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 Italian books during the 1980s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Caravaggio1571-1610 · 17th century · Italy · Artists7.3
  2. 2Giotto1267-1337 · 14th century · Italy · Artists5.4
  3. 3Benedetto Croce1866-1952 · 20th century · Italy · Academics4.7
  4. 4Donato Bramante1444-1514 · 15th century · Italy · Architects4.1
  5. 5Donatello1386-1466 · 15th century · Artists3.8
  6. 6Antonio da Correggio1489-1534 · 16th century · Italy · Artists3.7
  7. 7Leonardo da Vinci1452-1519 · 15th century · Italy · Artists3.1
  8. 8Dante Alighieri1265-1321 · 14th century · Writers2.7
  9. 9Pietro Perugino1448-1523 · 15th century · Italy · Artists2.6
  10. 10Charles Borromeo1538-1584 · 16th century · Italy · Religious Figures2.4
  11. 11Bettino Craxi1934-2000 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians2.3
  12. 12Aldo Moro1916-1978 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians2.3
  13. 13Francis of Assisi1182-1226 · 13th century · Italy · Writers2.2
  14. 14Alessandro Manzoni1785-1873 · 19th century · Italy · Writers2.1
  15. 15Tintoretto1519-1594 · 16th century · Italy · Artists2.1
  16. 16Masaccio1401-1428 · 15th century · Italy · Artists2.0
  17. 17Giulio Romano1499-1546 · 16th century · Italy · Artists2.0
  18. 18Luigi Einaudi1874-1961 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.8
  19. 19Marco Polo1254-1324 · 13th century · Italy · Historical Figures1.8
  20. 20Giulio Andreotti1919-2013 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.7
  21. 21Giordano Bruno1548-1600 · 16th century · Italy · Academics1.7
  22. 22Luigi Pirandello1867-1936 · 20th century · Italy · Writers1.7
  23. 23Lorenzo de' Medici1449-1492 · 15th century · Politicians1.7
  24. 24Guercino1591-1666 · 17th century · Italy · Artists1.7
  25. 25Giacomo Leopardi1798-1837 · 19th century · Italy · Writers1.6
  26. 26Torquato Tasso1544-1595 · 16th century · Italy · Writers1.6
  27. 27Umberto Eco1932-2016 · 20th century · Italy · Writers1.5
  28. 28Piero della Francesca1415-1492 · 15th century · Italy · Artists1.5
  29. 29Philip Neri1515-1595 · 16th century · Religious Figures1.5
  30. 30Angelo Beolco1496-1542 · 16th century · Writers1.4
  31. 31Bernardino of Siena1380-1444 · 15th century · Italy · Academics1.4
  32. 32Ugo Foscolo1778-1827 · 19th century · Writers1.4
  33. 33Giuseppe Verdi1813-1901 · 19th century · Italy · Musicians1.4
  34. 34Gabriele D'Annunzio1863-1938 · 19th century · Italy · Writers1.4
  35. 35Canaletto1697-1768 · 18th century · Italy · Artists1.4
  36. 36Pontormo1494-1556 · 16th century · Italy · Artists1.3
  37. 37Eugenio Montale1896-1981 · 20th century · Italy · Writers1.3
  38. 38Paul the Deacon720-799 · 8th century · Writers1.3
  39. 39Petrarch1304-1374 · 14th century · Italy · Academics1.3
  40. 40Leon Battista Alberti1404-1472 · 15th century · Italy · Architects1.2
  41. 41Cimabue1240-1302 · 13th century · Artists1.2
  42. 42Andrea del Sarto1486-1530 · 16th century · Artists1.2
  43. 43Parmigianino1503-1540 · 16th century · Italy · Artists1.2
  44. 44Antonio Gramsci1891-1937 · 20th century · Italy · Academics1.2
  45. 45Sandro Pertini1896-1990 · 20th century · Italy · Journalists1.2
  46. 46Giovanni Pascoli1855-1912 · 19th century · Italy · Writers1.2
  47. 47Alberto Moravia1907-1990 · 20th century · Italy · Writers1.1
  48. 48Benito Mussolini1883-1945 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.1
  49. 49Galileo Galilei1564-1642 · 16th century · Italy · Scientists1.1
  50. 50Andrea Palladio1508-1580 · 16th century · Italy · Architects1.1
