David Benjamin Rakoff (November 27, 1964 – August 9, 2012) was a Canadian-born American writer known for his humorous and sometimes autobiographical non-fiction essays. Based in New York City, Rakoff was a prolific essayist, journalist, and actor. He was a regular contributor to WBEZ's This American Life.

Rakoff described himself as a "New York writer" who also happened to be a "Canadian writer", a "mega Jewish writer", a "gay writer", and an "East Asian Studies major who has forgotten most of his Japanese" writer. He wrote for prominent publications such as the New York Times Magazine, Outside, GQ, Vogue, and Salon. Rakoff's essays, which are largely autobiographical and humorous, have been collected in books including Fraud and Don’t Get Too Comfortable. His witty and insightful style drew comparisons to his friend, essayist David Sedaris.

Rakoff obtained dual Canadian-American citizenship in 2003 and resided in New York City for most of his life.