215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time1970-1979

The 1970s

Whose names filled the books of the 1970s - 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 1970s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Mao Zedong1893-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians596
  2. 2Liu Shaoqi1898-1969 · 20th century · China · Politicians266
  3. 3Lin Biao1907-1971 · 20th century · China · Politicians235
  4. 4Lu Xun1881-1936 · 20th century · China · Writers177
  5. 5Zhou Enlai1898-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians104
  6. 6Deng Xiaoping1904-1997 · 20th century · China · Politicians69
  7. 7Confucius551 BC-479 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Academics36
  8. 8Sun Yat-sen1866-1925 · 20th century · China · Politicians28
  9. 9Jiang Qing1914-1991 · 20th century · China · Actors25
  10. 10Zhu De1886-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians19
  11. 11Cao Xueqin1724-1760 · 18th century · China · Writers12
  12. 12Laozi579 BC-500 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics7.1
  13. 13Wang Anshi1021-1086 · 11th century · China · Politicians5.7
  14. 14Gao Ming1305-1370 · 14th century · Writers5.6
  15. 15Yuan Shikai1859-1916 · 19th century · China · Politicians5.5
  16. 16Kang Youwei1858-1927 · 19th century · China · Politicians5.0
  17. 17Liu Zongyuan773-819 · 9th century · Writers4.4
  18. 18Kim Il-sung1912-1994 · 20th century · North Korea · Politicians4.3
  19. 19Wang Chong27-97 · 1st century · Scientists4.3
  20. 20Yan Fu1854-1921 · 19th century · Writers4.1
  21. 21Hong Xiuquan1814-1864 · 19th century · China · Politicians4.0
  22. 22Park Chung-hee1917-1979 · 20th century · South Korea · Politicians3.9
  23. 23Dong Zhongshu179 BC-104 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians3.8
  24. 24Wang Fuzhi1619-1692 · 17th century · China · Writers3.1
  25. 25Zhuang Zhou369 BC-288 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Academics3.0
  26. 26Zhuge Liang181-234 · 3rd century · China · Politicians2.9
  27. 27Li Hongzhang1823-1901 · 19th century · China · Politicians2.6
  28. 28Li Si280 BC-208 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Politicians2.5
  29. 29Zhu Xi1130-1200 · 12th century · China · Writers2.4
  30. 30Hua Guofeng1921-2008 · 20th century · China · Politicians2.4
  31. 31Shen Kuo1031-1095 · 11th century · China · Scientists2.2
  32. 32Li Zicheng1606-1645 · 17th century · China · Politicians1.9
  33. 33Tan Sitong1865-1898 · 19th century · China · Academics1.9
  34. 34Li Qiangborn 1959 · 20th century · China · Politicians1.9
  35. 35Soong Ching-ling1893-1981 · 20th century · China · Politicians1.5
  36. 36Qu Yuan343 BC-278 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Writers1.5
  37. 37Cao Cao155-220 · 2nd century · China · Politicians1.5
  38. 38Xun Kuang313 BC-230 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics1.5
  39. 39Du Fu712-770 · 8th century · China · Writers1.4
  40. 40Sima Qian145 BC-86 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Writers1.3
  41. 41Lin Tse-hsu1785-1850 · 19th century · Politicians1.2
  42. 42Dai Zhen1724-1777 · 18th century · China · Academics1.1
  43. 43Li Bai701-762 · 8th century · Writers1.0
  44. 44Han Yu768-824 · 9th century · China · Writers0.88
  45. 45Bai Juyi772-846 · 9th century · China · Writers0.78
  46. 46Wu Zetian624-705 · 7th century · China · Writers0.77
  47. 47Zeng Guofan1811-1872 · 19th century · China · Politicians0.69
  48. 48Wang Yangming1472-1529 · 16th century · China · Academics0.62
  49. 49Li Shizhen1517-1593 · 16th century · Scientists0.57
  50. 50Liu Bei161-223 · 2nd century0.52
  51. 51Liu Yuxi772-842 · 9th century · Writers0.52
  52. 52Su Shi1037-1101 · 11th century · China · Writers0.49
  53. 53Song Yingxing1587-1666 · 17th century · Writers0.48
  54. 54Gu Yanwu1613-1682 · 17th century · Writers0.47
  55. 55Chen-ning Yang1922-2025 · 20th century · China · Scientists0.45
  56. 56Wu Qi440 BC-381 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.45
  57. 57Tao Yuanming365-427 · 5th century · China · Writers0.42
  58. 58Zhang Zai1020-1077 · 11th century · Academics0.41
  59. 59Huang Chao801-884 · 9th century · Writers0.39
  60. 60Emperor Wu of Han156 BC-87 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.39
  61. 61Mozi470 BC-391 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.38
  62. 62Zheng He1371-1433 · 15th century · China · Historical Figures0.36
  63. 63Ban Gu32-92 · 1st century · Writers0.35
  64. 64Jia Yi200 BC-168 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.31
  65. 65Huang Zongxi1610-1695 · 17th century · Academics0.31
  66. 66Koxinga1624-1662 · 17th century · Japan · Politicians0.31
  67. 67Lin Yutang1895-1976 · 20th century · China · Writers0.30
  68. 68Xu Xiake1587-1641 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.26
  69. 69Jiang Zemin1926-2022 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.24
  70. 70Zhang Juzheng1525-1582 · 16th century · China · Politicians0.24
  71. 71Hui Shi370 BC-310 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.24
  72. 72Lee Kuan Yew1923-2015 · 20th century · Singapore · Politicians0.23
  73. 73Chien-Shiung Wu1912-1997 · 20th century · United States · Scientists0.23
  74. 74Lu You1125-1210 · 12th century · China · Writers0.22
  75. 75Gu Kaizhi345-406 · 4th century · Artists0.22
  76. 76Qi Baishi1864-1957 · 19th century · China · Artists0.22
  77. 77Wen Tong1018-1079 · 11th century · Artists0.22
  78. 78Jet Liborn 1963 · 20th century · United States · Actors0.20
  79. 79Guan Zhong720 BC-645 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.20
  80. 80Chen Liang1143-1195 · 12th century · Academics0.20
  81. 81Hsu Shih-chang1855-1939 · 19th century · Politicians0.17
  82. 82Wang Bi226-249 · 3rd century · Politicians0.16
  83. 83Yang Hui1238-1298 · 13th century · Academics0.16
  84. 84Li Peng1928-2019 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.16
  85. 85Hai Rui1514-1587 · 16th century0.16
  86. 86Hongwu Emperor1328-1398 · 14th century · China · Historical Figures0.16
  87. 87Wu Jingzi1701-1754 · 18th century · Writers0.15
  88. 88Zengzi504 BC-435 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.14
  89. 89Lü Buwei291 BC-235 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.14
  90. 90Chiang Ching-kuo1910-1988 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.13
  91. 91Qin Jiushao1208-1261 · 13th century · Academics0.13
  92. 92Zhu Shijie1249-1314 · 13th century · Academics0.13
  93. 93Chen Zi'ang661-702 · 7th century · Writers0.13
  94. 94Faxian340-422 · 4th century · China · Writers0.13
  95. 95Xu Guangqi1562-1633 · 16th century · Politicians0.12
  96. 96Lu Jiuyuan1139-1193 · 12th century · Academics0.11
  97. 97Zhang Xianzhong1606-1647 · 17th century0.11
  98. 98Xu Shen58-147 · 1st century · Writers0.11
  99. 99Zhang Zhidong1837-1909 · 19th century · Politicians0.10
  100. 100Bada Shanren1626-1705 · 17th century · Artists0.10

