1910–1919
The 1910s
Whose names filled the books of the 1910s — anyone at all, however long dead — counted as mentions per million words printed, so a period that simply published more does not inflate anyone.
Talked about then
Whose names appeared most in English books during the 1910s — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish18,564German3,547French3,207Italian1,774Spanish1,162Russian306Hebrew110Chinese12
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
Jesus5 BC–30 · 1st century · Religious Figures32 - 2
Homer900 BC–800 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers7.5 - 3
Augustus63 BC–14 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians6.4 - 4
Plato428 BC–348 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics5.2 - 5
Aristotle384 BC–322 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics4.7 - 6
Cicero106 BC–43 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians4.5 - 7
Johns Hopkins1795–1873 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders4.4 - 8
Virgil70 BC–19 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers3.0 - 9
George Washington1732–1799 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians2.6 - 10
Socrates470 BC–399 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇧🇷 Brazil · Academics2.6 - 11
Abraham Lincoln1809–1865 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians2.3 - 12
Euclid333 BC–285 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics2.1 - 13
Pocahontas1596–1617 · 17th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers2.0
- 14AAcmedied 5 BC · 1st millennium BC2.0
- 15
Charles II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels1545–1617 · 16th century · Historical Figures1.9
- 16
Charles II, Duke of Savoy1489–1496 · 15th century · Historical Figures1.9 - 17
Charles II, Lord of Monaco1555–1589 · 16th century · Politicians1.9 - 18
William Henry1774–1836 · 19th century · Scientists1.9 - 19
Charlemagne748–814 · 8th century · Historical Figures1.7 - 20
Warm1840–1924 · 19th century · Scientists1.6 - 21
Plutarch40–120 · 1st century · Academics1.5 - 22
Woodrow Wilson1856–1924 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.4 - 23
John Smith1580–1631 · 17th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures1.4 - 24
Theodore Roosevelt1858–1919 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.4 - 25
Mark Twain1835–1910 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers1.4 - 26
Ovid43 BC–17 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.4 - 27
John Brown1800–1859 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders1.3 - 28
Herodotus484 BC–425 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers1.3 - 29
Edward VII1841–1910 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures1.3 - 30
Walter Scott1771–1832 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers1.3 - 31
Henry IV, Duke of Limburg1195–1247 · 13th century · Historical Figures1.3 - 32
Henry IV, Count of Luxembourg1113–1196 · 12th century · Politicians1.3 - 33
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor1050–1106 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.3 - 34HIHenry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1463–1514 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.3
- 35
Henry IV, Duke of Brabant1251–1272 · 13th century1.3 - 36HIHenry IV, Count of Waldeck1300–1348 · 14th century1.3
- 37
Euripides480 BC–406 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers1.2 - 38
Rembrandt1606–1669 · 17th century · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Artists1.2 - 39
Cleopatra69 BC–30 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Historical Figures1.2 - 40
Frederick William, Elector of Hesse1802–1875 · 19th century1.1 - 41
Frederick William1601–1625 · 17th century · Historical Figures1.1 - 42
Benjamin Franklin1706–1790 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.1 - 43
Solon630 BC–560 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers1.1
- 44
Osceola1804–1838 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.1 - 45
John the Baptist6 BC–30 · 1st century · 🇮🇱 Israel · Religious Figures1.1 - 46
Thomas Jefferson1743–1826 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.0 - 47
Pericles494 BC–429 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians1.0 - 48
J. P. Morgan1837–1913 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders1.0 - 49
Livy59 BC–17 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.0 - 50
John Henry1322–1375 · 14th century1.0 - 51
Bede672–735 · 8th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers0.99 - 52
John Adams1735–1826 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.99 - 53
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor1275–1313 · 14th century · 🇫🇷 France0.95 - 54
Julius Caesar100 BC–44 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.95 - 55
Henry II, Duke of Ziębice1396–1420 · 15th century0.94 - 56
Henry II1207–1248 · 13th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.94 - 57HIHenry II, Margrave of the Nordmark1102–1128 · 12th century0.94
- 58
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor973–1024 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures0.94 - 59
Henry II , Duke of Lower Lorraine1059–1119 · 11th century0.94 - 60
Henry II, Count of Champagne1166–1197 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures0.94 - 61
Henry II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben1215–1266 · 13th century · Historical Figures0.94 - 62
Henry II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels1507–1548 · 16th century0.94
- 63
Henry II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg1317–1390 · 14th century0.94 - 64
Henry II, Duke of Świdnica1312–1345 · 14th century0.94 - 65
Henry II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen1289–1351 · 14th century · Historical Figures0.94 - 66
Henry II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal1308–1320 · 14th century · Models0.94
- 67
