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 Italian books during the 1990s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Caravaggio1571-1610 · 17th century · Italy · Artists7.1
  2. 2Giotto1267-1337 · 14th century · Italy · Artists4.9
  3. 3Benedetto Croce1866-1952 · 20th century · Italy · Academics4.9
  4. 4Antonio da Correggio1489-1534 · 16th century · Italy · Artists4.6
  5. 5Leonardo da Vinci1452-1519 · 15th century · Italy · Artists3.8
  6. 6Dante Alighieri1265-1321 · 14th century · Writers3.6
  7. 7Tintoretto1519-1594 · 16th century · Italy · Artists3.6
  8. 8Donato Bramante1444-1514 · 15th century · Italy · Architects3.6
  9. 9Donatello1386-1466 · 15th century · Artists3.4
  10. 10Charles Borromeo1538-1584 · 16th century · Italy · Religious Figures3.0
  11. 11Silvio Berlusconi1936-2023 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians2.8
  12. 12Piero della Francesca1415-1492 · 15th century · Italy · Artists2.7
  13. 13Giacomo Leopardi1798-1837 · 19th century · Italy · Writers2.6
  14. 14Francis of Assisi1182-1226 · 13th century · Italy · Writers2.6
  15. 15Guercino1591-1666 · 17th century · Italy · Artists2.6
  16. 16Pietro Aretino1492-1556 · 16th century · Italy · Writers2.4
  17. 17Torquato Tasso1544-1595 · 16th century · Italy · Writers2.3
  18. 18Giordano Bruno1548-1600 · 16th century · Italy · Academics2.3
  19. 19Lorenzo de' Medici1449-1492 · 15th century · Politicians2.2
  20. 20Aldo Moro1916-1978 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians2.2
  21. 21Philip Neri1515-1595 · 16th century · Religious Figures2.0
  22. 22Giulio Romano1499-1546 · 16th century · Italy · Artists2.0
  23. 23Alessandro Manzoni1785-1873 · 19th century · Italy · Writers2.0
  24. 24Pontormo1494-1556 · 16th century · Italy · Artists1.9
  25. 25Italo Calvino1923-1985 · 20th century · Italy · Journalists1.9
  26. 26Leon Battista Alberti1404-1472 · 15th century · Italy · Architects1.9
  27. 27Masaccio1401-1428 · 15th century · Italy · Artists1.9
  28. 28Pietro Perugino1448-1523 · 15th century · Italy · Artists1.9
  29. 29Luigi Pirandello1867-1936 · 20th century · Italy · Writers1.8
  30. 30Gabriele D'Annunzio1863-1938 · 19th century · Italy · Writers1.8
  31. 31Antonio Gramsci1891-1937 · 20th century · Italy · Academics1.7
  32. 32Umberto Eco1932-2016 · 20th century · Italy · Writers1.7
  33. 33Luigi Einaudi1874-1961 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.7
  34. 34Pietro da Cortona1596-1669 · 17th century · Italy · Artists1.7
  35. 35Pier Paolo Pasolini1922-1975 · 20th century · Italy · Writers1.7
  36. 36Bettino Craxi1934-2000 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.7
  37. 37Giulio Andreotti1919-2013 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.6
  38. 38Giuseppe Verdi1813-1901 · 19th century · Italy · Musicians1.6
  39. 39Primo Levi1919-1987 · 20th century · Italy · Scientists1.6
  40. 40Guido Reni1575-1642 · 17th century · Italy · Artists1.6
  41. 41Marco Polo1254-1324 · 13th century · Italy · Historical Figures1.6
  42. 42Pisanello1395-1455 · 15th century · Italy · Artists1.5
  43. 43Eugenio Montale1896-1981 · 20th century · Italy · Writers1.5
  44. 44Galileo Galilei1564-1642 · 16th century · Italy · Scientists1.5
  45. 45Petrarch1304-1374 · 14th century · Italy · Academics1.4
  46. 46Carlo Goldoni1707-1793 · 18th century · Italy · Writers1.4
  47. 47Ugo Foscolo1778-1827 · 19th century · Writers1.4
  48. 48Farinelli1705-1782 · 18th century · Italy · Musicians1.3
  49. 49Domenichino1581-1641 · 17th century · Artists1.3
  50. 50Giorgio Vasari1511-1574 · 16th century · Italy · Artists1.3
