| 100% | BIGMAMATHORNTON | 15 | Singer who was the first to record “Hound Dog” |
| 61% | MAHALIA | 7 | Jackson who was the first gospel singer to perform at Carnegie Hall |
| 60% | REBA | 4 | Singer McEntire who was the first woman to play Colonel Sanders |
| 59% | RENEE | 5 | Fleming who was the first opera singer to perform the national anthem at the Super Bowl (2014) |
| 57% | DANDRIDGE | 9 | Singer Dorothy who was the first African-American to get a Best Actress Oscar nomination |
| 56% | DEE | 3 | Sandra who was the first to play "Gidget" |
| 56% | CHARLEYPRIDE | 12 | "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'" singer who was the first Black country artist to cohost the CMA Awards (1975) and the ACM Awards (1980): 2 wds. |
| 56% | LAIKA | 5 | Dog who became the first living being to orbit the Earth in 1957 |
| 56% | NIMOY | 5 | Actor Leonard who was the first to play Spock |
| 56% | DEE | 3 | Actress Sandra who was the first to play Gidget |
| 56% | DEE | 3 | Actress Sandra who was the first to play "Gidget" |
| 56% | ALYN | 4 | Kirk ___, actor who was the first to play Superman |
| 56% | ALEC | 4 | Baldwin who was the first to play Jack Ryan |
| 55% | MELALLEN | 8 | Announcer who was the first to call DiMaggio "Joltin' Joe" |
| 55% | CLINE | 5 | Patsy ___, "Walkin' After Midnight" singer who was one of the first country stars to cross over to pop music charts |
| 55% | ALEC | 4 | Actor Guinness who was the first to play Obi-Wan Kenobi |
| 55% | ALEX | 4 | Honnold who was the first to free-solo climb El Capitan |
| 54% | SAINTLEO | 8 | Fifth-century pope who was the first to be called "the Great" |
| 54% | TOBEY | 5 | Actor Maguire who was the first to play Spider-Man in movies |
| 54% | HILLARYCLINTON | 14 | Secretary of State who was the first to visit Burma since 1955 |
| 54% | BESSEL | 6 | German astronomer who was the first to measure the distance to a star |
| 53% | ELLISON | 7 | Keith who was the first Muslim elected to Congress |
| 53% | KELLYCLARKSON | 13 | "Before Your Love" singer who was the first winner of 40-Across (2 wds.) |
| 53% | GLENN | 5 | John who was the first American to orbit the earth |
| 53% | HAYES | 5 | Helen who was the first actress to achieve the EGOT |
| 53% | DOLLY | 5 | Domestic sheep who was the first mammal to be cloned |
| 53% | ALEKSEI | 7 | Leonov who was the first man to walk in space |
| 53% | COURIC | 6 | Journalist who was the first woman to guest-host "Jeopardy!" |
| 53% | RANKIN | 6 | Jeannette who was the first woman elected to Congress (1916) |
| 53% | TEBOW | 5 | Tim who was the first sophomore to win a Heisman |