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 French books during the 20th century — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish28,219German4,127French3,913Italian2,072Spanish1,601Russian838Chinese282Hebrew149
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
Voltaire1694–1778 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers23 - 2
Louis XIV of France1638–1715 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures15 - 3
Molière1622–1673 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers12 - 4
Stendhal1783–1842 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers10 - 5
Victor Hugo1802–1885 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers9.4 - 6
Louis XVI of France1754–1793 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures7.0 - 7
Montesquieu1689–1755 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics6.4 - 8
Louis XV of France1710–1774 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures6.2 - 9
François Fénelon1651–1715 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures4.6
- 10
Joan of Arc1412–1431 · 15th century · 🇫🇷 France4.0 - 11
Napoleon III1808–1873 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians3.6 - 12
George Sand1804–1876 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers3.4
- 13
Henry II of France1519–1559 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians3.3 - 14HIHenry II, Count of Euborn 1160 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France3.3
- 15
Louis XVIII of France1755–1824 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians3.1 - 16
François Mitterrand1916–1996 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians2.3 - 17
Pierre de Marivaux1688–1763 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers2.2 - 18
Anatole France1844–1924 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers2.2 - 19
Marie Antoinette1755–1793 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures2.1 - 20
Francis de Sales1567–1622 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures2.0 - 21
André Gide1869–1951 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.9 - 22
Léon Blum1872–1950 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.9 - 23
Jacques Chirac1932–2019 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.8 - 24
Charles X of France1757–1836 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.8 - 25
Paul Valéry1871–1945 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.7 - 26
Auguste Comte1798–1857 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics1.7 - 27
Marcel Proust1871–1922 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.7 - 28
Louis XII of France1462–1515 · 15th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures1.7 - 29
Benjamin Constant1767–1830 · 19th century · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Politicians1.6 - 30
Vincent de Paul1581–1660 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures1.5 - 31
Charles Marie René Leconte de Lisle1818–1894 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.5
- 32
Romain Rolland1866–1944 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.4 - 33
Théophile Gautier1811–1872 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.4 - 34
Claude Bernard1813–1878 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.4 - 35
Jean-Jacques Rousseau1712–1778 · 18th century · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Academics1.3 - 36
Jules Ferry1832–1893 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.3 - 37
Paul Claudel1868–1955 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.3 - 38
Adunisborn 1930 · 20th century · Writers1.2 - 39
Alexandre Dumas fils1824–1895 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.2 - 40
Alexandre Dumas1802–1870 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.2 - 41
Maine de Biran1766–1824 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.1 - 42
Jules Verne1828–1905 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.1 - 43
Georges Pompidou1911–1974 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.1 - 44
Louis Blanc1811–1882 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians1.0 - 45
Léon Bloy1846–1917 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers1.0 - 46
Marie de' Medici1575–1642 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians1.00
- 47
Paul Bourget1852–1935 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.99 - 48
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing1926–2020 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.98 - 49
André Breton1896–1966 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.97 - 50
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor1500–1558 · 16th century · Historical Figures0.97 - 51
Le Corbusier1887–1965 · 20th century · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Architects0.95 - 52
Philip V of Spain1683–1746 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.94 - 53
Alfred de Vigny1797–1863 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.93 - 54
Alfred de Musset1810–1857 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.92 - 55
Francis II of France1544–1560 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.91 - 56
Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de Brantôme1540–1614 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.91 - 57
Joseph de Maistre1753–1821 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.91 - 58
François Mauriac1885–1970 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.88 - 59
Pope John XXII1244–1334 · 13th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0.88
- 60
Gérard de Nerval1808–1855 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.84 - 61
Jean Cocteau1889–1963 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.83 - 62
Charles the Bold1433–1477 · 15th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.83 - 63
Charles Maurras1868–1952 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.78 - 64
André Chénier1762–1794 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.76 - 65
André Malraux1901–1976 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.75 - 66
Alphonse Daudet1840–1897 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.74 - 67
Pierre Laval1883–1945 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.74 - 68
La Grange1635–1692 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France · Actors0.74 - 69
Max Jacob1876–1944 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.72 - 70
Jules Simon1814–1896 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.71 - 71
Charles de Gaulle1890–1970 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.69 - 72
Chrétien de Troyes1135–1181 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.67 - 73
Jules Favre1809–1880 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.66 - 74
Napoleon1769–1821 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures0.66 - 75
Alain Juppéborn 1945 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.66 - 76
Gaston Paris1839–1903 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.65 - 77
Maurice Barrès1862–1923 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.65 - 78
Louis XVII of France1785–1795 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France0.64 - 79
Pope Julius II1443–1513 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0.62 - 80
Henri de Régnier1864–1936 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.62 - 81
Roland Barthes1915–1980 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.61 - 82
Victor Cousin1792–1867 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.60 - 83
Albert Camus1913–1960 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.60 - 84
Sarah Bernhardt1844–1923 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Actors0.58 - 85
Lionel Jospin1937–2026 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.58 - 86
Jules Lemaître1853–1914 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.57 - 87
Léon Bourgeois1851–1925 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.57 - 88
Simone de Beauvoir1908–1986 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.56 - 89
Jules Renard1864–1910 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.56 - 90
Pierre Loti1850–1923 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.56 - 91
Vincent Auriol1884–1966 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.56 - 92
Gustave Flaubert1821–1880 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.55 - 93
Charles de Lorraine de Vaudémont1561–1587 · 16th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0.55
- 94
Charles of Lorraine1567–1607 · 17th century · 🇫🇷 France0.55 - 95
Gabriel Marcel1889–1973 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Academics0.54 - 96