Sophocles496 BC–406 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.94 - 68
William James1842–1910 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Academics0.93 - 69
Henry III, Count of Gorizia1263–1323 · 13th century0.92 - 70
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor1016–1056 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures0.92 - 71HIHenry III, Count of Luxembourg1070–1096 · 11th century · Historical Figures0.92
- 72
Henry III, Margrave of Baden-Hachberg1300–1330 · 14th century · Models0.92 - 73
Henry III, Duke of Głogów1251–1309 · 13th century · Politicians0.92 - 74
Henry III, Count of Schauenburg-Holstein1370–1421 · 15th century0.92 - 75
Henry III, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels1542–1587 · 16th century0.92
- 76
Henry III, Count of Louvain1060–1095 · 11th century · Politicians0.92 - 77
Demosthenes384 BC–322 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.92 - 78
Leland Stanford1824–1893 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.91 - 79
Bonar Law1858–1923 · 19th century · 🇨🇦 Canada · Politicians0.91 - 80HVHenry VI, Count of Waldeck1340–1397 · 14th century0.90
- 81
Henry VI, Count of Luxembourg1240–1288 · 13th century · Politicians0.90 - 82
Henry VI1376–1454 · 15th century0.90 - 83
Hadrian76–138 · 2nd century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.88 - 84
George Eliot1819–1880 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers0.88 - 85
Xenophon430 BC–354 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.86 - 86
Galen129–300 · 2nd century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Doctors0.84 - 87
Aristophanes445 BC–385 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.84 - 88
Adam Smith1723–1790 · 18th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics0.82 - 89
Herbert Spencer1820–1903 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics0.82 - 90
Origen185–254 · 3rd century · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Academics0.81 - 91
William Penn1644–1718 · 17th century · Founders0.81 - 92
Henry Clay1777–1852 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.81
- 93
James II, Count of Urgell1388–1433 · 15th century0.81 - 94
Richard II963–1026 · 10th century · 🇫🇷 France0.81
- 95
Matthew Arnold1822–1888 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers0.80 - 96
William II, Landgrave of Hesse1469–1509 · 16th century · Historical Figures0.80
- 97WIWilliam II, Count of Burgundy1075–1125 · 12th century0.80
- 98
William II, Count of Flanders1224–1251 · 13th century · Politicians0.80 - 99WIWilliam II, Duke of Apulia1095–1127 · 12th century0.80
- 100WIWilliam II, Marquess of Montferrat950–961 · 10th century0.80
Lived then
The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1910s, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Echoed
- 1
Joseph Stalin1878–1953 · Politicians9 decades - 2
Albert Einstein1879–1955 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Scientists11 decades - 3
Benito Mussolini1883–1945 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians11 decades - 4
Pablo Picasso1881–1973 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Artists10 decades - 5
Franklin D. Roosevelt1882–1945 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians10 decades - 6
Franz Kafka1883–1924 · Writers11 decades - 7
Leon Trotsky1879–1940 · Activists10 decades - 8
Thomas Mann1875–1955 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers12 decades - 9
Konrad Adenauer1876–1967 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians8 decades - 10
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk1881–1938 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Politicians2 decades - 11
Pope John XXIII1881–1963 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures14 decades - 12
Carl Jung1875–1961 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Writers8 decades
- 13
Pope Pius XII1876–1958 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures8 decades - 14
Hermann Hesse1877–1962 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers12 decades - 15
Virginia Woolf1882–1941 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers10 decades - 16
Harry S. Truman1884–1972 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians9 decades - 17
Rainer Maria Rilke1875–1926 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers12 decades - 18
Coco Chanel1883–1971 · 🇫🇷 France · Designers6 decades - 19
Stefan Zweig1881–1942 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Writers12 decades - 20
Helen Keller1880–1968 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers14 decades - 21
Jack London1876–1916 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers12 decades - 22
Maurice Ravel1875–1937 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians12 decades - 23
James Joyce1882–1941 · Writers12 decades - 24
Mata Hari1876–1917 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands10 decades - 25
Igor Stravinsky1882–1971 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians11 decades - 26
John Maynard Keynes1883–1946 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics10 decades - 27
Eleanor Roosevelt1884–1962 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians9 decades - 28
Felix Dzerzhinsky1877–1926 · Activists10 decades - 29
Douglas MacArthur1880–1964 · 🇺🇸 United States · Historical Figures10 decades - 30
Khalil Gibran1883–1931 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers5 decades - 31
Gavrilo Princip1894–1918 · Activists3 decades - 32
Alexander Fleming1881–1955 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists8 decades - 33
Reza Shah1878–1944 · Politicians10 decades - 34
Jeanne Calment1875–1997 · 🇫🇷 France · Actors3 decades - 35
Aleister Crowley1875–1947 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers7 decades - 36
Ibn Saud1876–1953 · Historical Figures10 decades - 37
Hideki Tojo1884–1948 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians7 decades - 38