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1970s, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Pope Francis1936-2025 · Argentina · Religious Figuresnot measured-
  2. 2Joe Bidenborn 1942 · United States · Politicians4 decades
  3. 3Elvis Presley1935-1977 · United States · Musicians7 decades
  4. 4Bob Dylanborn 1941 · United States · Musicians6 decades
  5. 5Ali Khamenei1939-2026 · Iran · Politicians4 decades
  6. 6Bruce Lee1940-1973 · United States · Actors5 decades
  7. 7Stephen Hawking1942-2018 · United Kingdom · Scientists4 decades
  8. 8John Lennon1940-1980 · United Kingdom · Musicians6 decades
  9. 9Muhammad Ali1942-2016 · United States · Athletes8 decades
  10. 10Saddam Hussein1937-2006 · Iraq · Politicians6 decades
  11. 11Paul McCartneyborn 1942 · United Kingdom · Musicians6 decades
  12. 12Muammar Gaddafi1942-2011 · Politicians2 decades
  13. 13Robert De Niroborn 1943 · United States · Actors5 decades
  14. 14Woody Allenborn 1935 · United States · Directors6 decades
  15. 15Pelé1940-2022 · Brazil · Footballers3 decades
  16. 16Al Pacinoborn 1940 · United States · Actors5 decades
  17. 17Jack Nicholsonborn 1937 · United States · Actors5 decades
  18. 18Bernie Sandersborn 1941 · United States · Politicians3 decades
  19. 19Harrison Fordborn 1942 · United States · Actors4 decades
  20. 20Morgan Freemanborn 1937 · United States · Actors3 decades
  21. 21George Harrison1943-2001 · United Kingdom · Musiciansnot measured-
  22. 22Chuck Norris1940-2026 · United States · Actors4 decades
  23. 23Jane Fondaborn 1937 · United States · Actors6 decades
  24. 24Jimi Hendrix1942-1970 · United States · Musicians5 decades
  25. 2514th Dalai Lamaborn 1935 · China · Politiciansnot measured-
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.