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 Italian books during the 20th century — whenever they lived.
In books written inEnglish28,219German4,127French3,913Italian2,072Spanish1,601Russian838Chinese282Hebrew149
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
Giotto1267–1337 · 14th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists5.4 - 2
Dante Alighieri1265–1321 · 14th century · Writers5.0 - 3
Caravaggio1571–1610 · 17th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists3.8 - 4
Leonardo da Vinci1452–1519 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists3.8 - 5
Antonio da Correggio1489–1534 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists3.7 - 6
Benedetto Croce1866–1952 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics3.3 - 7
Donato Bramante1444–1514 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Architects2.9 - 8
Donatello1386–1466 · 15th century · Artists2.8 - 9
Giuseppe Mazzini1805–1872 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Activists2.2 - 10
Alessandro Manzoni1785–1873 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers2.2 - 11
Ugo Foscolo1778–1827 · 19th century · Writers2.1 - 12
Pietro Perugino1448–1523 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists2.0 - 13
Tintoretto1519–1594 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.9 - 14
Francis of Assisi1182–1226 · 13th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.8 - 15
Giacomo Leopardi1798–1837 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.8 - 16
Benito Mussolini1883–1945 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians1.8 - 17
Torquato Tasso1544–1595 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.7 - 18
Masaccio1401–1428 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.7 - 19
Giordano Bruno1548–1600 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics1.6 - 20
Lorenzo de' Medici1449–1492 · 15th century · Politicians1.6 - 21
Galileo Galilei1564–1642 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Scientists1.6 - 22
Charles Borromeo1538–1584 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures1.6 - 23
Giosuè Carducci1835–1907 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.5 - 24
Marco Polo1254–1324 · 13th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians1.4 - 25
Giuseppe Verdi1813–1901 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians1.4 - 26
Vittorio Alfieri1749–1803 · 18th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures1.4 - 27
Petrarch1304–1374 · 14th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics1.2 - 28
Philip Neri1515–1595 · 16th century · Religious Figures1.2 - 29
Francesco Crispi1818–1901 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians1.2 - 30
Giovanni Pascoli1855–1912 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.2 - 31
Cimabue1240–1302 · 13th century · Artists1.2 - 32
Paul the Deacon720–799 · 8th century · Writers1.2 - 33
Farinelli1705–1782 · 18th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians1.2 - 34
Silvio Pellico1789–1854 · 19th century · Writers1.1 - 35
Gabriele D'Annunzio1863–1938 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.1 - 36
Guercino1591–1666 · 17th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.1 - 37
Piero della Francesca1415–1492 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.1
- 38
Giulio Romano1499–1546 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists1.1 - 39
Carlo Goldoni1707–1793 · 18th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.99 - 40
Luigi Pirandello1867–1936 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.95 - 41
Bernardino of Siena1380–1444 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics0.94 - 42
Luigi Einaudi1874–1961 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.93 - 43
Pietro Verri1728–1797 · 18th century · Academics0.89 - 44
Leon Battista Alberti1404–1472 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Architects0.88 - 45
Pietro Aretino1492–1556 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.88 - 46
Vincenzo Gioberti1801–1852 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics0.87 - 47
Pisanello1395–1455 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.86
- 48
Domenichino1581–1641 · 17th century · Artists0.86 - 49
Cesare Balbo1789–1853 · 19th century · Politicians0.84 - 50
Pontormo1494–1556 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.83 - 51
Cesare Borgia1475–1507 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures0.83 - 52
Niccolò Machiavelli1469–1527 · 16th century · Politicians0.82 - 53
Salvator Rosa1615–1673 · 17th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.82 - 54
Aldo Moro1916–1978 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.82 - 55
Vittoria Colonna1492–1547 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.82 - 56
Antonio Rosmini1797–1855 · 19th century · Academics0.81 - 57
Paolo Rossi1956–2020 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Footballers0.80 - 58
Filippo Turati1857–1932 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.80 - 59
Parmigianino1503–1540 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.78 - 60
Giovanni Boccaccio1313–1375 · 14th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.77 - 61
Cosimo de' Medici1389–1464 · 15th century · Politicians0.76 - 62
Francesca da Rimini1259–1285 · 13th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.76 - 63
Massimo d'Azeglio1798–1866 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.76 - 64
Bettino Ricasoli1809–1880 · 19th century · Politicians0.74 - 65
Guido Cavalcanti1258–1300 · 13th century · Writers0.74 - 66
Umberto Eco1932–2016 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.73 - 67
Canaletto1697–1768 · 18th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.73 - 68
