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 Chinese books during the 1980s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Mao Zedong1893-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians254
  2. 2Lu Xun1881-1936 · 20th century · China · Writers141
  3. 3Sun Yat-sen1866-1925 · 20th century · China · Politicians57
  4. 4Zhou Enlai1898-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians57
  5. 5Deng Xiaoping1904-1997 · 20th century · China · Politicians50
  6. 6Lin Biao1907-1971 · 20th century · China · Politicians34
  7. 7Liu Shaoqi1898-1969 · 20th century · China · Politicians21
  8. 8Confucius551 BC-479 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Academics20
  9. 9Jiang Qing1914-1991 · 20th century · China · Actors13
  10. 10Zhu De1886-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians13
  11. 11Yuan Shikai1859-1916 · 19th century · China · Politicians9.5
  12. 12Laozi579 BC-500 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics9.3
  13. 13Soong Ching-ling1893-1981 · 20th century · China · Politicians7.9
  14. 14Cao Xueqin1724-1760 · 18th century · China · Writers6.2
  15. 15Zhuang Zhou369 BC-288 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Academics6.1
  16. 16Gao Ming1305-1370 · 14th century · Writers5.8
  17. 17Zhao Ziyang1919-2005 · 20th century · China · Politicians5.4
  18. 18Li Peng1928-2019 · 20th century · China · Politicians5.2
  19. 19Kang Youwei1858-1927 · 19th century · China · Politicians5.0
  20. 20Yan Fu1854-1921 · 19th century · Writers3.9
  21. 21Li Hongzhang1823-1901 · 19th century · China · Politicians3.3
  22. 22Hong Xiuquan1814-1864 · 19th century · China · Politicians2.9
  23. 23Qu Yuan343 BC-278 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Writers2.8
  24. 24Sima Qian145 BC-86 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Writers2.8
  25. 25Zhu Xi1130-1200 · 12th century · China · Writers2.4
  26. 26Jiang Zemin1926-2022 · 20th century · China · Politicians2.2
  27. 27Li Zicheng1606-1645 · 17th century · China · Politicians1.8
  28. 28Du Fu712-770 · 8th century · China · Writers1.8
  29. 29Zhuge Liang181-234 · 3rd century · China · Politicians1.5
  30. 30Dong Zhongshu179 BC-104 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians1.5
  31. 31Tan Sitong1865-1898 · 19th century · China · Academics1.5
  32. 32Wang Fuzhi1619-1692 · 17th century · China · Writers1.5
  33. 33Lin Tse-hsu1785-1850 · 19th century · Politicians1.4
  34. 34Li Bai701-762 · 8th century · Writers1.3
  35. 35Wang Anshi1021-1086 · 11th century · China · Politicians1.3
  36. 36Li Si280 BC-208 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Politicians1.3
  37. 37Chiang Ching-kuo1910-1988 · 20th century · China · Politicians1.2
  38. 38Wang Yangming1472-1529 · 16th century · China · Academics1.2
  39. 39Wang Chong27-97 · 1st century · Scientists1.2
  40. 40Xun Kuang313 BC-230 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics1.1
  41. 41Koxinga1624-1662 · 17th century · Japan · Politicians0.94
  42. 42Tao Yuanming365-427 · 5th century · China · Writers0.89
  43. 43Bai Juyi772-846 · 9th century · China · Writers0.89
  44. 44Liu Zongyuan773-819 · 9th century · Writers0.88
  45. 45Kim Il-sung1912-1994 · 20th century · North Korea · Politicians0.76
  46. 46Chen-ning Yang1922-2025 · 20th century · China · Scientists0.75
  47. 47Zheng He1371-1433 · 15th century · China · Historical Figures0.73
  48. 48Mo Yanborn 1955 · 20th century · China · Writers0.67
