← 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 English books during the 20th century, whenever they lived.
- 1
Jesus30 - 2
Aristotle7.1 - 3
Plato7.1 - 4
Homer7.1 - 5
Augustus4.9 - 6
Johns Hopkins4.4 - 7
Cicero4.0 - 8
George Washington3.8 - 9
Socrates3.4 - 10
Virgil3.3 - 11
Abraham Lincoln2.0 - 12
Euclid1.9 - 13
Thomas Jefferson1.6 - 14
Ovid1.6 - 15
Mark Twain1.5 - 16
Plutarch1.5 - 17
Cleopatra1.4 - 18
Theodore Roosevelt1.4 - 19
Woodrow Wilson1.4 - 20
William Henry1.3 - 21
Benjamin Franklin1.3 - 22
Herodotus1.3 - 23
Charlemagne1.3 - 24
Rembrandt1.3 - 25
Euripides1.2
Lived then
The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 20th century, ranked where coverage and readership agree.
- 1
Todd McFarlanenot measured- - 2
Yousuf Karshnot measured- - 3
Maud Lewisnot measured- - 4
Emily Carrnot measured- - 5Rob Gonsalvesnot measured-
- 6
Agnes Martinnot measured- - 7
Tom Thomsonnot measured- - 8
John Howenot measured- - 9
Jeff Wallnot measured- - 10
Jean Paul Riopellenot measured- - 11Zahra Kazeminot measured-
- 12
Toller Cranstonnot measured- - 13
Alex Colvillenot measured- - 14
Bill Reidnot measured- - 15
Belinda Montgomerynot measured- - 16
Parviz Tanavolinot measured- - 17
Kenojuak Ashevaknot measured- - 18
Ted Nasmithnot measured- - 19Norval Morrisseaunot measured-
- 20
C. D. Howenot measured- - 21
Edward Burtynskynot measured- - 22
Helen McNicollnot measured- - 23
A. Y. Jacksonnot measured- - 24
Lawren Harrisnot measured- - 25
Franklin Carmichaelnot measured- - 26Al Peasenot measured-
- 27
Fiona Staplesnot measured- - 28
Gregory Colbertnot measured- - 29
Lynn Johnstonnot measured- - 30
A. J. Cassonnot measured- - 31
Paul-Émile Borduasnot measured- - 32
Stan Douglasnot measured- - 33
Leo Molnot measured- - 34
Rawi Hagenot measured- - 35
Clarence Gagnonnot measured- - 36
Frederick Varleynot measured- - 37
Marcel Barbeaunot measured- - 38
R. Tait McKenzienot measured- - 39
Daphne Odjignot measured- - 40
Frank Johnstonnot measured- - 41
Maurice Galbraith Cullennot measured- - 42
Raoul Barrénot measured- - 43Carol Dunlopnot measured-
- 44
Richard Hambletonnot measured- - 45P. K. Pagenot measured-
- 46
James Wilson Morricenot measured- - 47
Christopher Prattnot measured- - 48
Claude Lafortunenot measured- - 49Fred Herzognot measured-
- 50
Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Coténot measured- - 51Marcelle Ferronnot measured-
- 52Sorel Etrognot measured-
- 53
Doris McCarthynot measured- - 54
Boardman Robinsonnot measured- - 55
Edwin Holgatenot measured- - 56
Rebecca Belmorenot measured- - 57Mimi Parentnot measured-
- 58
Dorothea Rockburnenot measured- - 59
Alfred Pellannot measured- - 60
Jack Bushnot measured-
- 61
Ken Lumnot measured- - 62
Shani Mootoonot measured- - 63
Françoise Sullivannot measured- - 64Jean Benoîtnot measured-
- 65Susanna Bluntnot measured-
- 66
Allan Brooksnot measured- - 67
Anne Savagenot measured- - 68
Aileen Meaghernot measured- - 69
Molly Bobaknot measured- - 70Mary Prattnot measured-
- 71Paul Snidernot measured-
- 72
Sophie Pembertonnot measured- - 73
Dana Claxtonnot measured- - 74Jack Goldsteinnot measured-
- 75
Jana Sterbaknot measured- - 76
Robert Batemannot measured- - 77Larry Towellnot measured-
- 78Jens Rosingnot measured-
- 79
Kateryna Antonovychnot measured- - 80
Margaret Watkinsnot measured- - 81
Paul Hartalnot measured- - 82Benjamin Chee Cheenot measured-
- 83
Paraskeva Clarknot measured- - 84William Kureleknot measured-
- 85
Shuvinai Ashoonanot measured- - 86Geneviève Cadieuxnot measured-
- 87Betty Goodwinnot measured-
- 88Clyde Klotznot measured-
- 89Lynne Cohennot measured-
- 90
Henriette Valiumnot measured- - 91Isabella Mary Abbottnot measured-
- 92
Clara Sipprellnot measured- - 93
John William Beattynot measured- - 94
Suzy Lakenot measured- - 95Louis Archambaultnot measured-
- 96
Walter Seymour Allwardnot measured- - 97Micheline Beaucheminnot measured-
- 98
Kathleen Morrisnot measured- - 99
Caroline Armingtonnot measured- - 100Guido Molinarinot measured-
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.