(covers information from several alternate timelines)
In the history of Starfleet, many officers held the rank of captain or held the title of captain while commanding starships.
According to Travis Mayweather, Matthew Ryan spent more time in space than most Starfleet Captains. (ENT: "Fortunate Son")
List of prime reality captains
Senior captains

Bob Wesley
Starfleet flag officers sometimes retained or took command of a vessel. Most often, these officers held the rank of commodore, but there were instances of admirals operating as starship captains.
- Rear Admiral Kirk, James T. (USS Enterprise)
- Commodore Decker, Matthew (USS Constellation)
- Commodore Wesley, Bob (USS Lexington)
- Fleet Captain Garth (Garth's starship)
Captains
The substantive rank of captain was typically held by officers captaining starships. Officers of this rank also sometimes served in other capacities, such as in command of starbases or divisions of support personnel (such as JAG officers or members of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers), or as members of experimental engineering programs.
22nd century

Jonathan Archer

Balthazar Edison
- Archer, Jonathan (Enterprise NX-01)
- Brody (Saratoga)
- Duvall (Shenandoah)
- Edison, Balthazar (USS Franklin)
- Gardner (NX Program)
- Hernandez (Columbia NX-02)
- Jefferies, W.M. (NX Program)
- Jennings (Republic)
- Ramirez (Intrepid)
- Robinson, A.G. (NX Program)
- Shumar, Bryce (USS Essex)
- Stiles (Earth-Romulan War)
- Stillwell
23rd century

Christopher Pike

James T. Kirk

Spock

Hikaru Sulu
- April, Robert (USS Enterprise)
- Bateson, Morgan (USS Bozeman)
- Becker, M. (Instructor; Communications, STC, Starfleet Academy)
- Chandra
- Decker, Matthew
- Decker, Will (USS Enterprise)
- Esteban, J.T. (USS Grissom)
- Garrovick (USS Farragut)
- Garth (Garth's starship)
- Georgiou, Philippa (USS Shenzhou)
- Georgiou, Philippa (USS Discovery)
- Graffeo, C. (Instructor; Beam Technology, STC, Starfleet Academy)
- Harriman, John (USS Enterprise-B)
- Harris (USS Excalibur)
- Kirk, James T. (USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise-A)
- Kovil, T'Shen (USS Gagarin)
- Krasnovsky
- Lorca, Gabriel (USS Buran)
- Lorca, Gabriel (USS Discovery)
- Lindstrom
- Maltese, D. (Instructor; Beam Technology, STC, Starfleet Academy)
- Maranville, Steven (USS Yeager)
- O'Shea (USS Huron)
- Pike, Christopher (USS Enterprise and USS Discovery)
- Ramart (Antares)
- Randolph, Joel (USS Yorktown)
- Robau, Richard (USS Kelvin)
- Scott, Montgomery (Captain of engineering, USS Excelsior and USS Enterprise-A)
- Spock (USS Enterprise)
- Styles, Lawrence H. (USS Excelsior)
- Sulu, Hikaru (USS Excelsior)
- Terrell, Clark (USS Reliant)
- Tracey, Ronald (USS Exeter)
- Vela, Diego (Starbase 5)
- Uhura, Nyota (USS Leondegrance)
- Xon (STC, Starfleet Academy)
24th century