  49. 49Cao Cao155-220 · 2nd century · China · Politicians0.66
  50. 50Lee Teng-hui1923-2020 · 20th century · Taiwan · Politicians0.55
  51. 51Xu Guangqi1562-1633 · 16th century · Politicians0.54
  52. 52Lin Yutang1895-1976 · 20th century · China · Writers0.52
  53. 53Dai Zhen1724-1777 · 18th century · China · Academics0.51
  54. 54Zhang Zai1020-1077 · 11th century · Academics0.48
  55. 55Zeng Guofan1811-1872 · 19th century · China · Politicians0.48
  56. 56Wu Zetian624-705 · 7th century · China · Writers0.48
  57. 57Han Yu768-824 · 9th century · China · Writers0.47
  58. 58Lee Kuan Yew1923-2015 · 20th century · Singapore · Politicians0.42
  59. 59Liu Xiaobo1955-2017 · 20th century · China · Writers0.41
  60. 60Hongwu Emperor1328-1398 · 14th century · China · Historical Figures0.36
  61. 61Mozi470 BC-391 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.34
  62. 62Pang De170-219 · 3rd century0.33
  63. 63Gu Yanwu1613-1682 · 17th century · Writers0.32
  64. 64Wu Jingzi1701-1754 · 18th century · Writers0.32
  65. 65Wen Tianxiang1236-1283 · 13th century · Politicians0.30
  66. 66Gao Xingjianborn 1940 · 20th century · China · Writers0.29
  67. 67Li Yuanhong1864-1928 · 19th century · China · Politicians0.29
  68. 68Li Qiangborn 1959 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.28
  69. 69Guan Hanqing1210-1298 · 13th century · Writers0.28
  70. 70Xu Xiake1587-1641 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.26
  71. 71Lady Sunborn 192 · 3rd century · Writers0.26
  72. 72Qi Baishi1864-1957 · 19th century · China · Artists0.26
  73. 73Lu You1125-1210 · 12th century · China · Writers0.26
  74. 74Hua Guofeng1921-2008 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.25
  75. 75Wang Wei699-759 · 8th century · China · Writers0.24
  76. 76Huang Zongxi1610-1695 · 17th century · Academics0.24
  77. 77Ban Gu32-92 · 1st century · Writers0.24
  78. 78Ouyang Xiu1007-1072 · 11th century · China · Writers0.23
  79. 79Liu Bei161-223 · 2nd century0.22
  80. 80Hu Jintaoborn 1942 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.22
  81. 81Wang Bi226-249 · 3rd century · Politicians0.22
  82. 82Zhang Zhidong1837-1909 · 19th century · Politicians0.22
  83. 83Jin Shengtan1610-1661 · 17th century · Writers0.22
  84. 84Guan Zhong720 BC-645 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.21
  85. 85Shen Kuo1031-1095 · 11th century · China · Scientists0.21
  86. 86Su Shi1037-1101 · 11th century · China · Writers0.20
  87. 87Luo Guanzhong1334-1400 · 14th century · China · Writers0.18
  88. 88Wu Cheng'en1500-1582 · 16th century · China · Writers0.18
  89. 89Emperor Wu of Han156 BC-87 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.17
  90. 90Zhang Hua232-300 · 3rd century · Writers0.17
  91. 91Li Shizhen1517-1593 · 16th century · Scientists0.17
  92. 92Zengzi504 BC-435 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.17
  93. 93Zhang Xuecheng1738-1801 · 18th century · Academics0.16
  94. 94Hsu Shih-chang1855-1939 · 19th century · Politicians0.15
  95. 95Chen Zi'ang661-702 · 7th century · Writers0.15
  96. 96Zuo Zongtang1812-1885 · 19th century · China · Politicians0.14
  97. 97Puyi1906-1967 · 20th century · China · Historical Figures0.14
  98. 98Xi Shi506 BC-500 BC · 1st millennium BC0.14
  99. 99Tang Xianzu1550-1616 · 16th century · Writers0.14
  100. 100Song Yingxing1587-1666 · 17th century · Writers0.13

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.