215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time2000-2009

The 2000s

Whose names filled the books of the 2000s - 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 2000s, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Thomas Mann1875-1955 · 20th century · United States · Writers14
  2. 2Max Weber1864-1920 · 19th century · Germany · Academics6.3
  3. 3Novalis1772-1801 · 19th century · Germany · Writers5.5
  4. 4Karl Marx1818-1883 · 19th century · Germany · Academics4.2
  5. 5Jean Paul1763-1825 · 18th century · Germany · Writers3.8
  6. 6Adolf Hitler1889-1945 · 20th century · Austria · Politicians3.5
  7. 7Martin Luther1483-1546 · 16th century · Germany · Religious Figures3.2
  8. 8Richard Wagner1813-1883 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians3.1
  9. 9Gerhard Schröderborn 1944 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians2.8
  10. 10Heinrich Heine1797-1856 · 19th century · France · Writers2.8
  11. 11Willy Brandt1913-1992 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians2.8
  12. 12Walter Benjamin1892-1940 · 20th century · Academics2.7
  13. 13Sigmund Freud1856-1939 · 19th century · Austria · Doctors2.6
  14. 14Paracelsus1493-1541 · 16th century · Switzerland · Doctors2.6
  15. 15Heinrich Mann1871-1950 · 20th century · Germany · Writers2.6
  16. 16Helmut Kohl1930-2017 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians2.6
  17. 17Friedrich Nietzsche1844-1900 · 19th century · Germany · Academics2.5
  18. 18Hannah Arendt1906-1975 · 20th century · United States · Academics2.3
  19. 19Bertolt Brecht1898-1956 · 20th century · Austria · Writers2.3
  20. 20Jürgen Habermas1929-2026 · 20th century · Germany · Academics2.2
  21. 21Karl Kraus1874-1936 · 20th century · Austria · Writers2.1
  22. 22Carl Schmitt1888-1985 · 20th century · Germany · Academics2.1
  23. 23Günter Grass1927-2015 · 20th century · Germany · Writers2.1
  24. 24Maria Theresa1717-1780 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures2.1
  25. 25Immanuel Kant1724-1804 · 18th century · Academics2.1
  26. 26Franz Kafka1883-1924 · 20th century · Czechia · Writers2.0
  27. 27George Frederick of Waldeck-Eisenberg1620-1692 · 17th century · Models2.0
  28. 28Christa Wolf1929-2011 · 20th century · Germany · Writers2.0
  29. 29Helmut Schmidt1918-2015 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.9
  30. 30Friedrich Schiller1759-1805 · 18th century · Germany · Writers1.9
  31. 31Anna Seghers1900-1983 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.9
  32. 32Richard Strauss1864-1949 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians1.9
  33. 33Hermann Hesse1877-1962 · 20th century · Switzerland · Writers1.9
  34. 34Martin Heidegger1889-1976 · 20th century · Germany · Academics1.9
  35. 35Friedrich Schlegel1772-1829 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.8
  36. 36Konrad Adenauer1876-1967 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.8
  37. 37Theodor W. Adorno1903-1969 · 20th century · United States · Academics1.8
  38. 38Friedrich Engels1820-1895 · 19th century · United Kingdom · Academics1.8
  39. 39Angela Merkelborn 1954 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.8
  40. 40Charles Augustus, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach1757-1828 · 18th century · Politicians1.7
  41. 41Karl May1842-1912 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.7
  42. 42Ernst Jünger1895-1998 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.6
  43. 43Walter Ulbricht1893-1973 · 20th century · Politicians1.6
  44. 44Theodor Fontane1819-1898 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.6
  45. 45Thomas Bernhard1931-1989 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.6
  46. 46Ingeborg Bachmann1926-1973 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.5
  47. 47Arnold Schoenberg1874-1951 · 20th century · Austria · Musicians1.4
  48. 48Rosa Luxemburg1871-1919 · 20th century · Germany · Activists1.4
  49. 49Georg Simmel1858-1918 · 19th century · Academics1.4
  50. 50Karl Barth1886-1968 · 20th century · Switzerland · Academics1.4
  51. 51Johann Sebastian Bach1685-1750 · 18th century · Germany · Musicians1.4
  52. 52Robert Schumann1810-1856 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians1.3
  53. 53Erich Honecker1912-1994 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.3
  54. 54William IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel1532-1592 · 16th century · Germany · Scientists1.3
  55. 55Tannhäuser1300-1300 · 14th century · Germany · Writers1.3
  56. 56Hugo von Hofmannsthal1874-1929 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.3
  57. 57Johann Wolfgang von Goethe1749-1832 · 18th century · Writers1.3
  58. 58Heinrich von Kleist1777-1811 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.3
  59. 59Albert Einstein1879-1955 · 20th century · Switzerland · Scientists1.3
  60. 60Stefan George1868-1933 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.3
  61. 61Klaus Mann1906-1949 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.3
  62. 62Ernst Bloch1885-1977 · 20th century · Germany · Academics1.2
  63. 63Gottfried Benn1886-1956 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.2
  64. 64Wilhelm Grimm1786-1859 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.2
  65. 65Rudolf Steiner1861-1925 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers1.2
  66. 66Robert Musil1880-1942 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.2
  67. 67Theodor Heuss1884-1963 · 20th century · Germany · Journalists1.2
  68. 68Jacob Grimm1785-1863 · 19th century · Germany · Academics1.2
  69. 69Stefan Zweig1881-1942 · 20th century · Austria · Writers1.2
  70. 70Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor1316-1378 · 14th century · Historical Figures1.2
  71. 71Gerhart Hauptmann1862-1946 · 19th century · Germany · Writers1.2
  72. 72Martin Buber1878-1965 · 20th century · Germany · Academics1.2
  73. 73Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor1741-1790 · 18th century · Austria · Historical Figures1.2
  74. 74Rainer Maria Rilke1875-1926 · 20th century · Germany · Writers1.1
  75. 75Wilhelm von Humboldt1767-1835 · 19th century · Germany · Academics1.1
  76. 76Frederick William IV of Prussia1795-1861 · 19th century · Politicians1.1
  77. 77Karl Jaspers1883-1969 · 20th century · Germany · Doctors1.1
  78. 78Frederick Charles, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental1652-1698 · 17th century · Politicians1.1
  79. 79Joseph Goebbels1897-1945 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.1
  80. 80Joschka Fischerborn 1948 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians1.0
  81. 81Karl, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst1652-1718 · 17th century · Historical Figures1.0
  82. 82Gustav Mahler1860-1911 · 19th century · Musicians1.0
  83. 83Jörg Haider1950-2008 · 20th century · Austria · Politicians1.0
  84. 84Johannes Brahms1833-1897 · 19th century · Germany · Musicians1.0
  85. 85Moses Mendelssohn1729-1786 · 18th century · Germany · Academics0.99
  86. 86Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow1633-1695 · 17th century · Germany · Writers0.98
  87. 87Georg Büchner1813-1837 · 19th century · Germany · Writers0.98
  88. 88Johann Gottfried Herder1744-1803 · 18th century · Academics0.97
  89. 89Elfriede Jelinekborn 1946 · 20th century · Austria · Writers0.97
  90. 90Ludwig Erhard1897-1977 · 20th century · Germany · Politicians0.97
  91. 91Max Frisch1911-1991 · 20th century · Switzerland · Writers0.97
  92. 92Paul Klee1879-1940 · 20th century · Switzerland · Artists0.96
  93. 93Gottfried Keller1819-1890 · 19th century · Switzerland · Writers0.96
  94. 94Albrecht Dürer1471-1528 · 16th century · Germany · Artists0.96
  95. 95Peter Handkeborn 1942 · 20th century · Austria · Writers0.96
  96. 96Alfred Döblin1878-1957 · 20th century · Germany · Writers0.95
  97. 97Frederick Henry, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt1709-1788 · 18th century · Germany · Models0.94
  98. 98Arthur Schnitzler1862-1931 · 19th century · Austria · Writers0.92
  99. 99Franz Schubert1797-1828 · 19th century · Austria · Musicians0.92
  100. 100Adalbert Stifter1805-1868 · 19th century · Artists0.89

