215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time1960-1969

The 1960s

Whose names filled the books of the 1960s - 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 1960s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Mao Zedong1893-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians1260
  2. 2Liu Shaoqi1898-1969 · 20th century · China · Politicians94
  3. 3Lu Xun1881-1936 · 20th century · China · Writers71
  4. 4Zhou Enlai1898-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians65
  5. 5Sun Yat-sen1866-1925 · 20th century · China · Politicians65
  6. 6Lin Biao1907-1971 · 20th century · China · Politicians56
  7. 7Confucius551 BC-479 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Academics21
  8. 8Jiang Qing1914-1991 · 20th century · China · Actors19
  9. 9Zhuang Zhou369 BC-288 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Academics8.5
  10. 10Zhu De1886-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians8.2
  11. 11Laozi579 BC-500 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics8.0
  12. 12Yuan Shikai1859-1916 · 19th century · China · Politicians7.5
  13. 13Gao Ming1305-1370 · 14th century · Writers5.2
  14. 14Deng Xiaoping1904-1997 · 20th century · China · Politicians4.1
  15. 15Kang Youwei1858-1927 · 19th century · China · Politicians4.0
  16. 16Soong Ching-ling1893-1981 · 20th century · China · Politicians3.1
  17. 17Hai Rui1514-1587 · 16th century2.8
  18. 18Li Hongzhang1823-1901 · 19th century · China · Politicians2.4
  19. 19Cao Cao155-220 · 2nd century · China · Politicians2.2
  20. 20Du Fu712-770 · 8th century · China · Writers2.1
  21. 21Cao Xueqin1724-1760 · 18th century · China · Writers1.7
  22. 22Wu Zetian624-705 · 7th century · China · Writers1.6
  23. 23Li Bai701-762 · 8th century · Writers1.4
  24. 24Hong Xiuquan1814-1864 · 19th century · China · Politicians1.4
  25. 25Zhuge Liang181-234 · 3rd century · China · Politicians1.2
  26. 26Wang Chong27-97 · 1st century · Scientists1.2
  27. 27Xun Kuang313 BC-230 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics1.2
  28. 28Dong Zhongshu179 BC-104 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians1.1
  29. 29Zhu Xi1130-1200 · 12th century · China · Writers1.1
  30. 30Yan Fu1854-1921 · 19th century · Writers1.1
  31. 31Li Zicheng1606-1645 · 17th century · China · Politicians0.95
  32. 32Park Chung-hee1917-1979 · 20th century · South Korea · Politicians0.84
  33. 33Tao Yuanming365-427 · 5th century · China · Writers0.83
  34. 34Wang Anshi1021-1086 · 11th century · China · Politicians0.78
  35. 35Sima Qian145 BC-86 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Writers0.78
  36. 36Lin Tse-hsu1785-1850 · 19th century · Politicians0.77
  37. 37Kim Il-sung1912-1994 · 20th century · North Korea · Politicians0.73
  38. 38Qu Yuan343 BC-278 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Writers0.71
  39. 39Guan Hanqing1210-1298 · 13th century · Writers0.67
  40. 40Wang Fuzhi1619-1692 · 17th century · China · Writers0.55
  41. 41Yu Qian1398-1457 · 15th century · Writers0.55
  42. 42Li Peng1928-2019 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.38
  43. 43Bai Juyi772-846 · 9th century · China · Writers0.37
  44. 44Hongwu Emperor1328-1398 · 14th century · China · Historical Figures0.36
  45. 45Jiang Zemin1926-2022 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.34
  46. 46Liu Zongyuan773-819 · 9th century · Writers0.31
  47. 47Wang Yangming1472-1529 · 16th century · China · Academics0.29
  48. 48Gu Yanwu1613-1682 · 17th century · Writers0.28
  49. 49Li Qiangborn 1959 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.27
  50. 50Zhang Xuecheng1738-1801 · 18th century · Academics0.27
  51. 51Wen Tianxiang1236-1283 · 13th century · Politicians0.27
  52. 52Lu You1125-1210 · 12th century · China · Writers0.24
  53. 53Ouyang Xiu1007-1072 · 11th century · China · Writers0.23
  54. 54Koxinga1624-1662 · 17th century · Japan · Politicians0.22
  55. 55Ban Gu32-92 · 1st century · Writers0.22
  56. 56Liu Bei161-223 · 2nd century0.21
  57. 57Li Si280 BC-208 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Politicians0.21
  58. 58Chen Zi'ang661-702 · 7th century · Writers0.20
  59. 59Zhuo Wenjun175 BC-121 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.19
  60. 60Guan Zhong720 BC-645 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.16
  61. 61Ruan Yuan1764-1849 · 18th century · Academics0.16
  62. 62Dai Zhen1724-1777 · 18th century · China · Academics0.15
  63. 63Lee Kuan Yew1923-2015 · 20th century · Singapore · Politicians0.15
  64. 64Mozi470 BC-391 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.15
  65. 65Wu Jingzi1701-1754 · 18th century · Writers0.12
  66. 66Luo Guanzhong1334-1400 · 14th century · China · Writers0.11
  67. 67Qi Baishi1864-1957 · 19th century · China · Artists0.10
  68. 68Gu Kaizhi345-406 · 4th century · Artists0.10
  69. 69Tan Sitong1865-1898 · 19th century · China · Academics0.10
  70. 70Xu Guangqi1562-1633 · 16th century · Politicians0.10
  71. 71Li Yuanhong1864-1928 · 19th century · China · Politicians0.10
  72. 72Wang Shifu1250-1307 · 13th century · Writers0.09
  73. 73Faxian340-422 · 4th century · China · Writers0.09
  74. 74Zhang Zai1020-1077 · 11th century · Academics0.09
  75. 75Chiang Ching-kuo1910-1988 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.09
  76. 76Zheng He1371-1433 · 15th century · China · Historical Figures0.08
  77. 77Liu Qing78-106 · 2nd century0.07
  78. 78Zeng Guofan1811-1872 · 19th century · China · Politicians0.07
  79. 79Han Yu768-824 · 9th century · China · Writers0.07
  80. 80Liu Hui225-295 · 3rd century · Academics0.07
  81. 81Kong Shangren1648-1718 · 17th century · Writers0.07
  82. 82Shi Kefa1601-1645 · 17th century · Politicians0.07
  83. 83He Jin135-189 · 2nd century · Politicians0.07
  84. 84Lee Teng-hui1923-2020 · 20th century · Taiwan · Politicians0.07
  85. 85Guan Yu160-220 · 2nd century · China · Historical Figures0.07
  86. 86Shen Kuo1031-1095 · 11th century · China · Scientists0.06
  87. 87Zhang Juzheng1525-1582 · 16th century · China · Politicians0.06
  88. 88Wen Tong1018-1079 · 11th century · Artists0.06
  89. 89Wu Cheng'en1500-1582 · 16th century · China · Writers0.06
  90. 90Zhu Shijie1249-1314 · 13th century · Academics0.05
  91. 91Hsu Shih-chang1855-1939 · 19th century · Politicians0.05
  92. 92Song Yingxing1587-1666 · 17th century · Writers0.05
  93. 93Huang Zongxi1610-1695 · 17th century · Academics0.05
  94. 94Wang Zhaojun50 BC-18 · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.04
  95. 95Xu Xiake1587-1641 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.04
  96. 96Xi Shi506 BC-500 BC · 1st millennium BC0.04
  97. 97Liu Yuxi772-842 · 9th century · Writers0.04
  98. 98Su Shi1037-1101 · 11th century · China · Writers0.04
  99. 99Li Shizhen1517-1593 · 16th century · Scientists0.04
  100. 100Jin Shengtan1610-1661 · 17th century · Writers0.04

