1900–1999
The 20th century
Whose names filled the books of the 20th century — 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 English books during the 20th century — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish28,219German4,127French3,913Italian2,072Spanish1,601Russian838Chinese282Hebrew149
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
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Jesus5 BC–30 · 1st century · Religious Figures30 - 2
Aristotle384 BC–322 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics7.1 - 3
Plato428 BC–348 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics7.1 - 4
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Homer900 BC–800 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers7.1 - 5
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Augustus63 BC–14 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians4.9 - 6
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Sealborn 1963 · 20th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians4.5 - 7
RMborn 1994 · 21st century · 🇰🇷 South Korea · Musicians4.5 - 8
Johns Hopkins1795–1873 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders4.4 - 9
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Cicero106 BC–43 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians4.0 - 10
George Washington1732–1799 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians3.8 - 11
Socrates470 BC–399 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇧🇷 Brazil · Academics3.4 - 12
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Virgil70 BC–19 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers3.3 - 13
Abraham Lincoln1809–1865 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians2.0 - 14
Euclid333 BC–285 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics1.9 - 15
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Pinkborn 1979 · 21st century · 🇺🇸 United States · Musicians1.6 - 16AAcmedied 5 BC · 1st millennium BC1.6
- 17
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Thomas Jefferson1743–1826 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.6 - 18
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IUborn 1993 · 21st century · 🇰🇷 South Korea · Musicians1.6 - 19
Ovid43 BC–17 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.6 - 20
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Madonnaborn 1958 · 20th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Musicians1.5 - 21
Charles II, Duke of Savoy1489–1496 · 15th century · Historical Figures1.5 - 22
Charles II, Lord of Monaco1555–1589 · 16th century · Politicians1.5 - 23
Charles II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels1545–1617 · 16th century · Historical Figures1.5 - 24
Mark Twain1835–1910 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers1.5 - 25
Plutarch40–120 · 1st century · Academics1.5 - 26
Cleopatra69 BC–30 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Historical Figures1.4 - 27
Theodore Roosevelt1858–1919 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.4 - 28
Woodrow Wilson1856–1924 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.4 - 29
William Henry1774–1836 · 19th century · Scientists1.3 - 30
Benjamin Franklin1706–1790 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.3 - 31
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Herodotus484 BC–425 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers1.3 - 32
Charlemagne748–814 · 8th century · Historical Figures1.3 - 33
Rembrandt1606–1669 · 17th century · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Artists1.3 - 34
Euripides480 BC–406 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers1.2 - 35
Pocahontas1596–1617 · 17th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers1.1
- 36
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John Brown1800–1859 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders1.1 - 37
John Smith1580–1631 · 17th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures1.0 - 38
Adam Smith1723–1790 · 18th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics1.0 - 39
Henry IV, Duke of Brabant1251–1272 · 13th century1.0 - 40HIHenry IV, Count of Waldeck1300–1348 · 14th century1.0
- 41
Henry IV, Duke of Limburg1195–1247 · 13th century · Historical Figures1.0 - 42HIHenry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1463–1514 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.0
- 43
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor1050–1106 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.0 - 44
Henry IV, Count of Luxembourg1113–1196 · 12th century · Politicians1.0 - 45
John Adams1735–1826 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.0 - 46
Sophocles496 BC–406 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers1.0 - 47
Henry James1843–1916 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers0.99 - 48
Galen129–300 · 2nd century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Doctors0.97 - 49
Walter Scott1771–1832 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers0.95 - 50
Livy59 BC–17 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.95 - 51
Bede672–735 · 8th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers0.94 - 52
John the Baptist6 BC–30 · 1st century · 🇮🇱 Israel · Religious Figures0.93 - 53
Solon630 BC–560 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.93 - 54
Prince George, Duke of Cumberland1653–1708 · 17th century0.90 - 55
Pericles494 BC–429 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.89 - 56
John Henry1322–1375 · 14th century0.87 - 57
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Julius Caesar100 BC–44 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.86 - 58
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Winston Churchill1874–1965 · 20th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians0.86 - 59
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William James1842–1910 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Academics0.86 - 60
Hadrian76–138 · 2nd century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.83 - 61
Andrew Jackson1767–1845 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.83 - 62
Thucydides460 BC–395 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.83 - 63
Henry Ford1863–1947 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders0.81 - 64
Aristophanes445 BC–385 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.79 - 65
Charles I, Duke of Savoy1468–1490 · 15th century0.79 - 66
Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal1682–1770 · 18th century0.79 - 67
