In literature:

• Elizabeth Kerner, fantasy author
• Justinus Kerner (1786–1862), a German lyric poet of the Swabian school

In politics:

• Kerner Commission, 11-member commission assembled to investigate causes of the 1967 race riots
• Otto Kerner, Jr. (1908–1976), Illinois Governor and judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• Otto Kerner, Sr. (1884–1952), an Illinois Attorney General and judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

In other fields:

• Boris Kerner, a German physicist
• Durand-Kerner method, root-finding algorithm for solving polynomial equations in numerical analysis
• Jordan Kerner, film producer
• Nena (Gabriele Susanne Kerner), German singer who became famous with the New German Wave songs "Nur geträumt" and "99 Luftballons"
• Kerner (grape), grape variety
• Kerner Optical, special effects company