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- Kevin Wacholz (born 1958) – wrestler
- James Wakefield § (1825–1910) – 8th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota; member of U.S. Congress
- DeWitt Wallace (1889–1981) – publisher, founder of Reader's Digest, philanthropist
- Harriet G. Walker § (1841–1917), president of Northwestern Hospital
- T. B. Walker § (1840–1928), lumberman, founded Minneapolis Public Library, founded Walker Art Center
- Steve Walsh (born 1966) – football player
- Sean Waltman (born 1972) – wrestler
- Tim Walz – politician
- Lou Wangberg (born 1941) – 41st Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
- John Warne (born 1979) – musician
- Lonnie Warwick – football player
- Cadwallader Washburn § (1818–1882) – businessperson, founder of Washburn Mills
- William D. Washburn § (1831–1912) – U.S. Senator; member of U.S. Congress
- Gene Washington § (born 1947) – football player
- Vin Weber (born 1952) – member of U.S. Congress
- Jon Wefald (born 1937) – educator
- Knud Wefald § (1869–1936) – member of U.S. Congress
- Mark Weigle (born 1967) – singer, songwriter
- Chris Weinke (born 1972) – football player
- Jeff Weise (1988–2005) – high school student who committed murder/suicide
- Paul Wellstone § (1944–2002) – U.S. Senator
- Sheila Wellstone (1944–2002) – advocate for human rights, the environment, and peace; wife of Paul Wellstone
- Carl L. Weschcke (born 1930) – businessperson, president/owner of Llewellyn Worldwide
- Paul Westerberg (born 1959) – musician
- Wes Westrum (1922–2002) – baseball player
- Jacob Wetterling (born 1978) – kidnapped in 1989; still missing as of 2009
- Patty Wetterling § (born 1949) – politician, advocate of children's safety
- Friedrich Weyerhäuser – businessperson
- Lindsay Whalen (born 1982) – WNBA player
- David Wheaton (born 1969) – tennis player
- Blake Wheeler (born 1986) – hockey player
- Ed White – football player
- Milo White § (1833–1912) – member of U.S. Congress
- Minor White (1908–1976) – photographer
- Sammy White § (born 1954) – football player
- Benson Whitney – United States Ambassador to Norway
- Richard Widmark (1914–2008) – actor
- Roy Wier § (1888–1963) – member of U.S. Congress
- James Russell Wiggins (1903–2000) – editor, ambassador
- Jermaine Wiggins (born 1975) – football player
- Laura Ingalls Wilder § (1867–1957) – novelist
- Zygi Wilf § (born 1950) – football team owner
- Roy Wilkins § (1901–1981) – civil rights leader
- Bud Wilkinson (1916–1994) – football player, coach, and broadcaster
- Morton S. Wilkinson § (1819–1894) – U.S. Senator; member of U.S. Congress
- Warren William (Warren William Krech) (1894–1948) – actor
- Auburn Williams (born 1990) – singer
- Brian Williams (born 1979) – football player
- Kevin Williams (born 1980) – football player
- Moe Williams (born 1974) – football player
- Pat Williams (born 1972) – football player
- Stokley Williams (born 1967) – musician
- Tom Williams (1940–1992) – hockey player
- Troy Williamson (born 1983) – football player
- Paul Willson (born 1945) – actor
- August Wilson § (1945–2005) – Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright
- Dan Wilson – musician
- Eugene McLanahan Wilson § (1833–1890) – member of U.S. Congress
- Rainn Wilson § (born 1966) - actor; Guthrie Theater alumnus
- Sheree J. Wilson (born 1958) – actor
- Thomas Wilson § (1827–1910) – member of U.S. Congress
- Wade Wilson § (born 1959) – football player
- Harold Windingstad (1929–2006) – political activist, farmer
- William Windom § (1827–1891) – U.S. Senator; member of U.S. Congress
- Antoine Winfield (born 1977) – football player
- Dave Winfield (born 1951) Baseball Hall of Fame
- Eliza Winston § (born 1830) – freed slave
- Roy Winston – football player
- Max Winter § (1903–1996) – football team owner
- Ted Winter (born 1949) – politician, farmer, insurance agent
- Theodore Wirth § (1863–1949) – horticulturalist, Minneapolis Superintendent of Parks, civic planner
- Cory Withrow – football player
- Wally Wood (1927–1981) – comic-book writer, artist, and independent publisher
- Wolfman Jack (Robert Weston Smith) §
- Jerome J. Workman, Jr. (born 1952), American spectroscopist, editor, author
- Bryan Thao Worra (born 1973) – poet, writer, and journalist
- Al Worthington § (born 1929) – baseball player
- John Wozniak (born 1971) – musician
- Donald O. Wright (1892–1985) – 35th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
- Michael Wuertz (born 1978) – baseball player
- Irma Wyman – § (born 20th century) first CIO for Honeywell
Read more about this topic: List Of People From Minnesota