The following is a list of people who, for a variety of reasons, became famous only after their deaths:

People who became famous because of the manner of their death

• Todd Beamer (killed in September 11 terrorist attacks)
• Nicholas Berg (killed by militants)
• Cassie Bernall (murdered in Columbine High School massacre)
• Mark Bingham (killed in terrorist attack)
• Jamie Bulger (murdered)
• Tom Burnett (killed in September 11 terrorist attacks)
• James Byrd, Jr. (murdered)
• Annie Chapman - Jack the Ripper victim
• Jessica Chapman (murdered)
• Anne Frank (genocide victim)
• Kitty Genovese (murdered)
• Jeremy Glick (killed in September 11 terrorist attacks)
• Ronald Goldman (murdered)
• Lori Hacking (believed murdered)
• Amber Hagerman (murdered)
• Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold (died by suicide after committing Columbine High School massacre)
• Polly Klaas (murdered)
• Leno and Rosemary LaBianca (murdered)
• Stephen Lawrence (murdered)
• Chandra Levy (believed murdered)
• Mary Ann Nichols (victim of Jack the Ripper)
• Laci Peterson (believed murdered)
• JonBenét Ramsey (murdered)
• Rachel Scott (murdered in Columbine High School massacre)
• Matthew Shepard (murdered)
• Nicole Brown Simpson (murdered)
• Damilola Taylor (murdered)
• Brandon Teena (murdered)
• Emmett Till (murdered)
• J.D. Tippit (murdered)
• Adam Walsh (murdered)
• Holly Wells (murdered)
• Cecilia Zhang (murdered)

People who became posthumously famous for other reasons

• Eva Cassidy (singer)
• Edith Holden (artist whose 1906 diary was a best-seller when published posthumously in 1977)
• William Webb Ellis (alleged inventor of Rugby Football)
• Vincent van Gogh (artist)