[1] James Boswell, biographer of Dr Johnson, had lodgings in the street in 1768 at the home of Mr Russell, an upholsterer.

In the 20th century, Sax Rohmer (1883–1959), creator of Dr Fu Manchu, once lived in the street.

[8] Half Moon Street is the setting for the first act of Oscar Wilde's play The Importance of Being Earnest and serves as the character Algernon's home.

[1] The street is the London address of the fictional detective Paul Temple and his wife Steve and also frequently appears in the Georgian and Regency novels of Georgette Heyer.

In the Aubrey-Maturin novel series by Patrick O'Brian, the fictional physician and spy Stephen Maturin lived on Half Moon Street with his wife Diana Villiers at the start of The Ionian Mission.