215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time1900-1999

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 Chinese books during the 20th century, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Mao Zedong1893-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians275
  2. 2Lu Xun1881-1936 · 20th century · China · Writers60
  3. 3Liu Shaoqi1898-1969 · 20th century · China · Politicians58
  4. 4Zhou Enlai1898-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians55
  5. 5Lin Biao1907-1971 · 20th century · China · Politicians40
  6. 6Deng Xiaoping1904-1997 · 20th century · China · Politicians34
  7. 7Sun Yat-sen1866-1925 · 20th century · China · Politicians31
  8. 8Jiang Zemin1926-2022 · 20th century · China · Politicians13
  9. 9Confucius551 BC-479 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Academics12
  10. 10Jiang Qing1914-1991 · 20th century · China · Actors10
  11. 11Zhu De1886-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians9.6
  12. 12Cao Xueqin1724-1760 · 18th century · China · Writers5.9
  13. 13Li Peng1928-2019 · 20th century · China · Politicians5.4
  14. 14Lee Teng-hui1923-2020 · 20th century · Taiwan · Politicians5.2
  15. 15Yuan Shikai1859-1916 · 19th century · China · Politicians5.0
  16. 16Laozi579 BC-500 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics4.7
  17. 17Lin Yutang1895-1976 · 20th century · China · Writers4.6
  18. 18Soong Ching-ling1893-1981 · 20th century · China · Politicians4.4
  19. 19Gao Ming1305-1370 · 14th century · Writers3.4
  20. 20Zhuang Zhou369 BC-288 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Academics2.8
  21. 21Li Bai701-762 · 8th century · Writers2.3
  22. 22Kang Youwei1858-1927 · 19th century · China · Politicians2.3
  23. 23Li Hongzhang1823-1901 · 19th century · China · Politicians2.0
  24. 24Wang Chong27-97 · 1st century · Scientists1.9
  25. 25Wang Anshi1021-1086 · 11th century · China · Politicians1.7
  26. 26Yan Fu1854-1921 · 19th century · Writers1.6
  27. 27Zhu Xi1130-1200 · 12th century · China · Writers1.4
  28. 28Hong Xiuquan1814-1864 · 19th century · China · Politicians1.4
  29. 29Zhuge Liang181-234 · 3rd century · China · Politicians1.3
  30. 30Park Chung-hee1917-1979 · 20th century · South Korea · Politicians1.3
  31. 31Zhao Ziyang1919-2005 · 20th century · China · Politicians1.2
  32. 32Dong Zhongshu179 BC-104 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians1.2
  33. 33Qu Yuan343 BC-278 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Writers1.2
  34. 34Hsu Shih-chang1855-1939 · 19th century · Politicians1.2
  35. 35Du Fu712-770 · 8th century · China · Writers1.1
  36. 36Wang Fuzhi1619-1692 · 17th century · China · Writers1.1
  37. 37Sima Qian145 BC-86 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Writers1.1
  38. 38Wu Qi440 BC-381 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians1.0
  39. 39Liu Zongyuan773-819 · 9th century · Writers1.0
  40. 40Kim Il-sung1912-1994 · 20th century · North Korea · Politicians1.0
  41. 41Li Si280 BC-208 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Politicians1.0
  42. 42Li Zicheng1606-1645 · 17th century · China · Politicians0.96
  43. 43Hu Jintaoborn 1942 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.93
  44. 44Mozi470 BC-391 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.86
  45. 45Cao Cao155-220 · 2nd century · China · Politicians0.83
  46. 46Xun Kuang313 BC-230 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.73
  47. 47Tan Sitong1865-1898 · 19th century · China · Academics0.73
  48. 48Lin Tse-hsu1785-1850 · 19th century · Politicians0.69
  49. 49Wen Tianxiang1236-1283 · 13th century · Politicians0.66
  50. 50Hua Guofeng1921-2008 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.64
  51. 51Mo Yanborn 1955 · 20th century · China · Writers0.59
  52. 52Wu Zetian624-705 · 7th century · China · Writers0.58
  53. 53Li Qiangborn 1959 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.57
  54. 54Hai Rui1514-1587 · 16th century0.56
  55. 55Chen Shou233-297 · 3rd century · Writers0.52
  56. 56Zhang Yimouborn 1950 · 20th century · China · Directors0.50
  57. 57Chiang Ching-kuo1910-1988 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.49
  58. 58Tao Yuanming365-427 · 5th century · China · Writers0.49
  59. 59Wang Yangming1472-1529 · 16th century · China · Academics0.49
  60. 60Bai Juyi772-846 · 9th century · China · Writers0.45