  51. 51Italo Svevo1861-1928 · 19th century · Italy · Writers1.3
  52. 52Paul the Deacon720-799 · 8th century · Writers1.3
  53. 53Angelo Beolco1496-1542 · 16th century · Writers1.3
  54. 54Benito Mussolini1883-1945 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.3
  55. 55Romano Prodiborn 1939 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.2
  56. 56Parmigianino1503-1540 · 16th century · Italy · Artists1.2
  57. 57Leonardo Bruni1369-1444 · 15th century · Writers1.2
  58. 58Marsilio Ficino1433-1499 · 15th century · Italy · Academics1.2
  59. 59Cimabue1240-1302 · 13th century · Artists1.2
  60. 60Giovanni Bellini1430-1516 · 15th century · Italy · Artists1.2
  61. 61Andrea del Sarto1486-1530 · 16th century · Artists1.2
  62. 62Pietro Bembo1470-1547 · 16th century · Italy · Religious Figures1.2
  63. 63Antonio Rosmini1797-1855 · 19th century · Academics1.1
  64. 64Canaletto1697-1768 · 18th century · Italy · Artists1.1
  65. 65Bernardino of Siena1380-1444 · 15th century · Italy · Academics1.1
  66. 66Pietro Verri1728-1797 · 18th century · Academics1.1
  67. 67Niccolò Machiavelli1469-1527 · 16th century · Politicians1.1
  68. 68Leopoldo de' Medici1617-1675 · 17th century · Religious Figures1.1
  69. 69Cosimo de' Medici1389-1464 · 15th century · Politicians1.1
  70. 70Massimo D'Alemaborn 1949 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.1
  71. 71Giovanni Pascoli1855-1912 · 19th century · Italy · Writers1.1
  72. 72Giuseppe Mazzini1805-1872 · 19th century · Italy · Activists1.0
  73. 73Vittorio Alfieri1749-1803 · 18th century · Italy · Historical Figures1.0
  74. 74Giovanni Boccaccio1313-1375 · 14th century · Italy · Writers1.0
  75. 75Francesco Cossiga1928-2010 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.0
  76. 76Palmiro Togliatti1893-1964 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.0
  77. 77Vittoria Colonna1492-1547 · 16th century · Italy · Writers1.0
  78. 78Federico Borromeo1564-1631 · 16th century · Religious Figures1.0
  79. 79Alessandro Cagliostro1743-1795 · 18th century · France · Doctors0.99
  80. 80Paolo Veronese1528-1588 · 16th century · Italy · Artists0.98
  81. 81Cesare Balbo1789-1853 · 19th century · Politicians0.97
  82. 82Giovanni Verga1840-1922 · 19th century · Italy · Writers0.97
  83. 83Paolo Uccello1397-1475 · 15th century · Italy · Artists0.96
  84. 84Cesare Pavese1908-1950 · 20th century · Italy · Writers0.96
  85. 85Andrea Palladio1508-1580 · 16th century · Italy · Architects0.95
  86. 86Salvator Rosa1615-1673 · 17th century · Italy · Artists0.95
  87. 87Federico Fellini1920-1993 · 20th century · Italy · Directors0.91
  88. 88Alberto Moravia1907-1990 · 20th century · Italy · Writers0.91
  89. 89Domenico Passignano1559-1638 · 16th century · Artists0.91
  90. 90Filippo Turati1857-1932 · 19th century · Italy · Politicians0.91
  91. 91Luca Giordano1634-1705 · 17th century · Artists0.90
  92. 92Antonio Canova1757-1822 · 18th century · Italy · Artists0.90
  93. 93Dario Fo1926-2016 · 20th century · Italy · Writers0.89
  94. 94Luchino Visconti1906-1976 · 20th century · Italy · Directors0.88
  95. 95Giuliano Amatoborn 1938 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians0.87
  96. 96Tommaso Campanella1568-1639 · 17th century · Italy · Academics0.87
  97. 97Fra Angelico1390-1455 · 15th century · Italy · Artists0.86
  98. 98Giosuè Carducci1835-1907 · 19th century · Italy · Writers0.84
  99. 99Annibale Carracci1560-1609 · 16th century · Italy · Artists0.83
  100. 100Curzio Malaparte1898-1957 · 20th century · Italy · Writers0.82

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.