Kerouac often based his fictional characters on friends and family.[14][15]
Because of the objections of my early publishers I was not allowed to use the same personae names in each work.[16]
| Real-life person | Character name |
|---|---|
| Jack Kerouac | Sal Paradise |
| Gabrielle Kerouac (Jack Kerouac's mother) | Sal Paradise's Aunt |
| Joan Kerouac (born Haverty) | Laura |
| Alan Ansen | Rollo Greb |
| William S. Burroughs | Old Bull Lee |
| Joan Vollmer Adams Burroughs | Jane Lee |
| William S. Burroughs Jr. | Ray Lee |
| Julie Burroughs | Dodie Lee |
| Lucien Carr | Damion |
| Neal Cassady | Dean Moriarty |
| Neal Cassady, Sr. | Old Dean Moriarty |
| Neal Cassady's cousin | Sam Brady |
| Carolyn Cassady | Camille |
| Jamie Cassady | Joanie Moriarty |
| Cathleen Cassady | Amy Moriarty |
| Bea Franco (Beatrice Kozera) | Terry |
| Allen Ginsberg | Carlo Marx |
| John Clellon Holmes | Ian MacArthur |
| Herbert Huncke | Elmer Hassel |
| William Holmes "Big Slim" Hubbard | William Holmes "Big Slim" Hazard |
| Ruth Gullion | Rita Bettencourt |
| Helen Gullion | Mary Bettencourt |
| Diana Hansen | Inez |
| Beverly Burford | Babe Rawlins |
| Bob Burford | Ray Rawlins |
| Dianne Orin | Lee Ann |
| Henri Cru | Remi Boncœur |
| Paul Blake (Jack Kerouac's brother-in-law) | Rocco |
| Al Hinkle | Ed Dunkel |
| Helen Hinkle | Galatea Dunkel |
| Bill Tomson | Roy Johnson |
| Helen Tomson (Bill Tomson's wife) | Dorothy Johnson |
| Jim Holmes | Tommy Snark |
| Gregorio | Victor |
| Frank Jeffries | Stan Shepard |
| Gene Pippin | Gene Dexter |
| Jinny Baker Lehrman | Jinny Jones |
| Victorino Tejera | Victor Villanueva |
| Walter Adams | Walter Evans |
| Jose García Villa | Angel Luz García |
| Ed Uhl | Ed Wall |
| Justin W. Brierly | Denver D. Doll |
| Ed White | Tim Gray |
| Joanie White (Ed White's sister) | Betty Gray |
| LuAnne Henderson | Marylou |
| Pauline | Lucille |
| Vicki Russell | Dorie, "Tall redhead" |
| Rhoda | Mona |
| Ed Stringham | Tom Saybrook |
| Kells Elvins | Dale |
| Lorraine | Marie |
| Alan Harrington | Hal Hingham |
| Ginger Chase | Peaches |
| Haldon "Hal" Chase | Chad King |
| Allan Temko | Roland Major |
| Gregory La Cava | "The famous director" |
| Mr. Snow |
