Claim profile
1920–1929

The 1920s

Whose names filled the books of the 1920s — 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 Chinese books during the 1920s — whenever they lived.

In books written inEnglish19,366German3,585French3,302Italian1,816Spanish1,202Russian535Hebrew109Chinese13
  1. 1Mao ZedongMao Zedong1893–1976 · 20th century · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians110
  2. 2Sun Yat-senSun Yat-sen1866–1925 · 20th century · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians66
  3. 3Zhu DeZhu De1886–1976 · 20th century · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians17
  4. 4Zhou EnlaiZhou Enlai1898–1976 · 20th century · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians11
  5. 5Yuan ShikaiYuan Shikai1859–1916 · 19th century · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians10.0
  6. 6Lu XunLu Xun1881–1936 · 20th century · 🇨🇳 China · Writers8.5
  7. 7Hsu Shih-changHsu Shih-chang1855–1939 · 19th century · Politicians7.7
  8. 8Wu QiWu Qi440 BC–381 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians6.0
  9. 9ConfuciusConfucius551 BC–479 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇨🇳 China · Academics5.5
  10. 10Lin BiaoLin Biao1907–1971 · 20th century · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians3.1
  11. 11Wang FuzhiWang Fuzhi1619–1692 · 17th century · 🇨🇳 China · Writers2.0
  12. 12Li YuanhongLi Yuanhong1864–1928 · 19th century · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians1.9
  13. 13GMGao Ming1305–1370 · 14th century · Writers1.0