Kathryn Janeway

Benjamin Sisko

Jean-Luc Picard

William T. Riker
- Adams, Douglas (USS Heart of Gold)
- Aguayo, Monico C.
- Amasov (USS Endeavour)
- Annon, Jeffery Joal (USS Sherlock Holmes)
- Arakaki, Jimmy (USS Mustang)
- Arnold, Richard (Warp Technologies Development Group)
- Arrat, Itzak (USS Ticonderoga)
- Bateson, Morgan (USS Bozeman)
- Bennet (Seventh Tactical Wing)
- Benteen (USS Lakota)
- Blackwood (USS Tombaugh)
- Bligh, W. (USS G'Mat)
- Braga, Brannon (Flight instructor, Starfleet Academy)
- Braswell, Elizabeth S.
- Brownfield, Dick (USS Atlantis; Fleet Yards Operations)
- Cameron, Roy
- Carson, David (Fleet Yards Operations)
- Chalmers, Chip (Fleet Yards Operations)
- Chamberlin, Mandy (Research & Development)
- Chess, Joe (Advanced Technologies Group)
- Clark, Margaret C.
- Conklin (USS Magellan)
- Curry, Daniel (Warp Technologies Development Group, Starfleet Operations)
- Cusak, Lisa (USS Olympia)
- Darson (USS Adelphi)
- DeSoto, Robert (USS Hood)
- Dean, Doug (Orbital Operations)
- Dieghan, Drew (USS Intrepid)
- Diego (Diego's starship)
- Drexler, Douglas (USS Mare Tranquillitatis and Science Ops)
- Durango (USS Merced)
- Dwyer, John M. (Engineering Group)
- Edwell
- Entebe (USS Ulysses)
- Fleck, Jerry (Flight Ops Officer, Starfleet Academy)
- Freeman, Carol (USS Cerritos)
- Friedman, Layne (USS Albert Einstein)
- Fries, Sandy (USS Non Sequitur)
- Furen, Bryan D. (USS Aleo)
- Garrett, Rachel (USS Enterprise-C)
- Genovese, Cosmo (USS Endeavour)
- Giddings, Diana (USS Robert Louis Stevenson)
- Gifford, K.L. (USS Min'ow)
- Gleason (USS Zhukov)
- Goldberg, Seth (USS Callisto)
- Grumby, Jonas (USS Minnow)
- Gump, J. (USS Hispaniola)
- Hammond, Asenath (USS Max Plank)
- Hansen, Kurt S.
- Hunnicutt, B.J. (Starfleet Operational Support Services)
- Hutzel, Gary (Warp Technologies Development Group)
- Jacobson, Phillip
- James, Richard (USS Constantinople; Engineering Corps)
- Jameson, Mark (USS Gettysburg)
- Janeway, Kathryn (USS Voyager)
- Jedlicka, Martin (USS Saratoga)
- Jellico, Edward (USS Cairo and USS Enterprise-D)
- Jein, Gregory (Yard Engineer)
- Keel, Walker (USS Horatio)
- Keogh (USS Odyssey)
- Kobayashi, Alan (USS Tycho)
- La Forge, Silva (USS Hera)
- Laporin (Laporin's starship)
- Legato, Robert (USS Matte Fringe and Warp Technologies Development Group)
- Leyton (USS Okinawa)
- Lin, Michael J. (USS Gremlin)
- Livingston, David (Wing commander, Starfleet Academy)
- Loomis (AR-558)
- Lopez
- Louvois, Phillipa (Judge Advocate General, Sector 23, Starbase 173)
- Mann, Maria (USS Endeavour)
- Maxwell, Benjamin (USS Rutledge and USS Phoenix)
- McCoullough
- McKenzie, Richard (USS Yamato; Engineering Corps)
- Mees, Jim (Engineering Group)
- Miles, Tod (USS John F. Kennedy)
- Moore, Ronald B. (Warp Technologies Development Group)
- Narth (USS Ajax)
- Nesterowicz, John (Starfleet Academy)
- Neuss, Wendy (Warp Technologies Development Group)
- Oja, Darryl (USS Ganymede)
- Paris, Owen (USS Al-Batani)
- Park, Jana (USS Atlantis)
- Peets, Bill (Stellar Imaging Division)
- Peterson (USS Carolina)
- Picard, Jean-Luc (USS Stargazer, USS Enterprise-D, and USS Enterprise-E)
- Pierce, Benjamin Franklin (USS James Fenimore Cooper)
- Pressman, Erik (USS Pegasus)
- Priestly, J. (USS Gallico)
- Probert, Andrew (Engineering Corps)
- Ramirez (USS Valiant)
- Ramsey, Amina (USS Oakland)
- Ransom, Rudy (USS Equinox)
- Raymer (USS Destiny)
- Raymond (USS Tecumseh)
- Reynolds
- Reynolds, Charlie (USS Centaur)
- Rice, Paul (USS Drake)
- Richardson
- Rifkin (Rifkin's starship)
- Riker, William T. (USS Enterprise-D, USS Titan, and USS Zheng He) (Starfleet Reserve as of 2390s)
- Rixx (USS Thomas Paine)
- Rush, Marvin (Stellar Imaging Division, Research and Development)
- Rubenstein, Louis (USS Constellation)
- Sanders (USS Malinche)
- Satelk
- Scott, Tryla (USS Renegade)
- Shelby (USS Sutherland)
- Simmons, Adele (NCC-31810)
- Sisko, Benjamin (Deep Space 9, USS Defiant and USS Defiant)
- Alex, Smutko (USS Excalibur)
- Solok (USS T'Kumbra)
- Sordal, Bob (Orbital Operations)
- Stadius
- Stein, G. Harry (USS White Sands)
- Sternbach, Rick (USS Tranquillity Base)
- Stone, Jason (USS Strata)
- Sulu
- Swift, J. (USS Yosemite)
- Swofford, Quentin (USS Cortez)
- Taggert (USS Repulse)
- Telaka, L. Isao (USS Lantree)
- Thomas, Cari L. (USS Puget Sound and USS Farouk El-Baz; Engineering Corps)
- Trimble, Lora (USS Equicon)
- Vandermeer, Alonzo (USS Ibn Majid)
- Varley, Donald (USS Yamato)
- van de Ven, Mary (USS Elmer Fudd)
- Veneziano, Sandy (USS Omaha Nebraska)
- Wong, Leslie (USS Cairo)
- White, Dana (Yard Engineer)
- Yacobian, Brad (Fleet Ops)
- Zaheva, Chantal (USS Brattain)
- Zimbata (USS Victory)
- Zimmerman, Herman (USS Nightwing and USS Yorktown)
25th century