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 2000s, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Elon Muskborn 1971 · South Africa · Founders1 decades
  2. 2Leonardo DiCaprioborn 1974 · United States · Actors3 decades
  3. 3Justin Trudeauborn 1971 · Canada · Politicians1 decades
  4. 4Melania Trumpborn 1970 · Slovenia · Models1 decades
  5. 5Nicole Kidmanborn 1967 · Australia · Actors3 decades
  6. 6Eminemborn 1972 · United States · Musicians2 decades
  7. 7Zinedine Zidaneborn 1972 · France · Footballers3 decades
  8. 8Christopher Nolanborn 1970 · United Kingdom · Directors2 decades
  9. 9Matt Damonborn 1970 · United States · Actors3 decades
  10. 10Jennifer Lopezborn 1969 · United States · Musicians3 decades
  11. 11Dwayne Johnsonborn 1972 · Canada · Actors1 decades
  12. 12Michael Schumacherborn 1969 · Germany · Athletes3 decades
  13. 13Jennifer Anistonborn 1969 · United States · Actors2 decades
  14. 14Heath Ledger1979-2008 · Australia · Actors2 decades
  15. 15Pamela Andersonborn 1967 · Canada · Actors3 decades
  16. 16Ben Affleckborn 1972 · United States · Actors2 decades
  17. 17Julia Robertsborn 1967 · United States · Actors3 decades
  18. 18Cameron Diazborn 1972 · United States · Actors3 decades
  19. 19Gwyneth Paltrowborn 1972 · United States · Actors3 decades
  20. 20Will Smithborn 1968 · United States · Actors3 decades
  21. 21Jason Stathamborn 1967 · United Kingdom · Actors0 decades
  22. 22Mark Carneyborn 1965 · Canada · Politicians1 decades
  23. 23Celine Dionborn 1968 · Canada · Musicians1 decades
  24. 24Winona Ryderborn 1971 · United States · Actors3 decades
  25. 25Adam Sandlerborn 1966 · United States · Actors2 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.