  61. 61Shen Kuo1031-1095 · 11th century · China · Scientists0.42
  62. 62Li Yuanhong1864-1928 · 19th century · China · Politicians0.41
  63. 63Zheng He1371-1433 · 15th century · China · Historical Figures0.41
  64. 64Koxinga1624-1662 · 17th century · Japan · Politicians0.39
  65. 65Zhu Rongji1928-2026 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.39
  66. 66Chen-ning Yang1922-2025 · 20th century · China · Scientists0.38
  67. 67Lee Kuan Yew1923-2015 · 20th century · Singapore · Politicians0.37
  68. 68Shi Kefa1601-1645 · 17th century · Politicians0.37
  69. 69Dai Zhen1724-1777 · 18th century · China · Academics0.34
  70. 70Deng Xi545 BC-501 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.31
  71. 71Zeng Guofan1811-1872 · 19th century · China · Politicians0.30
  72. 72Liu Bei161-223 · 2nd century0.28
  73. 73Han Yu768-824 · 9th century · China · Writers0.28
  74. 74Shitao1642-1707 · 17th century · Artists0.28
  75. 75Liu Xiaobo1955-2017 · 20th century · China · Writers0.27
  76. 76Bada Shanren1626-1705 · 17th century · Artists0.27
  77. 77Guan Hanqing1210-1298 · 13th century · Writers0.27
  78. 78Pu Songling1640-1715 · 17th century · China · Writers0.25
  79. 79Xu Xiake1587-1641 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.24
  80. 80Hongwu Emperor1328-1398 · 14th century · China · Historical Figures0.23
  81. 81Gu Kaizhi345-406 · 4th century · Artists0.23
  82. 82Su Shi1037-1101 · 11th century · China · Writers0.22
  83. 83He Zhizhang659-744 · 7th century · Writers0.22
  84. 84Gu Yanwu1613-1682 · 17th century · Writers0.21
  85. 85Gao Xingjianborn 1940 · 20th century · China · Writers0.21
  86. 86Hui Shi370 BC-310 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.20
  87. 87Zhang Zai1020-1077 · 11th century · Academics0.19
  88. 88Yu Qian1398-1457 · 15th century · Writers0.19
  89. 89Wen Jiabaoborn 1942 · 20th century · China · Politicians0.18
  90. 90Ban Gu32-92 · 1st century · Writers0.18
  91. 91Li Shizhen1517-1593 · 16th century · Scientists0.18
  92. 92Qi Baishi1864-1957 · 19th century · China · Artists0.16
  93. 93Song Yingxing1587-1666 · 17th century · Writers0.16
  94. 94Xu Guangqi1562-1633 · 16th century · Politicians0.15
  95. 95Lu You1125-1210 · 12th century · China · Writers0.15
  96. 96Liu Yuxi772-842 · 9th century · Writers0.14
  97. 97Huang Zongxi1610-1695 · 17th century · Academics0.14
  98. 98Huang Chao801-884 · 9th century · Writers0.14
  99. 99Zhang Xuecheng1738-1801 · 18th century · Academics0.14
  100. 100Ouyang Xiu1007-1072 · 11th century · China · Writers0.13

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 20th century, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Albert Einstein1879-1955 · Switzerland · Scientists11 decades
  2. 2Stephen Hawking1942-2018 · United Kingdom · Scientists4 decades
  3. 3Marie Curie1867-1934 · France · Scientists4 decades
  4. 4J. Robert Oppenheimer1904-1967 · United States · Scientists8 decades
  5. 5Richard Feynman1918-1988 · United States · Scientists4 decades
  6. 6A. P. J. Abdul Kalam1931-2015 · India · Scientists0 decades
  7. 7Werner Heisenberg1901-1976 · Germany · Scientists10 decades
  8. 8Carl Sagan1934-1996 · United States · Scientists6 decades
  9. 9Wernher von Braun1912-1977 · United States · Scientists7 decades
  10. 10Steve Wozniakborn 1950 · United States · Scientists4 decades
  11. 11Howard Hughes1905-1976 · United States · Scientists9 decades
  12. 12Richard Dawkinsborn 1941 · United Kingdom · Scientists4 decades
  13. 13Niels Bohr1885-1962 · Denmark · Scientists10 decades
  14. 14Miguel Díaz-Canelborn 1960 · Cuba · Scientists0 decades
  15. 15Neil deGrasse Tysonborn 1958 · United States · Scientists1 decades
  16. 16Mikhail Kalashnikov1919-2013 · Russia · Scientists4 decades
  17. 17Enrico Fermi1901-1954 · Italy · Scientists10 decades
  18. 18Erwin Schrödinger1887-1961 · Germany · Scientists11 decades
  19. 19Rosalind Franklin1920-1958 · United Kingdom · Scientists4 decades
  20. 20Edward Teller1908-2003 · United States · Scientists8 decades
  21. 21James Watson1928-2025 · United States · Scientistsnot measured-
  22. 22Sergei Korolev1906-1966 · Russia · Scientists6 decades
  23. 23Alexander Fleming1881-1955 · United Kingdom · Scientists8 decades
  24. 24C. V. Raman1888-1970 · India · Scientists0 decades
  25. 25Chen-ning Yang1922-2025 · China · Scientists8 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.