Famous or important Yemenis include:
- Ghassanids, tribes consisting of more than 50 families that migrated north to the Levant
- Lakhmids
- Banu Judham
- Kindah
- Sakasic, were a Himyarite tribe that settled Northern Egypt around 3rd century AD. They settled the ancient town of Bubastis in Egypt giving it its modern name Zaqaziq after the name of their Yemeni Tribe Sakasic. Also its one of Egypt provinces.
- Banu Quda'a, were a Himyarite tribe that was exiled from Yemen following the trials of the Lakhmids and they settled The Southern part of the Lakhmid Kingdom in the Samawaregion.
- Banu Amela, were the first South Arabian tribe to settle The Southern part of Mt Lebanon later known as Jabal Amil, possibly as early as the 1st millennium BC.
- Banu Muayiya ruled much of northern Arabia and Bahrain. They were mostly affiliated with Himyar and declined after its fall.
- Banu al-Harith, settled in Najran
- Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, first female journalist Yemen Arab Republic, first female deputy minister, first female ambassador and minister in the Republic of Yemen
- Abdullah Al-Baradouni (1929–1999)
- Muhammad al-Gharsi
- Abu Muhammad Al-hasan Ibn Ahmad Al-hamdani (893–945), geographer, poet, grammarian, historian, and astronomer
- Al Kindi, from Al Kindah tribe of Qaht
- Raufa Hassan al-Sharki, professor, journalist and founder of women's studies program at Sana'a University
- Muqbil bin Hadi al-Wadi'i, Yemeni Muslim cleric, founder of the Dammaj madrasa
- Abd Al Wasi Al Wasii, Yemeni scholar and historian
- Muhammad ash-Shawkani, Yemeni Sunni Salafi scholar
- Umar bin Hafiz, Yemeni Islamic scholar, founder of Dar al-Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen
- Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406), sociologist, philosopher and historian
- Abdul Aziz bin Hars bin Asad Yemeni Tamimi (816–944), famous Sufi of Junaidia order
- Abu Al Fazal Abdul Wahid Yemeni Tamimi (842–1034), famous Sufi of Junaidia order
- Mohammed Abdu (born 1949), Saudi singer and oud musician, who performs Yemeni traditional music
- Ayoob Tarish (born 1942), singer and musician
- Arwa (born 1979), Yemeni–Egyptian singer and television host.
- Shoshana Damari (1923–2006), Israeli singer
- Dana International (born 1972), Israeli singer
- Inbar Bakal Israeli singer and songwriter, half Yemeni
- Ahmed Fathi (born 1957), musician, composer, and singer
- Balqees Fathi (born 1988), singer and actress
- Zion Golan (born 1955), Israeli singer of Yemenite Jewish origin
- Ofra Haza (1957–2000), Israeli singer of Yemenite Jewish origin
- Boaz Ma'uda (born 1987), Israeli singer and songwriter of Yemenite Jewish origin
- Achinoam Nini (born 1969; better known as Noa), Israeli singer-songwriter, percussionist, poet, composer, and human rights activist of Yemenite Jewish origin
- Harel Skaat (born 1981), Israeli singer, half Yemeni
- Jade Thirlwall (born 1992), English singer, quarter Yemeni
- Fouad Abdulwahid (born 1990), singer
- Luai Ahmed (born 1993), Yemen-born Swedish journalist, columnist, and influencer
- Saba Hamzah, poet and scholar
- Ramziya al-Iryani, novelist, diplomat and women's rights activist.
- Amal al-Shami (1956–2001), writer
- Sumaya Ali Raja, journalist and first woman presidential candidate for post-revolution Yemen.
- Zahra Rahmat Allah, short story writer and journalist.
- Hind Aleryani, journalist and social activist.
- Azizah Abd Allah Abu Lahum, novelist and women's rights activist.
- Ahmed Fadl Al-Qomandan, poet, writer, and composer