Charles Péguy1873–1914 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.53 - 97
Robert Schuman1886–1963 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.53 - 98
Raymond Poincaré1860–1934 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.52 - 99
Marc Bloch1886–1944 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.52 - 100
Saint-John Perse1887–1975 · 20th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0.52
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
Enrico Fermi1901–1954 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists10 decades - 2
Guglielmo Marconi1874–1937 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists13 decades - 3
Primo Levi1919–1987 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists11 decades - 4
Ettore Majoranaborn 1906 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 5
Ettore Bugatti1881–1947 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 6
Federico Fagginborn 1941 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 7
Carlo Rovelliborn 1956 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 8
Margherita Hack1922–2013 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 9
Giorgio Parisiborn 1948 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists1 decades - 10
Marcello Gandini1938–2024 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 11
Piero Ferrariborn 1945 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 12
Carlo Rubbiaborn 1934 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists4 decades - 13
Giulio Natta1903–1979 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists10 decades - 14
Pier Luigi Nervi1891–1979 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 15
Bruno Pontecorvo1913–1993 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 16
Paolo Nespoliborn 1957 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 17
Fabiola Gianottiborn 1960 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 18
Riccardo Morandi1902–1989 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 19
Antonino Zichichi1929–2026 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 20
Gaetano Manfrediborn 1964 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 21
Andrew Viterbiborn 1935 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 22
Elena Cattaneoborn 1962 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 23
Edoardo Amaldi1908–1989 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 24
Riccardo Giacconi1931–2018 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists2 decades - 25
Ardito Desio1897–2001 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 26
Vittorio Jano1891–1965 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 27
Dante Giacosa1905–1996 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 28
Roberto Cingolaniborn 1961 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 29
Amalia Ercoli-Finziborn 1937 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 30ACAldo Costaborn 1961 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 31
Franco Rasetti1901–2001 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 32
Bruno Rossi1905–1993 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 33
Alfonso Bialetti1888–1970 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 34
Giuseppe Levi1872–1965 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 35
Andrea Chiesaborn 1964 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 36
Aurelio Lampredi1917–1989 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 37
Carlo Chiti1924–1994 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 38APAndrea Pininfarina1957–2008 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 39
Giuseppe Occhialini1907–1993 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 40
Corradino D'Ascanio1891–1981 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 41
Beppe Gabbianiborn 1957 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 42
Aldo Brovarone1926–2020 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 43
Giuseppe Brotzu1895–1976 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 44
Mario Tchou1924–1961 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 45
Giulio Cabianca1923–1961 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 46
Maria Bakunin1873–1960 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 47
Guido Tonelliborn 1950 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 48
Gian Carlo Wick1909–1992 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 49
Federico Capassoborn 1949 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 50
Pier Giorgio Perotto1930–2002 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 51
Franco Rol1908–1977 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 52
Ugo Fano1912–2001 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 53
Michele Parrinelloborn 1945 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 54BZBruno Zumino1923–2014 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 55
Lucio Russo1944–2025 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 56
Remo Ruffiniborn 1942 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 57
Gian Francesco Giudiceborn 1961 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 58
Carlo Felice Trossi1908–1949 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 59
William Salice1933–2016 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 60
Raúl Pateras Pescara1890–1966 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 61
Alberto Maria De Agostini1883–1960 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 62DCDonato Cocoborn 1956 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 63
Giuseppe Busso1913–2006 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 64
Cesare Emiliani1922–1995 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 65
Paolo Stanzani1936–2017 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 66
Orazio Satta Puliga1910–1974 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 67
Giovanni Jona-Lasinioborn 1932 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 68
Giuseppe Mario Bellanca1886–1960 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 69
Gino Bianco1916–1984 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 70
Jean de Sperati1884–1957 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 71
Quirino Majorana1871–1957 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 72
Gaetano Starrabbaborn 1932 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 73
Franco Comotti1906–1963 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 74
Gino Munaron1928–2009 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 75
Giorgio Abetti1882–1982 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 76
Guido Monzino1928–1988 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 77
Secondo Campini1904–1980 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 78
Simonetta Di Pippoborn 1959 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 79
Enrico Persico1900–1969 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 80GBGiorgio Bassiborn 1934 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 81
Luca Baldisserriborn 1962 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 82
Giulio Alfieri1924–2002 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 83
Vittorio Prodi1937–2023 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 84RPRoberto Peccei1942–2020 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 85
Antonio Ferri1912–1975 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 86
Giuseppe Merosi1872–1956 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 87ASAndrea Sassettiborn 1960 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 88
Paolo Maffei1926–2009 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 89
Raffaele Bendandi1893–1979 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 90
Mauro Morettiborn 1953 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 91
Leonardo Chiariglioneborn 1943 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 92
Giuseppe Sermonti1925–2018 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 93MAMario Almondoborn 1964 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 94VSVincenzo Silvano Casulli1944–2018 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 95PEPellegrino Ernetti1925–1994 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 96
Maura Tombelliborn 1952 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 97
Giorgio Rosa1925–2017 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 98
Massimo Natili1935–2017 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured— - 99LPLuigi Puccianti1875–1952 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientistsnot measured—
- 100
Luigi Carnera1875–1962 · 🇮🇹 Italy · 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.