name.

LaShawn Merritt is an American track and field athlete who competes in sprinting events, specializing in the 400 metres. He is a former Olympic champion over the distance and his personal best of 43.65 seconds makes him the ninth fastest of all time.

John William Carter is an American businessman and politician who unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate in Nevada in 2006, losing to John Ensign in the general election. Carter is the eldest child of former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

Franchester Martin Brennaman is an American retired sportscaster, best known as the play-by-play voice of Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds on the Cincinnati Reds Radio Network from 1974 until 2019. Brennaman is known for his opinionated, zealous, and sometimes contentious style. On January 16, 2019, Brennaman announced he would retire following the 2019 season. He broadcast his final game on September 26, 2019.

Beverle Lorence "Bebe" Buell is an American singer and former fashion model. She was Playboy magazine's November 1974 Playmate of the Month. Buell moved to New York in 1972 after signing a modeling contract with Eileen Ford, and garnered notoriety after her publicized relationship with musician Todd Rundgren from 1972 until 1978, as well as her liaisons with several rock musicians over the following four decades. She is the mother of actress Liv Tyler, whose father is Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler.

Perry Edwin Ellis was an American fashion designer who founded his eponymous sportswear house in the mid-1970s. Ellis' influence on the fashion industry has been called "a huge turning point" because he introduced new patterns and proportions to a market which was dominated by more traditional men's clothing.