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 Spanish books during the 1990s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Francis Xavier1506-1552 · 16th century · Spain · Religious Figures5.6
  2. 2Octavio Paz1914-1998 · 20th century · Mexico · Writers5.5
  3. 3Lope de Vega1562-1635 · 16th century · Spain · Writers5.4
  4. 4Simón Bolívar1783-1830 · 19th century · Spain · Politicians5.1
  5. 5Fidel Castro1926-2016 · 20th century · Cuba · Politicians5.0
  6. 6John of God1495-1550 · 16th century · Portugal4.7
  7. 7Porfirio Díaz1830-1915 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians4.5
  8. 8Benito Juárez1806-1872 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians4.3
  9. 9Rubén Darío1867-1916 · 20th century · Nicaragua · Writers4.2
  10. 10Christopher Columbus1451-1506 · 15th century · Italy · Historical Figures4.0
  11. 11Andrés Bello1781-1865 · 19th century · Chile · Politicians3.9
  12. 12Ernesto Zedilloborn 1951 · 20th century · Mexico · Politicians3.4
  13. 13Antonio Machado1875-1939 · 20th century · Spain · Writers3.4
  14. 14Hernán Cortés1485-1547 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures3.2
  15. 15Venustiano Carranza1859-1920 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians2.9
  16. 16John of the Cross1542-1591 · 16th century · Spain · Writers2.8
  17. 17Jorge Luis Borges1899-1986 · 20th century · Argentina · Writers2.8
  18. 18Felipe Gonzálezborn 1942 · 20th century · Spain · Politicians2.6
  19. 19Bartolomé de las Casas1484-1566 · 16th century · Spain · Writers2.5
  20. 20Juan Ramón Jiménez1881-1958 · 20th century · Spain · Writers2.5
  21. 21Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz1651-1695 · 17th century · Mexico · Writers2.3
  22. 22Carlos Fuentes1928-2012 · 20th century · Mexico · Writers2.3
  23. 23Emiliano Zapata1879-1919 · 20th century · Mexico · Activists2.2
  24. 24Pablo Neruda1904-1973 · 20th century · Chile · Writers2.2
  25. 25Federico García Lorca1898-1936 · 20th century · Spain · Writers2.1
  26. 26Gabriela Mistral1889-1957 · 20th century · Chile · Writers2.1
  27. 27Miguel de Unamuno1864-1936 · 19th century · Spain · Writers2.0
  28. 28Juan Fernández1529-1602 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures1.9
  29. 29Garcilaso de la Vega1503-1536 · 16th century · Spain · Writers1.8
  30. 30Gabriel García Márquez1927-2014 · 20th century · Colombia · Writers1.8
  31. 31Francisco I. Madero1873-1913 · 20th century · Mexico · Activists1.8
  32. 32César Vallejo1892-1938 · 20th century · Peru · Writers1.8
  33. 33Diego Rivera1886-1957 · 20th century · Mexico · Designers1.7
  34. 34Carlos Menem1930-2021 · 20th century · Argentina · Politicians1.7
  35. 35Mario Vargas Llosa1936-2025 · 20th century · Spain · Writers1.7
  36. 36Alberto Fujimori1938-2024 · 20th century · Japan · Politicians1.6
  37. 37Julio Cortázar1914-1984 · 20th century · Argentina · Writers1.6
  38. 38Miguel de Cervantes1547-1616 · 16th century · Spain · Writers1.5
  39. 39Che Guevara1928-1967 · 20th century · Cuba · Activists1.5
  40. 40Juan Rulfo1917-1986 · 20th century · Mexico · Writers1.5
  41. 41Salvador Allende1908-1973 · 20th century · Chile · Politicians1.5
  42. 42Alan García1949-2019 · 20th century · Peru · Politicians1.4
  43. 43Teresa of Ávila1515-1582 · 16th century · Spain · Writers1.4
  44. 44Luis de León1527-1591 · 16th century · Spain · Writers1.3
  45. 45Victoriano Huerta1850-1916 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians1.3
  46. 46Tirso de Molina1583-1648 · 17th century · Spain · Writers1.3
  47. 47Ignatius of Loyola1491-1556 · 16th century · Spain · Religious Figures1.2
  48. 48Juan Vicente Gómez1857-1935 · 19th century · Venezuela · Politicians1.2
  49. 49Francisco Pizarro1478-1541 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures1.1
  50. 50José Ortega y Gasset1883-1955 · 20th century · Spain · Academics1.1