Guido Reni1575–1642 · 17th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.72 - 69
Andrea Doria1466–1560 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.71 - 70
Marsilio Ficino1433–1499 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics0.70 - 71
Niccolò Tommaseo1802–1874 · 19th century · Academics0.69 - 72
Giorgio Vasari1511–1574 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.69 - 73
Antonio Gramsci1891–1937 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics0.68 - 74
Pietro Bembo1470–1547 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0.68 - 75
Pietro da Cortona1596–1669 · 17th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.68
- 76
Luigi Luzzatti1841–1927 · 19th century · Politicians0.67 - 77
Paolo Sarpi1552–1623 · 16th century · Academics0.67 - 78
Paolo Veronese1528–1588 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.67 - 79
Giovanni Bellini1430–1516 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.67 - 80
Andrea del Sarto1486–1530 · 16th century · Artists0.66 - 81
Giambattista Vico1668–1744 · 18th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics0.65 - 82
Marco Minghetti1818–1886 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.64 - 83
Margaret of Savoy1851–1926 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.64 - 84
Bettino Craxi1934–2000 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.62 - 85
Giovanni Verga1840–1922 · 19th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.61 - 86
Francesco Guicciardini1483–1540 · 16th century · Writers0.61 - 87
Paolo Uccello1397–1475 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.61 - 88
Domenico Passignano1559–1638 · 16th century · Artists0.61 - 89
Antonio Labriola1843–1904 · 19th century · Academics0.60 - 90
Pinturicchio1454–1513 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.60 - 91
Leonardo Bruni1369–1444 · 15th century · Writers0.60 - 92
Grazia Deledda1871–1936 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.60 - 93
Francesco Gonzaga1444–1483 · 15th century0.60 - 94
Alessandro Cagliostro1743–1795 · 18th century · 🇫🇷 France · Doctors0.59 - 95
Lucrezia Borgia1480–1519 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Historical Figures0.59 - 96
Isabella d'Este, Duchess of Parma1635–1666 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.58 - 97
Isabella d'Este1474–1539 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.58 - 98
Filippo Maria Visconti1392–1447 · 15th century · Politicians0.58 - 99
Girolamo Savonarola1452–1498 · 15th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.57 - 100
Tommaso Campanella1568–1639 · 17th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics0.57
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
Benito Mussolini1883–1945 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians11 decades - 2
Silvio Berlusconi1936–2023 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians6 decades - 3
Sergio Mattarellaborn 1941 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians4 decades - 4
Aldo Moro1916–1978 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians8 decades - 5
Sonia Gandhiborn 1946 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians3 decades - 6
Giuseppe Conteborn 1964 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians6 decades - 7
Giulio Andreotti1919–2013 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians8 decades - 8
Giorgio Napolitano1925–2023 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians8 decades - 9
Clara Petacci1912–1945 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians8 decades - 10
Pietro Badoglio1871–1956 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians11 decades - 11
Romano Prodiborn 1939 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians6 decades
- 12
Bettino Craxi1934–2000 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians6 decades - 13
Mengistu Haile Mariamborn 1937 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians5 decades - 14
Alcide De Gasperi1881–1954 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians8 decades - 15
Galeazzo Ciano1903–1944 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians9 decades - 16
Francesco Cossiga1928–2010 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians6 decades - 17
Alessandra Mussoliniborn 1962 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 18
Emma Boninoborn 1948 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 19
Antonio Tajaniborn 1953 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians3 decades - 20
Italo Balbo1896–1940 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 21
Palmiro Togliatti1893–1964 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians8 decades - 22
Carlo Azeglio Ciampi1920–2016 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians4 decades - 23
Rodolfo Graziani1882–1955 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 24
Giacomo Matteotti1885–1924 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 25
Enrico Berlinguer1922–1984 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 26
Oscar Luigi Scalfaro1918–2012 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians6 decades - 27
Enrico de Nicola1877–1959 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians11 decades - 28
Paolo Gentiloniborn 1954 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians2 decades - 29
Massimo D'Alemaborn 1949 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians5 decades - 30
Walter Veltroniborn 1955 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 31
Giuseppe Saragat1898–1988 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians8 decades - 32
Amintore Fanfani1908–1999 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians9 decades - 33