Charles I, Count of Flanders1084–1127 · 12th century · Politicians0.79 - 68CICharles I1516–1576 · 16th century · Historical Figures0.79
- 69
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Charles I, Count of Nevers1414–1464 · 15th century · Historical Figures0.79 - 70AAbababorn 200 · 3rd century0.78
- 71
Origen185–254 · 3rd century · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Academics0.76 - 72
George Eliot1819–1880 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers0.75 - 73
Demosthenes384 BC–322 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.75 - 74
John F. Kennedy1917–1963 · 20th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.75 - 75
Brigham Young1801–1877 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Academics0.75 - 76
Xenophon430 BC–354 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.73 - 77
Henry VI, Count of Luxembourg1240–1288 · 13th century · Politicians0.72 - 78HVHenry VI, Count of Waldeck1340–1397 · 14th century0.72
- 79
Henry VI1376–1454 · 15th century0.72 - 80
William Penn1644–1718 · 17th century · Founders0.71 - 81
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Alexander Hamilton1757–1804 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.71 - 82
Henry II1207–1248 · 13th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.70 - 83
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor973–1024 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures0.70 - 84
Henry II , Duke of Lower Lorraine1059–1119 · 11th century0.70 - 85
Henry II, Duke of Ziębice1396–1420 · 15th century0.70 - 86
Henry II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg1317–1390 · 14th century0.70 - 87
Henry II, Count of Champagne1166–1197 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures0.70 - 88
Henry II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels1507–1548 · 16th century0.70 - 89HIHenry II, Margrave of the Nordmark1102–1128 · 12th century0.70
- 90
Henry II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen1289–1351 · 14th century · Historical Figures0.70 - 91
Henry II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben1215–1266 · 13th century · Historical Figures0.70 - 92
Henry II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal1308–1320 · 14th century · Models0.70 - 93
Henry II, Duke of Świdnica1312–1345 · 14th century0.70 - 94
Richard II963–1026 · 10th century · 🇫🇷 France0.69 - 95
John Marshall1755–1835 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.67 - 96
Henry Clay1777–1852 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.67 - 97
Jefferson Davis1808–1889 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.67 - 98
James I, Count of Urgell1321–1347 · 14th century0.67 - 99
Osceola1804–1838 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.67
Lived then
The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 20th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Echoed
- 1
David Suzukiborn 1936 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 2
Louis Slotin1910–1946 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 3GBGerald Bull1928–1990 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 4
Hubert Reeves1932–2023 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 5
Ludwig von Bertalanffy1901–1972 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 6
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Donna Stricklandborn 1959 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientists0 decades - 7
Roberta Bondarborn 1945 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 8
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Richard S. Suttonborn 1950 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 9
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Gilles Brassardborn 1955 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 10
Peter Wattsborn 1958 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 11
Reginald Fessenden1866–1932 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 12
Rudolph A. Marcusborn 1923 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientists0 decades - 13
Walter Kohn1923–2016 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientists0 decades - 14
Jim Peeblesborn 1935 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientists0 decades - 15
Joseph-Armand Bombardier1907–1964 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 16
John Polanyiborn 1929 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 17
Ralph M. Steinman1943–2011 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientists0 decades - 18
Arthur B. McDonaldborn 1943 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientists0 decades - 19
John Garand1888–1974 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 20
Michael Smith1932–2000 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientists8 decades - 21
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Maud Menten1879–1960 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 22
Robert Thirskborn 1953 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 23WKWilliam Kwong Yu Yeungborn 1960 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 24
Gerhard Herzberg1904–1999 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientists2 decades - 25
Willard Boyle1924–2011 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientists0 decades - 26
Félix d'Hérelle1873–1949 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 27
Richard E. Taylor1929–2018 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientists0 decades - 28
Paul Hellyer1923–2021 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 29
Ursula Franklin1921–2016 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 30
Bertram Brockhouse1918–2003 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientists0 decades - 31
Arthur Jeffrey Dempster1886–1950 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 32
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Wendy Freedmanborn 1957 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 33
George Volkoff1914–2000 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 34
Bjarni Tryggvason1945–2022 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 35
Steve Mannborn 1962 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 36
Don Pageborn 1948 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 37
Helen Sawyer Hogg1905–1993 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 38
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Harriet Brooks1876–1933 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 39