Clement Attlee1883–1967 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians8 decades - 39
Franz von Papen1879–1969 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians9 decades - 40
Wilhelm Keitel1882–1946 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians8 decades - 41
Isoroku Yamamoto1884–1943 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figures3 decades - 42
Pancho Villa1878–1923 · 🇲🇽 Mexico · Activists12 decades - 43
Isadora Duncan1877–1927 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writersnot measured— - 44
Emiliano Zapata1879–1919 · 🇲🇽 Mexico · Activists12 decades - 45
George Marshall1880–1959 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians14 decades - 46
Albert Schweitzer1875–1965 · 🇫🇷 France · Doctors12 decades - 47
Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia1901–1918 · Historical Figures11 decades - 48
Mohammad Mosaddegh1882–1967 · Politicians0 decades - 49
Enver Pasha1881–1922 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Politicians11 decades - 50
Syngman Rhee1875–1965 · Politicians8 decades - 51
Manfred von Richthofen1892–1918 · Historical Figures7 decades - 52
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands1880–1962 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 53
Amedeo Modigliani1884–1920 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists10 decades - 54
Muhammad Ali Jinnah1876–1948 · Politicians8 decades - 55
Alexander Kerensky1881–1970 · Politicians9 decades - 56
Albert I of Belgium1875–1934 · Historical Figures0 decades - 57
Vallabhbhai Patel1875–1950 · 🇮🇳 India · Politicians9 decades - 58
Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden1882–1973 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Historical Figures0 decades - 59
Egon Schiele1890–1918 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Artists10 decades - 60
Max Born1882–1970 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Scientists9 decades - 61
Lu Xun1881–1936 · 🇨🇳 China · Writers13 decades - 62
İsmet İnönü1884–1973 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Politicians0 decades - 63
Bela Lugosi1882–1956 · Actors6 decades - 64
Getúlio Vargas1882–1954 · 🇧🇷 Brazil · Politicians7 decades - 65
Gerd von Rundstedt1875–1953 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures6 decades - 66
A. A. Milne1882–1956 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers10 decades - 67
Mileva Marić1875–1948 · Academics0 decades - 68
Mikhail Kalinin1875–1946 · Politicians10 decades - 69
Pierre Laval1883–1945 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians11 decades - 70
Paul Klee1879–1940 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Artists11 decades - 71
Gustav Stresemann1878–1929 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians11 decades - 72
Edgar Rice Burroughs1875–1950 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers11 decades - 73
Ferdinand Porsche1875–1951 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Scientists9 decades - 74
E. M. Forster1879–1970 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers10 decades - 75
Abdullah I of Jordan1882–1951 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Historical Figures0 decades - 76
Semyon Budyonny1883–1973 · Politicians9 decades - 77
Kurt von Schleicher1882–1934 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians8 decades - 78
Éamon de Valera1882–1975 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1 decades - 79
Emperor Taishō1879–1926 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figures0 decades - 80
Lise Meitner1878–1968 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Scientists12 decades - 81
Muhammad Iqbal1877–1938 · Academics4 decades - 82
Oswald Spengler1880–1936 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers11 decades - 83
Hjalmar Schacht1877–1970 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians11 decades - 84
Cecil B. DeMille1881–1959 · 🇺🇸 United States · Directors10 decades
- 85
Grigory Zinoviev1883–1936 · Activists3 decades - 86
Symon Petliura1879–1926 · Politicians7 decades - 87
Béla Bartók1881–1945 · Musicians4 decades - 88
Edward Hopper1882–1967 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists10 decades - 89
P. G. Wodehouse1881–1975 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers11 decades - 90
Walter Gropius1883–1969 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Architects11 decades - 91
Napoleon Hill1883–1970 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers3 decades - 92
Anna Pavlova1882–1931 · Actors12 decades - 93
Kazimir Malevich1879–1935 · Artists4 decades - 94
Lev Kamenev1883–1936 · Activists4 decades - 95
Aleksey Tolstoy1882–1945 · Writers13 decades - 96
Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia1904–1918 · Historical Figures11 decades - 97
Douglas Fairbanks1883–1939 · 🇺🇸 United States · Actors11 decades - 98
Ion Antonescu1882–1946 · Politicians5 decades - 99
Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark1882–1944not measured— - 100
François Darlan1881–1942 · 🇫🇷 France · Politiciansnot measured—
How this is measured
- Placing people in time. Each person belongs to the century in which they were most active — around age 35, and never after their death.
- Who ranks highest. Within a century, people are ranked where two independent signals agree: how many of the world’s Wikipedia language editions cover them, and how many people actually read about them. Article counts alone can be lifted by a person’s own circle; readers cannot.
- Fame in print. The curves count how often a name appears in Google Books from 1800 to 2019, as a share of all the words printed each year, in the person’s own language wherever that corpus exists. Those decades are over, so each measurement is made once and kept.
- What is left out. A lifetime is measured only from 1820, when there is enough print to judge; the five years after a death are skipped as obituaries; and a name shared with someone equally notable is credited to neither.