215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time1980-1989

The 1980s

Whose names filled the books of the 1980s - 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 Spanish books during the 1980s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Simón Bolívar1783-1830 · 19th century · Spain · Politicians8.1
  2. 2Andrés Bello1781-1865 · 19th century · Chile · Politicians6.9
  3. 3Fidel Castro1926-2016 · 20th century · Cuba · Politicians5.9
  4. 4Francis Xavier1506-1552 · 16th century · Spain · Religious Figures5.7
  5. 5John of God1495-1550 · 16th century · Portugal5.3
  6. 6Lope de Vega1562-1635 · 16th century · Spain · Writers5.2
  7. 7Rubén Darío1867-1916 · 20th century · Nicaragua · Writers4.6
  8. 8Porfirio Díaz1830-1915 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians4.2
  9. 9Octavio Paz1914-1998 · 20th century · Mexico · Writers3.5
  10. 10Benito Juárez1806-1872 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians3.5
  11. 11Antonio Machado1875-1939 · 20th century · Spain · Writers3.2
  12. 12Christopher Columbus1451-1506 · 15th century · Italy · Historical Figures3.2
  13. 13Juan Ramón Jiménez1881-1958 · 20th century · Spain · Writers3.1
  14. 14Hernán Cortés1485-1547 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures2.8
  15. 15Venustiano Carranza1859-1920 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians2.5
  16. 16Felipe Gonzálezborn 1942 · 20th century · Spain · Politicians2.4
  17. 17John of the Cross1542-1591 · 16th century · Spain · Writers2.4
  18. 18Pablo Neruda1904-1973 · 20th century · Chile · Writers2.3
  19. 19Juan Fernández1529-1602 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures2.2
  20. 20Jorge Luis Borges1899-1986 · 20th century · Argentina · Writers2.1
  21. 21Juan Vicente Gómez1857-1935 · 19th century · Venezuela · Politicians2.1
  22. 22Bartolomé de las Casas1484-1566 · 16th century · Spain · Writers2.0
  23. 23Gabriela Mistral1889-1957 · 20th century · Chile · Writers2.0
  24. 24Alan García1949-2019 · 20th century · Peru · Politicians1.9
  25. 25Federico García Lorca1898-1936 · 20th century · Spain · Writers1.9
  26. 26César Vallejo1892-1938 · 20th century · Peru · Writers1.8
  27. 27Diego Rivera1886-1957 · 20th century · Mexico · Designers1.8
  28. 28Julio Cortázar1914-1984 · 20th century · Argentina · Writers1.8
  29. 29Salvador Allende1908-1973 · 20th century · Chile · Politicians1.8
  30. 30Miguel de Unamuno1864-1936 · 19th century · Spain · Writers1.8
  31. 31Emiliano Zapata1879-1919 · 20th century · Mexico · Activists1.7
  32. 32Carlos Fuentes1928-2012 · 20th century · Mexico · Writers1.7
  33. 33Garcilaso de la Vega1503-1536 · 16th century · Spain · Writers1.6
  34. 34Gabriel García Márquez1927-2014 · 20th century · Colombia · Writers1.6
  35. 35Francisco Pizarro1478-1541 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures1.5
  36. 36Francisco I. Madero1873-1913 · 20th century · Mexico · Activists1.5
  37. 37Juan Rulfo1917-1986 · 20th century · Mexico · Writers1.4
  38. 38Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz1651-1695 · 17th century · Mexico · Writers1.4
  39. 39Teresa of Ávila1515-1582 · 16th century · Spain · Writers1.4
  40. 40Che Guevara1928-1967 · 20th century · Cuba · Activists1.4
  41. 41Gonzalo Pizarro1502-1548 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures1.4
  42. 42Mario Vargas Llosa1936-2025 · 20th century · Spain · Writers1.3
  43. 43Pedro de Alvarado1486-1541 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures1.3
  44. 44Miguel de Cervantes1547-1616 · 16th century · Spain · Writers1.3
  45. 45Tirso de Molina1583-1648 · 17th century · Spain · Writers1.3
  46. 46Victoriano Huerta1850-1916 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians1.3
  47. 47Francisco de Miranda1750-1816 · 18th century · Spain · Politicians1.2
  48. 48Francisco de Paula Santander1792-1840 · 19th century · Colombia · Politicians1.2
  49. 49Cipriano Castro1858-1924 · 19th century · Venezuela · Politicians1.2
  50. 50José Hernández1834-1886 · 19th century · Argentina · Writers1.1
  51. 51Luis de León1527-1591 · 16th century · Spain · Writers1.1
  52. 52Raúl Alfonsín1927-2009 · 20th century · Argentina · Politicians1.1
  53. 53José Ortega y Gasset1883-1955 · 20th century · Spain · Academics1.1
  54. 54Bartolomé Mitre1821-1906 · 19th century · Argentina · Politicians1.1
  55. 55Hipólito Yrigoyen1850-1933 · 19th century · Argentina · Politicians1.1
  56. 56Ignatius of Loyola1491-1556 · 16th century · Spain · Religious Figures1.1
  57. 57Eva Perón1919-1952 · 20th century · Argentina · Actors1.0
  58. 58Manuel Belgrano1770-1820 · 19th century · Argentina · Politicians0.99
  59. 59Diego Velázquez1599-1660 · 17th century · Spain · Artists0.95
  60. 60Vicente Guerrero1782-1831 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians0.95
  61. 61Adolfo Suárez1932-2014 · 20th century · Spain · Politicians0.92
  62. 62José María Morelos1765-1815 · 19th century · Mexico · Religious Figures0.92
  63. 63Lope de Aguirre1510-1561 · 16th century · Spain0.92
  64. 64Juan Manuel de Rosas1793-1877 · 19th century · Argentina · Politicians0.91
  65. 65José de San Martín1778-1850 · 19th century · Argentina · Politicians0.90
  66. 66John of Austria1547-1578 · 16th century · Spain · Politicians0.89
  67. 67Pedro de Valdivia1497-1553 · 16th century · Spain · Politicians0.89
  68. 68Diego de Almagro1475-1538 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures0.88
  69. 69Pancho Villa1878-1923 · 20th century · Mexico · Activists0.88
  70. 70Bernal Díaz del Brawl1492-1584 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures0.88
  71. 71José Antonio Páez1790-1873 · 19th century · Spain · Politicians0.87
  72. 72Francisco de Toledo, Count of Oropesa1515-1582 · 16th century · Spain · Politicians0.86
  73. 73Ricardo Palma1833-1919 · 19th century · Peru · Writers0.86
  74. 74Antonio José de Sucre1795-1830 · 19th century · Politicians0.86
  75. 75María de Jesús1560-1640 · 16th century · Spain0.82
  76. 76John I of France1316-1316 · 14th century · France · Historical Figures0.82
  77. 77Jorge Juan y Santacilia1713-1773 · 18th century · Spain · Scientists0.80
  78. 78Augusto Pinochet1915-2006 · 20th century · Chile · Politicians0.79
  79. 79Fernán González of Castile910-970 · 10th century0.79
  80. 80Bernardo O'Higgins1778-1842 · 19th century · Spain · Politicians0.79
  81. 81El Greco1541-1614 · 16th century · Artists0.78
  82. 82Francis Solanus1549-1610 · 16th century · Spain0.77
  83. 83Francisco de Vitoria1480-1546 · 16th century · Spain · Academics0.76
  84. 84Vasco de Quiroga1470-1565 · 16th century · Religious Figures0.75
  85. 85Vicente Aleixandre1898-1984 · 20th century · Spain · Writers0.74
  86. 86Rafael Urdaneta1788-1845 · 19th century · Venezuela0.74
  87. 87Francisco Quevedo1584-1645 · 17th century · Spain · Writers0.73
  88. 88Pope Alexander VI1431-1503 · 15th century · Spain · Religious Figures0.73
  89. 89Juan de Herrera1530-1597 · 16th century · Spain · Architects0.71
  90. 90Pío Baroja1872-1956 · 20th century · Spain · Writers0.71
  91. 91Guadalupe Victoria1786-1845 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians0.71
  92. 92Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés1478-1557 · 16th century · Spain · Writers0.71
  93. 93Domingo Faustino Sarmiento1811-1888 · 19th century · Argentina · Politicians0.67
  94. 94Hernando Pizarro1502-1578 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures0.67
  95. 95Vincent Ferrer1350-1419 · 14th century · Spain · Religious Figures0.66
  96. 96Bernardino de Sahagún1499-1590 · 16th century · Spain · Academics0.64
  97. 97Manuel Azaña1880-1940 · 20th century · Spain · Politicians0.64
  98. 98Juan Andrés1740-1817 · 18th century · Spain · Academics0.63
  99. 99Nicolás Antonio1617-1684 · 17th century · Spain · Politicians0.62
  100. 100Rafael Núñez1825-1894 · 19th century · Colombia · Writers0.61