  51. 51Eva Perón1919-1952 · 20th century · Argentina · Actors1.0
  52. 52Ricardo Palma1833-1919 · 19th century · Peru · Writers1.0
  53. 53Vicente Guerrero1782-1831 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians1.00
  54. 54Pedro de Alvarado1486-1541 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures0.98
  55. 55Francisco de Vitoria1480-1546 · 16th century · Spain · Academics0.98
  56. 56Augusto Pinochet1915-2006 · 20th century · Chile · Politicians0.96
  57. 57Bartolomé Mitre1821-1906 · 19th century · Argentina · Politicians0.93
  58. 58José Hernández1834-1886 · 19th century · Argentina · Writers0.93
  59. 59Bernal Díaz del Brawl1492-1584 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures0.93
  60. 60Vasco de Quiroga1470-1565 · 16th century · Religious Figures0.91
  61. 61Juan Manuel de Rosas1793-1877 · 19th century · Argentina · Politicians0.90
  62. 62María de Jesús1560-1640 · 16th century · Spain0.90
  63. 63El Greco1541-1614 · 16th century · Artists0.84
  64. 64Bernardino de Sahagún1499-1590 · 16th century · Spain · Academics0.84
  65. 65Pancho Villa1878-1923 · 20th century · Mexico · Activists0.84
  66. 66Francisco Quevedo1584-1645 · 17th century · Spain · Writers0.84
  67. 67Pope Alexander VI1431-1503 · 15th century · Spain · Religious Figures0.81
  68. 68Gonzalo Pizarro1502-1548 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures0.80
  69. 69Carlos Gardel1890-1935 · 20th century · Argentina · Musicians0.80
  70. 70John I of France1316-1316 · 14th century · France · Historical Figures0.79
  71. 71Pío Baroja1872-1956 · 20th century · Spain · Writers0.78
  72. 72Adolfo Suárez1932-2014 · 20th century · Spain · Politicians0.78
  73. 73José de San Martín1778-1850 · 19th century · Argentina · Politicians0.78
  74. 74Cipriano Castro1858-1924 · 19th century · Venezuela · Politicians0.77
  75. 75John of Austria1547-1578 · 16th century · Spain · Politicians0.77
  76. 76Diego Velázquez1599-1660 · 17th century · Spain · Artists0.76
  77. 77Francisco de Miranda1750-1816 · 18th century · Spain · Politicians0.76
  78. 78Manuel Azaña1880-1940 · 20th century · Spain · Politicians0.76
  79. 79Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés1478-1557 · 16th century · Spain · Writers0.75
  80. 80Francisco Morazán1792-1842 · 19th century · Spain · Politicians0.73
  81. 81Hipólito Yrigoyen1850-1933 · 19th century · Argentina · Politicians0.72
  82. 82Francisco de Toledo, Count of Oropesa1515-1582 · 16th century · Spain · Politicians0.71
  83. 83Vicente Aleixandre1898-1984 · 20th century · Spain · Writers0.71
  84. 84Luis Buñuel1900-1983 · 20th century · Spain · Directors0.70
  85. 85Guadalupe Victoria1786-1845 · 19th century · Mexico · Politicians0.70
  86. 86Camilo José Cela1916-2002 · 20th century · Spain · Writers0.69
  87. 87Francis Solanus1549-1610 · 16th century · Spain0.69
  88. 88Rigoberta Menchúborn 1959 · 20th century · Guatemala · Politicians0.69
  89. 89Pedro de Valdivia1497-1553 · 16th century · Spain · Politicians0.68
  90. 90Fernán González of Castile910-970 · 10th century0.68
  91. 91José María Morelos1765-1815 · 19th century · Mexico · Religious Figures0.67
  92. 92Manuel de Falla1876-1946 · 20th century · Spain · Musicians0.66
  93. 93Diego de Almagro1475-1538 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures0.66
  94. 94Bernardo O'Higgins1778-1842 · 19th century · Spain · Politicians0.66
  95. 95Raúl Alfonsín1927-2009 · 20th century · Argentina · Politicians0.65
  96. 96Cantiflas1911-1993 · 20th century · Mexico · Comedians0.65
  97. 97Lope de Aguirre1510-1561 · 16th century · Spain0.64
  98. 98Pablo Escobar1949-1993 · 20th century · Colombia · Politicians0.64
  99. 99Hernando de Soto1500-1542 · 16th century · Spain · Historical Figures0.63
  100. 100Juan Andrés1740-1817 · 18th century · Spain · Academics0.63

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.