215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time1990-1999

The 1990s

Whose names filled the books of the 1990s - 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 German books during the 1990s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Thomas Mann1875-1955 · 20th century · United States · Writers15
  2. 2Novalis1772-1801 · 19th century · Germany · Writers7.2
  3. 3Max Weber1864-1920 · 19th century · Germany · Academics6.2
  4. 4Jean Paul1763-1825 · 18th century · Germany · Writers5.3
  5. 5Helmut Kohl1930-2017 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians5.2
  6. 6Karl Marx1818-1883 · 19th century · Germany · Academics4.6
  7. 7Adolf Hitler1889-1945 · 20th century · Austria · Politicians3.8
  8. 8Paracelsus1493-1541 · 16th century · Switzerland · Doctors3.7
  9. 9Christa Wolf1929-2011 · 20th century · Germany · Writers3.5
  10. 10Karl Kraus1874-1936 · 20th century · Austria · Writers3.4
  11. 11Richard Wagner1813-1883 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians3.4
  12. 12Walter Benjamin1892-1940 · 20th century · Academics3.3
  13. 13Heinrich Heine1797-1856 · 19th century · France · Writers3.1
  14. 14Martin Luther1483-1546 · 16th century · Germany · Religious Figures3.1
  15. 15Heinrich Mann1871-1950 · 20th century · Germany · Writers3.1
  16. 16Willy Brandt1913-1992 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians3.0
  17. 17Maria Theresa1717-1780 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures2.8
  18. 18Bertolt Brecht1898-1956 · 20th century · Austria · Writers2.8
  19. 19Carl Schmitt1888-1985 · 20th century · Germany · Academics2.7
  20. 20Erich Honecker1912-1994 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians2.6
  21. 21George Frederick of Waldeck-Eisenberg1620-1692 · 17th century · Models2.5
  22. 22Richard Strauss1864-1949 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians2.4
  23. 23Friedrich Schlegel1772-1829 · 19th century · Germany · Writers2.4
  24. 24Anna Seghers1900-1983 · 20th century · Germany · Writers2.3
  25. 25Günter Grass1927-2015 · 20th century · Germany · Writers2.2
  26. 26Friedrich Nietzsche1844-1900 · 19th century · Germany · Academics2.2
  27. 27Konrad Adenauer1876-1967 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians2.2
  28. 28Ingeborg Bachmann1926-1973 · 20th century · Austria · Writers2.2
  29. 29Sigmund Freud1856-1939 · 19th century · Austria · Doctors2.2
  30. 30Walter Ulbricht1893-1973 · 20th century · Politicians2.1
  31. 31Charles Augustus, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach1757-1828 · 18th century · Politicians2.1
  32. 32Jürgen Habermas1929-2026 · 20th century · Germany · Academics2.0
  33. 33Helmut Schmidt1918-2015 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians2.0
  34. 34Hannah Arendt1906-1975 · 20th century · United States · Academics2.0
  35. 35Friedrich Engels1820-1895 · 19th century · United Kingdom · Academics2.0
  36. 36Rosa Luxemburg1871-1919 · 20th century · Germany · Activists2.0
  37. 37Karl May1842-1912 · 19th century · Germany · Writers2.0
  38. 38Franz Kafka1883-1924 · 20th century · Czechia · Writers2.0
  39. 39Klaus Mann1906-1949 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.9
  40. 40Thomas Bernhard1931-1989 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.9
  41. 41William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel1532-1592 · 16th century · Germany · Scientists1.8
  42. 42Ernst Jünger1895-1998 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.8
  43. 43Gerhart Hauptmann1862-1946 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.7
  44. 44Stefan Zweig1881-1942 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.7
  45. 45Martin Heidegger1889-1976 · 20th century · Germany · Academics1.7
  46. 46Hermann Hesse1877-1962 · 20th century · Switzerland · Writers1.7
  47. 47Ernst Bloch1885-1977 · 20th century · Germany · Academics1.7
  48. 48Karl, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst1652-1718 · 17th century · Historical Figures1.6
  49. 49Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor1741-1790 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures1.6
  50. 50Tannhäuser1300-1300 · 14th century · Germany · Writers1.6
  51. 51Theodor W. Adorno1903-1969 · 20th century · United States · Academics1.6
  52. 52Theodor Fontane1819-1898 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.6
  53. 53Immanuel Kant1724-1804 · 18th century · Academics1.6
  54. 54Hugo von Hofmannsthal1874-1929 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.6
  55. 55Frederick William IV of Prussia1795-1861 · 19th century · Politicians1.6
  56. 56Friedrich Schiller1759-1805 · 18th century · Germany · Writers1.6
  57. 57Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor1316-1378 · 14th century · Historical Figures1.5
  58. 58Rudolf Steiner1861-1925 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers1.5
  59. 59Heinrich von Kleist1777-1811 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.5
  60. 60Frederick Charles, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental1652-1698 · 17th century · Politicians1.5
  61. 61Jacob Grimm1785-1863 · 19th century · Germany · Academics1.5
  62. 62Stefan George1868-1933 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.5
  63. 63Max Frisch1911-1991 · 20th century · Switzerland · Writers1.4
  64. 64Gottfried Keller1819-1890 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers1.4
  65. 65Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow1633-1695 · 17th century · Germany · Writers1.4
  66. 66Gottfried Benn1886-1956 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.4
  67. 67Robert Musil1880-1942 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.4
  68. 68Johann Wolfgang von Goethe1749-1832 · 18th century · Writers1.4
  69. 69Johann Sebastian Bach1685-1750 · 18th century · Germany · Musicians1.3
  70. 70Peter Handkeborn 1942 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.3
  71. 71Wilhelm von Humboldt1767-1835 · 19th century · Germany · Academics1.3
  72. 72Richard von Weizsäcker1920-2015 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.3
  73. 73Gustav Mahler1860-1911 · 19th century · Musicians1.3
  74. 74Karl Barth1886-1968 · 20th century · Switzerland · Academics1.3
  75. 75Max Ernst1891-1976 · 20th century · Germany · Artists1.3
  76. 76Wilhelm Grimm1786-1859 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.3
  77. 77Hans Sachs1494-1576 · 16th century · Germany · Writers1.3
  78. 78Gerhard Schröderborn 1944 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.2
  79. 79Paul Klee1879-1940 · 20th century · Switzerland · Artists1.2
  80. 80Jörg Haider1950-2008 · 20th century · Austria · Politicians1.2
  81. 81Rainer Maria Rilke1875-1926 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.2
  82. 82Joseph Roth1894-1939 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.2
  83. 83Frederick Henry, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt1709-1788 · 18th century · Germany · Models1.2
  84. 84Franz Schubert1797-1828 · 19th century · Austria · Musicians1.2
  85. 85Else Lasker-Schüler1869-1945 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.2
  86. 86Ludwig Erhard1897-1977 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.2
  87. 87Moses Mendelssohn1729-1786 · 18th century · Germany · Academics1.2
  88. 88Johannes Brahms1833-1897 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians1.1
  89. 89Martin Buber1878-1965 · 20th century · Germany · Academics1.1
  90. 90Robert Schumann1810-1856 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians1.1
  91. 91Joseph Beuys1921-1986 · 20th century · Germany · Artists1.1
  92. 92Georg Büchner1813-1837 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.1
  93. 93Karl Jaspers1883-1969 · 20th century · Germany · Doctors1.1
  94. 94Egon Krenzborn 1937 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.1
  95. 95Arthur Schnitzler1862-1931 · 19th century · Austria · Writers1.1
  96. 96Alfred Döblin1878-1957 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.1
  97. 97Clemens Brentano1778-1842 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.1
  98. 98Wolfgang Schäuble1942-2023 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.1
  99. 99Arnold Schoenberg1874-1951 · 20th century · Austria · Musicians1.0
  100. 100Johann Gottfried Herder1744-1803 · 18th century · Academics1.0

