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'Este1474–1539 · 16th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists0.58 - 97
Isabella d'Este, Duchess of Parma1635–1666 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.58 - 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
Soichiro Honda1906–1991 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 2
Hideki Shirakawaborn 1936 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 3
Yoshinori Ohsumiborn 1945 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 4
Hideki Yukawa1907–1981 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 5
Tsutomu Yamaguchi1916–2010 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 6
Akio Morita1921–1999 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 7
Shuji Nakamuraborn 1954 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 8
Leo Esakiborn 1925 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 9
Jiro Horikoshi1903–1982 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 10
Sakichi Toyoda1867–1930 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 11
Shin'ichirō Tomonaga1906–1979 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 12
Koichi Tanakaborn 1959 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 13
Susumu Kitagawaborn 1951 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 14
Satoshi Ōmuraborn 1935 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 15
Gunpei Yokoi1941–1997 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 16
Ken Kutaragiborn 1950 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 17
Akira Yoshinoborn 1948 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 18
Takaaki Kajitaborn 1959 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 19
Susumu Tonegawaborn 1939 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 20
Masatoshi Koshiba1926–2020 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 21
Koichi Wakataborn 1963 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 22
Yoshiro Nakamatsuborn 1928 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 23
Ryōji Noyoriborn 1938 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 24
Osamu Shimomura1928–2018 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 25
Isamu Akasaki1929–2021 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 26
Mamoru Mohriborn 1948 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 27
Hiroshi Amanoborn 1960 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 28
Taiichi Ohno1912–1990 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 29
Toshihide Maskawa1940–2021 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 30
Makoto Kobayashiborn 1944 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 31
Yoshio Nishina1890–1951 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 32
Kenichi Fukui1918–1998 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 33
Akira Suzukiborn 1930 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientists0 decades - 34KIKaoru Ishikawa1915–1989 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 35
Nagaoka Hantarō1865–1950 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 36
Shōichirō Toyoda1925–2023 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 37
Katsuko Saruhashi1920–2007 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 38
Masao Yoshida1955–2013 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 39
Minakata Kumagusu1867–1941 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 40
Hideo Itokawa1912–1999 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 41
Akira Miyawaki1928–2021 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 42
Takao Doiborn 1954 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 43
Tsuneko Okazakiborn 1933 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 44
Shigeo Shingo1909–1990 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 45
Moriteru Ueshibaborn 1951 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 46
Masatoshi Shimaborn 1943 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 47
Ōtani Kōzui1876–1948 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 48
Hidetsugu Yagi1886–1976 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 49
J. J. Sakurai1933–1982 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 50KNKazuhiko Nishiborn 1956 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 51
Kenjirō Takayanagi1899–1990 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 52
Satoshi Kirishima1954–2024 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 53
Sumio Iijimaborn 1939 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 54
Jun-ichi Nishizawa1926–2018 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 55
Yuzuru Hiraga1878–1943 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 56
Ukichiro Nakaya1900–1962 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 57KIKōzō Iizuka1931–2024 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 58
Kōtarō Honda1870–1954 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 59
Chika Kuroda1884–1968 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 60
Genichi Taguchi1924–2012 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 61
Chushiro Hayashi1920–2010 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 62
Torahiko Terada1878–1935 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 63ROReiji Okazaki1930–1975 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 64
Hisashi Kimura1870–1943 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 65
Shoichi Sakata1911–1970 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 66
Masahiro Haraborn 1957 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 67
Akito Arima1930–2020 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 68
Hiroshi Ishiguroborn 1963 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 69HFHiroshi Fushidaborn 1946 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 70
Hitoshi Murayamaborn 1964 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 71GTGenyo Takedaborn 1949 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 72SIShoichiro Irimajiriborn 1940 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 73
Takenoshin Nakai1882–1952 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 74
Sahachiro Hata1873–1938 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 75
Michio Suzuki1887–1982 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 76NTNoritake Takaharaborn 1951 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 77
Tokuji Hayakawa1893–1980 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 78
Hiroshi Masuokaborn 1960 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 79
Ryogo Kubo1920–1995 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 80YHYuji Hyakutake1950–2002 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 81
Seiichi Miyake1926–1982 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 82
Tomohiro Nishikadoborn 1944 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 83
Shintaro Uda1896–1976 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 84
Yasui Kono1880–1971 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 85TTTomoji Tanabe1895–2009 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 86
Jun Muraiborn 1955 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 87SYShunpei Yamazakiborn 1942 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 88IKIkutaro Kakehashi1930–2017 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 89AHAkira Haraguchiborn 1946 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 90
Hideo Shima1901–1998 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 91KIKaoru Ikeyaborn 1943 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 92
Bunzō Hayata1874–1934 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 93
Yoji Totsuka1942–2008 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 94
Motonori Matuyama1884–1958 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 95TKTakao Kobayashiborn 1961 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 96TUTakeshi Urata1947–2012 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 97
Jun Kondō1930–2022 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 98
Akira Fujishimaborn 1942 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured— - 99HKHiroki Kosaiborn 1933 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Scientistsnot measured—
- 100
Chūhachi Ninomiya1866–1936 · 🇯🇵 Japan · 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.