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1960s, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Elizabeth II1926-2022 · United Kingdom · Historical Figures8 decades
  2. 2Marilyn Monroe1926-1962 · United States · Actors7 decades
  3. 3Martin Luther King Jr.1929-1968 · United States · Activists6 decades
  4. 4Pope Benedict XVI1927-2022 · Germany · Religious Figures2 decades
  5. 5Che Guevara1928-1967 · Cuba · Activists7 decades
  6. 6Brigitte Bardot1934-2025 · France · Actors7 decades
  7. 7Margaret Thatcher1925-2013 · United Kingdom · Politicians6 decades
  8. 8Clint Eastwoodborn 1930 · United States · Actors6 decades
  9. 9Mikhail Gorbachev1931-2022 · Russia · Politicians4 decades
  10. 10Fidel Castro1926-2016 · Cuba · Politicians10 decades
  11. 11Audrey Hepburn1929-1993 · United Kingdom · Actors7 decades
  12. 12Elizabeth Taylor1932-2011 · United Kingdom · Actors9 decades
  13. 13Sean Connery1930-2020 · United Kingdom · Actors6 decades
  14. 14Warren Buffettborn 1930 · United States · Investors3 decades
  15. 15Stanley Kubrick1928-1999 · United States · Directors6 decades
  16. 16Malcolm X1925-1965 · United States · Activists6 decades
  17. 17Neil Armstrong1930-2012 · United States · Astronauts6 decades
  18. 18Jane Goodall1934-2025 · United Kingdom · Academics5 decades
  19. 19Noam Chomskyborn 1928 · United States · Academics6 decades
  20. 20Yuri Gagarin1934-1968 · Russia · Astronauts6 decades
  21. 21Andy Warhol1928-1987 · United States · Artists6 decades
  22. 22Johnny Cash1932-2003 · United States · Musicians6 decades
  23. 23Pol Pot1925-1998 · Cambodia · Politicians5 decades
  24. 24Boris Yeltsin1931-2007 · Russia · Politicians4 decades
  25. 25Sophia Lorenborn 1934 · Italy · Actors7 decades
Show 75 more

How to read these rankings

  • Attention, not reputation. A place on these lists reflects the attention a person still draws in the public record. It is not a judgement on the life.
  • Fame in print. The curves show how often a name appeared in the books of each decade from 1800 to 2019, drawn from the Google Books Ngram corpus.
  • Gaps are left as gaps. Where the record is too thin to be fair, we would rather show nothing than guess.