  51. 51Pietro da Cortona1596-1669 · 17th century · Italy · Artists1.1
  52. 52Giorgio Vasari1511-1574 · 16th century · Italy · Artists1.1
  53. 53Italo Svevo1861-1928 · 19th century · Italy · Writers1.1
  54. 54Pier Paolo Pasolini1922-1975 · 20th century · Italy · Writers1.1
  55. 55Italo Calvino1923-1985 · 20th century · Italy · Journalists1.1
  56. 56Niccolò Machiavelli1469-1527 · 16th century · Politicians1.1
  57. 57Giuseppe Mazzini1805-1872 · 19th century · Italy · Activists1.1
  58. 58Guido Reni1575-1642 · 17th century · Italy · Artists1.1
  59. 59Pietro Verri1728-1797 · 18th century · Academics1.0
  60. 60Pietro Bembo1470-1547 · 16th century · Italy · Religious Figures1.0
  61. 61Domenichino1581-1641 · 17th century · Artists1.0
  62. 62Filippo Turati1857-1932 · 19th century · Italy · Politicians1.00
  63. 63Antonio Labriola1843-1904 · 19th century · Italy · Academics0.99
  64. 64Marsilio Ficino1433-1499 · 15th century · Italy · Academics0.98
  65. 65Pisanello1395-1455 · 15th century · Italy · Artists0.97
  66. 66Vittorio Alfieri1749-1803 · 18th century · Italy · Historical Figures0.97
  67. 67Giovanni Verga1840-1922 · 19th century · Italy · Writers0.95
  68. 68Lorenzo Lotto1480-1556 · 16th century · Artists0.93
  69. 69Farinelli1705-1782 · 18th century · Italy · Musicians0.91
  70. 70Leonardo Bruni1369-1444 · 15th century · Writers0.88
  71. 71Andrea Doria1466-1560 · 16th century · Italy · Politicians0.88
  72. 72Giovanni Bellini1430-1516 · 15th century · Italy · Artists0.86
  73. 73Simone Martini1284-1344 · 14th century · Italy · Artists0.85
  74. 74Cosimo de' Medici1389-1464 · 15th century · Politicians0.82
  75. 75Giovanni Boccaccio1313-1375 · 14th century · Italy · Writers0.81
  76. 76Palmiro Togliatti1893-1964 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians0.79
  77. 77Pietro Aretino1492-1556 · 16th century · Italy · Writers0.78
  78. 78Paolo Uccello1397-1475 · 15th century · Italy · Artists0.78
  79. 79Salvator Rosa1615-1673 · 17th century · Italy · Artists0.77
  80. 80Luchino Visconti1906-1976 · 20th century · Italy · Directors0.77
  81. 81Paolo Veronese1528-1588 · 16th century · Italy · Artists0.75
  82. 82Domenico Passignano1559-1638 · 16th century · Artists0.75
  83. 83Romano Prodiborn 1939 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians0.75
  84. 84Fra Angelico1390-1455 · 15th century · Italy · Artists0.75
  85. 85Vittoria Colonna1492-1547 · 16th century · Italy · Writers0.73
  86. 86Cesare Pavese1908-1950 · 20th century · Italy · Writers0.73
  87. 87Francesco Guicciardini1483-1540 · 16th century · Writers0.72
  88. 88Alcide De Gasperi1881-1954 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians0.71
  89. 89Girolamo Romanino1485-1562 · 16th century · Artists0.71
  90. 90Giosuè Carducci1835-1907 · 19th century · Italy · Writers0.71
  91. 91Giuliano Amatoborn 1938 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians0.71
  92. 92Carlo Goldoni1707-1793 · 18th century · Italy · Writers0.70
  93. 93Antonio Rosmini1797-1855 · 19th century · Academics0.70
  94. 94Federico Borromeo1564-1631 · 16th century · Religious Figures0.70
  95. 95Paolo Sarpi1552-1623 · 16th century · Academics0.69
  96. 96Pinturicchio1454-1513 · 15th century · Italy · Artists0.69
  97. 97Giuliano da Sangallo1445-1516 · 15th century · Italy · Architects0.69
  98. 98Gaetano Mosca1858-1941 · 19th century · Italy · Journalists0.68
  99. 99Giambattista Vico1668-1744 · 18th century · Italy · Academics0.66
  100. 100Cesare Balbo1789-1853 · 19th century · Politicians0.66

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.