Luigi Einaudi1874–1961 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians13 decades - 34
Giovanni Leone1908–2001 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians12 decades - 35
Giuliano Amatoborn 1938 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians6 decades
- 36
Ivanoe Bonomi1873–1951 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 37
Edda Mussolini1910–1995 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 38
Antonio Segni1891–1972 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians11 decades - 39
Umberto Nobile1885–1978 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 40
Emilio De Bono1866–1944 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 41
Dino Grandi1895–1988 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 42
Ignazio Benito Maria La Russaborn 1947 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 43
Giovanni Gronchi1887–1978 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians8 decades - 44
Gianfranco Finiborn 1952 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 45
David Sassoli1956–2022 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians1 decades - 46
Pier Luigi Bersaniborn 1951 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 47
Umberto Bossi1941–2026 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 48
Guido Crosettoborn 1963 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 49
Junio Valerio Borghese1906–1974 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 50
Giovanni Spadolini1925–1994 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 51
Alessandro Nanniniborn 1959 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 52
Giovanni Messe1883–1968 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 53
Giorgio Almirante1914–1988 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 54
Marco Pannella1930–2016 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 55
Carlo Alberto dalla Chiesa1920–1982 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 56
Nilde Iotti1920–1999 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 57
Ferruccio Parri1890–1981 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 58
Ciriaco De Mita1928–2022 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 59
Amadeo Bordiga1889–1970 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 60
Pietro Nenni1891–1980 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 61
Prince Amedeo, 3rd Duke of Aosta1898–1942 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 62
Altiero Spinelli1907–1986 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured—
- 63
Adriano Gallianiborn 1944 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 64
Prince Alfonso de Bourbon, Duke of Cádiz1936–1989 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 65
Mariano Rumor1915–1990 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 66
Letizia Morattiborn 1949 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 67
Arnaldo Forlani1925–2023 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 68
Luigi Longo1900–1980 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 69
Gianni Alemannoborn 1958 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 70
Italo Gariboldi1879–1970 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 71
Dario Franceschiniborn 1958 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 72
Giovanni Goria1943–1994 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 73
Liliana Segreborn 1930 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 74
Pier Ferdinando Casiniborn 1955 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 75
Antonio Di Pietroborn 1950 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 76
Tina Anselmi1927–2016 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 77
Giorgio Perlasca1910–1992 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 78
Emilio Colombo1920–2013 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 79
Ugo Cavallero1880–1943 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 80
Mario Scelba1901–1991 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 81
Pietro Grassoborn 1945 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured—
- 82
Alejandro Giammatteiborn 1956 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 83
Susanna Agnelli1922–2009 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 84
Roberto Maroni1955–2022 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 85
Francesco Rutelliborn 1954 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 86
Franco Frattini1957–2022 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 87
Fernando Tambroni1901–1963 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 88
Prince Aly Khan1911–1960 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 89
Vittorio Sgarbiborn 1952 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 90
Giuseppe Valditaraborn 1961 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 91
Rosy Bindiborn 1951 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 92
Walter Audisio1909–1973 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 93
Roberto Fioreborn 1959 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 94
Fausto Bertinottiborn 1940 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 95
Calogero Vizzini1877–1954 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 96
Giuseppe Pella1902–1981 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 97
Ettore Bastico1876–1972 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 98
Daniela Santanchèborn 1961 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 99
Carlo Sforza1872–1952 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot measured— - 100
Enzo Maiorca1931–2016 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politiciansnot 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.