Steve MacLeanborn 1954 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 40
W. G. Unruhborn 1945 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 41
Marie-Victorin1885–1944 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 42BBBruce Bagemihlborn 1962 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 43
Jacob Schick1877–1937 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 44WIWerner Israel1931–2022 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 45
Norman L. Bowen1887–1956 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 46
Yvonne Brill1924–2013 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 47PCPaul Corkumborn 1943 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 48
Walter Zinn1906–2000 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 49
John Moffatborn 1932 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 50
Robert F. Christy1916–2012 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 51
Allan H. MacDonaldborn 1951 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 52
Martin Kamen1913–2002 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 53SFSylvia Fedoruk1927–2012 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 54
Dale Frailborn 1961 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 55
Daniel J. Druckerborn 1956 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 56SVSidney van den Berghborn 1929 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 57
Alfred Bader1924–2018 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 58RPRobert Pound1919–2010 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 59
Reginald Aldworth Daly1871–1957 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 60
John Stanley Plaskett1865–1941 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 61
Rebecca Elson1960–1999 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 62
Alice Wilson1881–1964 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 63
Lubomyr Romankiw1931–2024 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 64
Austin Mardonborn 1962 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 65PMPeter Munk1927–2018 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 66
Peter Norman Nissen1871–1930 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 67
Alfred J. Gross1918–2000 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 68
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Arthur Whitneyborn 1958 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 69
Margaret Sibella Brown1866–1961 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 70
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C. Donald Bateman1932–2023 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 71
Raymond Lemieux1920–2000 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 72STScott Tremaineborn 1950 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 73
Pierre Dansereau1911–2011 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 74
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J. Richard Bondborn 1950 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 75
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Carlyle Smith Beals1899–1979 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 76CMClifford Martin Willborn 1946 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 77LULewis Urry1927–2004 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 78
C. S. Wright1887–1975 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 79
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Arthur Henry Reginald Buller1874–1944 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 80
Alastair G. W. Cameron1925–2005 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 81
Hugh Rossborn 1945 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 82
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Marcelle Gauvreau1907–1968 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 83
Robert William Boyle1883–1955 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 84TMTrudy Mackayborn 1952 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 85IUIrene Uchida1917–2013 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 86JSJoseph S. Nelson1937–2011 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 87PFPaul F. Hoffmanborn 1941 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 88
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Paul D. N. Hebertborn 1947 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 89
Alexandra Mortonborn 1957 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 90IKIan Keith Affleck1952–2024 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 91
Mark Tildenborn 1961 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 92
Clarence Chant1865–1956 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 93
Hugh Le Caine1914–1977 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 94GPGilbert Plass1920–2004 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 95
Ted Hsuborn 1964 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 96JKJosef Kates1921–2018 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 97
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Spencer Charles Hilton Barrettborn 1948 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured— - 98FGFrederick G. Creed1871–1957 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 99SJSajeev Johnborn 1957 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
- 100
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Margaret Newton1887–1971 · 🇨🇦 Canada · Scientistsnot measured—
How this is measured
- Placing people in time. Each person belongs to the century in which they were most active — around age 35, and never after their death.
- Who ranks highest. Within a century, people are ranked where two independent signals agree: how many of the world’s Wikipedia language editions cover them, and how many people actually read about them. Article counts alone can be lifted by a person’s own circle; readers cannot.
- Fame in print. The curves count how often a name appears in Google Books from 1800 to 2019, as a share of all the words printed each year, in the person’s own language wherever that corpus exists. Those decades are over, so each measurement is made once and kept.
- What is left out. A lifetime is measured only from 1820, when there is enough print to judge; the five years after a death are skipped as obituaries; and a name shared with someone equally notable is credited to neither.