Cristóbal Rios
31st century
32nd century
- Bandra (USS Le Guin)
- Burnham, Michael (USS Discovery)
- Imahara (USS Armstrong)
- Kardashev, L'Teis
- Rahma
- Saru (USS Discovery)
Junior captains

Tim Watters
According to the rules of naval parlance, a person of any officer rank could be addressed as captain if they were assigned as sole commanding officer of any starship. Captains could also have been awarded provisional (brevet) ranks or field promotions to be accorded the title of captain.
- Commander Riker, William T. (USS Hathaway, USS Excalibur, and USS Enterprise-D)
- Lieutenant Commander Data (USS Sutherland and USS Enterprise-D)
- Lieutenant Commander Dax, Jadzia (USS Defiant)
- Lieutenant Commander Piersall (USS Prometheus)
- Cadet Watters, Tim (USS Valiant)
Unnamed captains

Saratoga captain (2286)
- Chakotay's first captain
- USS Enterprise-B launch spectator, 2293 (Star Trek Generations)
- USS Defiant captain (TOS: "The Tholian Web"; ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly")
- USS Jenolan captain (TNG: "Relics")
- USS Lalo captain (TNG: "We'll Always Have Paris")
- USS Saratoga captain (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
- USS Saratoga captain (DS9: "Emissary")
- Starfleet Command aide-de-camp (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
- Starfleet Command briefing attendee (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
- Transport captain commanded the starship that transported Benjamin and Jake Sisko to Deep Space 9 in 2369. (DS9: "Emissary")
- USS Venture captain (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior")
- Yar's commanding officer (TNG: "Legacy")
- 32nd century captains
List of alternate reality captains
(split 2233)

Captain Christopher Pike in 2258
Senior captain
Starfleet flag officers sometimes retained or took command of a vessel.
Captains
The substantive rank of captain was typically held by officers captaining starships. Officers of this rank also sometimes served in other capacities, such as members of experimental engineering programs.
- Abbott, Frank (USS Bradbury)
- Kirk, James T. (USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise-A)
- Pike, Christopher (USS Enterprise)
- Robau, Richard (USS Kelvin)
Junior captains
According to the rules of naval parlance, a person of any officer rank could be addressed as captain if they were assigned as sole commanding officer of any starship. Captains may have also been awarded field promotions to be accorded the title of captain.
- Commander Spock (USS Enterprise)
- Lieutenant Commander Kirk, George (USS Kelvin)
- Lieutenant Kirk, James T. (USS Enterprise)
Unnamed captains
- Daystrom Conference Room meeting attendee (Star Trek Into Darkness)
- Starfleet Headquarters secret meeting attendee (Star Trek Into Darkness)
- Yellowstone-class presentation female (VOY: "Non Sequitur")
- Yellowstone-class presentation male (VOY: "Non Sequitur")
List of mirror universe captains
(coexisting on another dimensional plane)

Captain Danby Connor

Captain Maximilian Forrest in 2155

Captain Gabriel Lorca

Captain Maddox
Captains
- Burnham, Michael (ISS Shenzhou)
- Connor, Danby (ISS Shenzhou)
- Forrest, Maximilian (ISS Enterprise)
- Kirk, James T. (ISS Enterprise NCC-1701)
- Lorca, Gabriel (ISS Buran and USS Discovery)
- Maddox (ISS Charon)
- Pike, Christopher (ISS Enterprise NCC-1701)
- Spock (ISS Enterprise NCC-1701)
- Spoeneman (ISS Cooper)
- Tilly, Sylvia (ISS Discovery)
De facto captain (not recognized by the Terran Empire)
Unnamed captain
List of parallel universe captains
(covers information from several alternate timelines)

James T. Kirk

Beverly Picard
A list of captains seen in alternate timelines and parallel universes:
Senior captain
In at least one parallel universe, Starfleet flag officers sometimes retained or took command of a vessel.
Captains
- Braxton (Aeon and USS Relativity)
- Bateson, Morgan (USS Bozeman)
- Halloway, Thomas (USS Enterprise-D) (TNG: "Tapestry")
- Kim, Harry (USS Rhode Island) (VOY: "Endgame")
- Kirk, James T. (USS Farragut) (SNW: "A Quality of Mercy")
- La Forge, Geordi (USS Challenger) (VOY: "Timeless")
- Nog (USS Defiant)
- Crusher, Beverly (USS Pasteur) (TNG: "All Good Things...")
- Reed, Malcolm (Intrepid)
- Picard, Jean-Luc (USS Enterprise-D)
- Riker, William T. (USS Enterprise-D)
- T'Pol (Enterprise NX-01)
- Tucker III, Charles (Enterprise NX-01)