A number of well-known people have been named John Collins. They include:

• John Collins, (1717-1795), Rhode Island delegate to Continental Congress
• John Collins, (1776-1822), American Governor of Delaware
• John Collins, (1899-1989), admiral in the Royal Australian Navy
• Canon John Collins, (1905-1982), U.K. radical Anglican cleric
• John Collins , a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
• John W. Collins , a chess instructor who taught Bobby Fischer and many other notable players
• John Collins, a recipient of the Victoria Cross
• John Collins, Scottish football player
• John F. Collins , U.S. Mayor of Boston (1960-1968)
• John M. Collins , a designer of paper airplanes who wrote The Gliding Flight, a book of such designs
• John Collins , CEO of Stayhealthy
• John Collins , Canadian indie rock musician (The New Pornographers, The Smugglers )
• John Collins , Australian rock musician (Powderfinger)