← 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
Leonard Cohen5 decades - 2
Neil Young5 decades - 3
Bryan Adams3 decades - 4
Joni Mitchell5 decades - 5
Mylène Farmer3 decades - 6
Gordon Lightfootnot measured- - 7
Howard Shore1 decades - 8
David Fosternot measured- - 9
Glenn Gould7 decades - 10
Diana Krallnot measured- - 11
Oscar Peterson7 decades - 12
Neil Peartnot measured- - 13
k.d. langnot measured- - 14
Loreena McKennittnot measured- - 15
Geddy Leenot measured- - 16
Anne Murraynot measured- - 17
James LaBrienot measured- - 18
Robbie Robertsonnot measured- - 19
Alex Lifesonnot measured- - 20
Denny Dohertynot measured- - 21
Alannah Mylesnot measured- - 22
Gil Evansnot measured- - 23
René Angélilnot measured- - 24
Mychael Dannanot measured- - 25
Daniel Lanoisnot measured- - 26
Corey Hartnot measured- - 27
Deanna Durbinnot measured- - 28
Garth Hudsonnot measured- - 29
Bob Rocknot measured- - 30
Rick Dankonot measured- - 31
Paul Shaffernot measured- - 32Cindy Breakspearenot measured-
- 33
Vanitynot measured- - 34
Bob Ezrinnot measured- - 35
Bruno Pelletiernot measured- - 36
Guy Laliberténot measured- - 37
Richard Manuelnot measured- - 38
Sally Yehnot measured- - 39
Hugh Dillonnot measured- - 40
Terry Jacksnot measured- - 41
Maynard Fergusonnot measured- - 42
Lee Aaronnot measured- - 43
Randy Bachmannot measured- - 44John Rutseynot measured-
- 45
Kate McGarriglenot measured- - 46
Bruce Cockburnnot measured- - 47
Hank Snownot measured- - 48
Percy Faithnot measured- - 49
Robert Charleboisnot measured- - 50
Gino Vannellinot measured- - 51
Michel Tremblaynot measured- - 52Stan Rogersnot measured-
- 53
Ron Sexsmithnot measured- - 54
Daniel Lavoienot measured- - 55
Guy Lombardonot measured- - 56
Marc-André Hamelinnot measured- - 57
Roch Voisinenot measured- - 58
Tom Cochranenot measured- - 59
Burton Cummingsnot measured- - 60
Leon Redbonenot measured- - 61
Luc Plamondonnot measured- - 62
Frank Marinonot measured- - 63
David Clayton-Thomasnot measured- - 64
Félix Leclercnot measured- - 65
Bernie Shawnot measured- - 66
Paul Bleynot measured- - 67Dan Hillnot measured-
- 68
Holly Colenot measured- - 69
Dang Thai Sonnot measured- - 70
Ian Tysonnot measured- - 71
Sass Jordannot measured- - 72
Aldo Novanot measured- - 73
Angela Hewittnot measured- - 74
Jeff Jonesnot measured- - 75
Jann Ardennot measured- - 76Bruce Fairbairnnot measured-
- 77
Colin Jamesnot measured- - 78
Tom Jacksonnot measured- - 79
Galt MacDermotnot measured- - 80
Lawrence Gowannot measured- - 81
David Campbellnot measured- - 82
Jesse Cooknot measured- - 83
Michael Brooknot measured- - 84
Nivek Ogrenot measured- - 85Hulda Regehr Clarknot measured-
- 86
R. Murray Schafernot measured- - 87
Maureen Forresternot measured- - 88
Maud Allannot measured- - 89
Kenny Wheelernot measured- - 90
Jon Vickersnot measured- - 91
Ivan Doroschuknot measured- - 92
Teresa Stratasnot measured- - 93Jim Vallancenot measured-
- 94
Darwyn Cookenot measured- - 95
Les Stroudnot measured- - 96
Oliver Jonesnot measured- - 97
Jane Siberrynot measured- - 98
Keith Scottnot measured- - 99
Bruce Palmernot measured- - 100
Claude Viviernot 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.