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1920s, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler1889–1945 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Politicians10 decades
  2. 2Mao ZedongMao Zedong1893–1976 · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians13 decades
  3. 3Charles de GaulleCharles de Gaulle1890–1970 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians9 decades
  4. 4Charlie ChaplinCharlie Chaplin1889–1977 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Comedians11 decades
  5. 5Nikita KhrushchevNikita Khrushchev1894–1971 · Politicians10 decades
  6. 6Chiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shek1887–1975 · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians4 decades
  7. 7Agatha ChristieAgatha Christie1890–1976 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers10 decades
  8. 8J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. Tolkien1892–1973 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers7 decades
  9. 9Francisco FrancoFrancisco Franco1892–1975 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians9 decades
  10. 10Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. Eisenhower1890–1969 · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians9 decades
  11. 11Hermann GöringHermann Göring1893–1946 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians9 decades
  12. 12Mikhail BulgakovMikhail Bulgakov1891–1940 · Writers8 decades
  13. 13Le CorbusierLe Corbusier1887–1965 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Architects10 decades
  14. 14Josip Broz TitoJosip Broz Tito1892–1980 · Activists8 decades
  15. 15Erwin RommelErwin Rommel1891–1944 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures8 decades
  16. 16Martin HeideggerMartin Heidegger1889–1976 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics10 decades
  17. 17Edward VIIIEdward VIII1894–1972 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures9 decades
  18. 18Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh1890–1969 · Politicians8 decades
  19. 19Antonio GramsciAntonio Gramsci1891–1937 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics9 decades
  20. 20Ludwig WittgensteinLudwig Wittgenstein1889–1951 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics8 decades
  21. 21Haile SelassieHaile Selassie1892–1975 · Historical Figures0 decades
  22. 22Niels BohrNiels Bohr1885–1962 · Scientists10 decades
  23. 23Vyacheslav MolotovVyacheslav Molotov1890–1986 · Politicians7 decades
  24. 24H. P. LovecraftH. P. Lovecraft1890–1937 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers6 decades
  25. 25Aldous HuxleyAldous Huxley1894–1963 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers10 decades
  26. 26Marc ChagallMarc Chagall1887–1985 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists10 decades
  27. 27Rudolf HessRudolf Hess1894–1987 · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politicians9 decades
  28. 28David Ben-GurionDavid Ben-Gurion1886–1973 · Politiciansnot measured—
  29. 29Karl DönitzKarl Dönitz1891–1980 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians8 decades
  30. 30Erwin SchrödingerErwin Schrödinger1887–1961 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Scientists11 decades
  31. 31Alfonso XIII of SpainAlfonso XIII of Spain1886–1941 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures7 decades
  32. 32Joachim von RibbentropJoachim von Ribbentrop1893–1946 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians9 decades
  33. 33Diego RiveraDiego Rivera1886–1957 · 🇲🇽 Mexico · Designers14 decades
  34. 34António de Oliveira SalazarAntónio de Oliveira Salazar1889–1970 · 🇵🇹 Portugal · Politicians0 decades
  35. 35T. E. LawrenceT. E. Lawrence1888–1935 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics10 decades
  36. 36Srinivasa RamanujanSrinivasa Ramanujan1887–1920 · 🇮🇳 India · Academics0 decades
  37. 37George S. PattonGeorge S. Patton1885–1945 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers8 decades
  38. 38Jawaharlal NehruJawaharlal Nehru1889–1964 · 🇮🇳 India · Politicians10 decades
  39. 39Bernard MontgomeryBernard Montgomery1887–1976 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers5 decades
  40. 40Ezra PoundEzra Pound1885–1972 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers11 decades
  41. 41Jean CocteauJean Cocteau1889–1963 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers11 decades
  42. 42Ryūnosuke AkutagawaRyūnosuke Akutagawa1892–1927 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  43. 43Groucho MarxGroucho Marx1890–1977 · 🇺🇸 United States · Comedians9 decades
  44. 44Rudolph ValentinoRudolph Valentino1895–1926 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Actors10 decades
  45. 45T. S. EliotT. S. Eliot1888–1965 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers11 decades
  46. 46Sergei YeseninSergei Yesenin1895–1925 · Writers11 decades
  47. 47Harold MacmillanHarold Macmillan1894–1986 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians9 decades
  48. 48Ernst RöhmErnst Röhm1887–1934 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians9 decades
  49. 49Walter BenjaminWalter Benjamin1892–1940 · Academics10 decades
  50. 50Boris PasternakBoris Pasternak1890–1960 · Writers0 decades
  51. 51John FordJohn Ford1894–1973 · 🇺🇸 United States · Directors13 decades
  52. 52Heinz GuderianHeinz Guderian1888–1954 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers8 decades
  53. 53Mae WestMae West1893–1980 · 🇺🇸 United States · Actors10 decades
  54. 54Vladimir MayakovskyVladimir Mayakovsky1893–1930 · Writers11 decades
  55. 55Erich von MansteinErich von Manstein1887–1973 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures7 decades
  56. 56D. H. LawrenceD. H. Lawrence1885–1930 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers11 decades
  57. 57Alfred RosenbergAlfred Rosenberg1893–1946 · Politicians10 decades
  58. 58Georgia O'KeeffeGeorgia O'Keeffe1887–1986 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists9 decades
  59. 59Joan MiróJoan Miró1893–1983 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Artists9 decades
  60. 60Maximilian KolbeMaximilian Kolbe1894–1941 · Academics1 decades
  61. 61Vidkun QuislingVidkun Quisling1887–1945 · 🇳🇴 Norway · Politicians1 decades
  62. 62Friedrich PaulusFriedrich Paulus1890–1957 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures7 decades
  63. 63Louis-Ferdinand CélineLouis-Ferdinand Céline1894–1961 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers9 decades
  64. 64Mary PickfordMary Pickford1892–1979 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Actors11 decades
  65. 65Marcel DuchampMarcel Duchamp1887–1968 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists10 decades
  66. 66J. Paul GettyJ. Paul Getty1892–1976 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers8 decades
  67. 67Eugene O'NeillEugene O'Neill1888–1953 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers10 decades
  68. 68C. V. RamanC. V. Raman1888–1970 · 🇮🇳 India · Scientists0 decades
  69. 69Sergei ProkofievSergei Prokofiev1891–1953 · Musicians9 decades
  70. 70Fritz LangFritz Lang1890–1976 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Directors9 decades
  71. 71Fernando PessoaFernando Pessoa1888–1935 · 🇵🇹 Portugal · Writers8 decades
  72. 72Padre PioPadre Pio1887–1968 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures7 decades
  73. 73Henry MillerHenry Miller1891–1980 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers13 decades
  74. 74Marina TsvetaevaMarina Tsvetaeva1892–1941 · Writers10 decades
  75. 75Dale CarnegieDale Carnegie1888–1955 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers9 decades
  76. 76Chester W. NimitzChester W. Nimitz1885–1966 · 🇺🇸 United States · Historical Figures8 decades
  77. 77Colonel SandersColonel Sanders1890–1980 · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders0 decades
  78. 78Nestor MakhnoNestor Makhno1888–1934 · Activists7 decades
  79. 79Edith SteinEdith Stein1891–1942 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics10 decades
  80. 80Raymond ChandlerRaymond Chandler1888–1959 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers8 decades
  81. 81Alfred JodlAlfred Jodl1890–1946 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians8 decades
  82. 82Anna AkhmatovaAnna Akhmatova1889–1966 · Writers11 decades
  83. 83Stan LaurelStan Laurel1890–1965 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Actors6 decades
  84. 84Walter UlbrichtWalter Ulbricht1893–1973 · Politicians9 decades
  85. 85Julius StreicherJulius Streicher1885–1946 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians9 decades
  86. 86Lillian GishLillian Gish1893–1993 · 🇺🇸 United States · Actors10 decades
  87. 87Arthur Seyss-InquartArthur Seyss-Inquart1892–1946 · Politicians7 decades
  88. 88Max ErnstMax Ernst1891–1976 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists12 decades
  89. 89Ip ManIp Man1893–1972 · 🇨🇳 Chinanot measured—
  90. 90Princess Alice of BattenbergPrincess Alice of Battenberg1885–1969 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures0 decades
  91. 91Ernst ThälmannErnst Thälmann1886–1944 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians9 decades
  92. 92Marc BlochMarc Bloch1886–1944 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers12 decades
  93. 93Marcus GarveyMarcus Garvey1887–1940 · Founders10 decades
  94. 94Nikolai BukharinNikolai Bukharin1888–1938 · Politicians5 decades
  95. 95Mikhail TukhachevskyMikhail Tukhachevsky1893–1937 · Politicians7 decades
  96. 96Rafael TrujilloRafael Trujillo1891–1961 · Politicians9 decades
  97. 97Charles I of AustriaCharles I of Austria1887–1922 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Historical Figures14 decades
  98. 98Faisal I of IraqFaisal I of Iraq1885–1933 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Politicians0 decades
  99. 99Man RayMan Ray1890–1976 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists10 decades
  100. 100Oliver HardyOliver Hardy1892–1957 · 🇺🇸 United States · Comedians5 decades

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.