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 1990s, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Michael Jackson1958-2009 · United States · Musicians5 decades
  2. 2Barack Obamaborn 1961 · United States · Politicians2 decades
  3. 3Steve Jobs1955-2011 · United States · Founders4 decades
  4. 4Pope Leo XIVborn 1955 · United States · Religious Figures0 decades
  5. 5Madonnaborn 1958 · United States · Musiciansnot measured-
  6. 6Osama bin Laden1957-2011 · Saudi Arabia · Historical Figures3 decades
  7. 7Diego Maradona1960-2020 · Argentina · Footballers4 decades
  8. 8Bill Gatesborn 1955 · United States · Founders4 decades
  9. 9Brad Pittborn 1963 · United States · Actors3 decades
  10. 10Nicolás Maduroborn 1962 · Venezuela · Politicians2 decades
  11. 11Michael Jordanborn 1963 · United States · Basketball Players4 decades
  12. 12Diana, Princess of Wales1961-1997 · United Kingdom · Historical Figures0 decades
  13. 13Kamala Harrisborn 1964 · United States · Politicians1 decades
  14. 14Johnny Deppborn 1963 · United States · Actors3 decades
  15. 15Tom Cruiseborn 1962 · United States · Actors4 decades
  16. 16Tom Hanksborn 1956 · United States · Actors4 decades
  17. 17Tupac Shakur1971-1996 · United States · Musicians3 decades
  18. 18Keanu Reevesborn 1964 · Canada · Actors3 decades
  19. 19Whitney Houston1963-2012 · United States · Musicians4 decades
  20. 20Keir Starmerborn 1962 · United Kingdom · Politicians0 decades
  21. 21Sandra Bullockborn 1964 · United States · Actors3 decades
  22. 22Jim Carreyborn 1962 · United States · Actors3 decades
  23. 23George Clooneyborn 1961 · United States · Actors3 decades
  24. 24Bruce Willisborn 1955 · United States · Actors4 decades
  25. 25Jeff Bezosborn 1964 · United States · Founders2 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.