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1980s, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Donald Trumpborn 1946 · United States · Politicians4 decades
  2. 2Vladimir Putinborn 1952 · Russia · Politicians3 decades
  3. 3George W. Bushborn 1946 · United States · Politicians4 decades
  4. 4Xi Jinpingborn 1953 · China · Politicians3 decades
  5. 5Bill Clintonborn 1946 · United States · Politicians4 decades
  6. 6Benjamin Netanyahuborn 1949 · Israel · Politicians4 decades
  7. 7Freddie Mercury1946-1991 · United Kingdom · Musicians3 decades
  8. 8Robin Williams1951-2014 · United States · Actors7 decades
  9. 9Steven Spielbergborn 1946 · United States · Directors5 decades
  10. 10Arnold Schwarzeneggerborn 1947 · Austria · Actors4 decades
  11. 11Narendra Modiborn 1950 · India · Politicians2 decades
  12. 12Jackie Chanborn 1954 · United States · Actorsnot measured-
  13. 13David Bowie1947-2016 · United Kingdom · Musicians5 decades
  14. 14Meryl Streepborn 1949 · United States · Actors4 decades
  15. 15Bob Marley1945-1981 · Jamaica · Musicians5 decades
  16. 16Dolly Parton1946-2026 · United States · Musicians5 decades
  17. 17Stephen Kingborn 1947 · United States · Writers8 decades
  18. 18Sylvester Stalloneborn 1946 · United States · Actors5 decades
  19. 19Hugo Chávez1954-2013 · Venezuela · Politicians3 decades
  20. 20Hillary Clintonborn 1947 · United States · Politicians3 decades
  21. 21Cherborn 1946 · United States · Musiciansnot measured-
  22. 22Elton Johnborn 1947 · United Kingdom · Musicians5 decades
  23. 23Ozzy Osbourne1948-2025 · United Kingdom · Musicians3 decades
  24. 24Pablo Escobar1949-1993 · Colombia · Politicians4 decades
  25. 25John Travoltaborn 1954 · United States · Actors5 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.