← 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
Margaret Atwood5 decades - 2
Anne Carsonnot measured- - 3
Alice Munro5 decades - 4
Lucy Maud Montgomery3 decades - 5
Phan Thị Kim Phúcnot measured- - 6
Yann Martel1 decades - 7
Robin Sharmanot measured- - 8
Brian Tracynot measured- - 9
David Shorenot measured- - 10
Michael Ondaatje5 decades - 11
Paul Haggisnot measured- - 12
Steven Eriksonnot measured- - 13
Douglas Couplandnot measured- - 14
Manly P. Hallnot measured- - 15
Roméo Dallairenot measured- - 16
Guy Gavriel Kaynot measured- - 17
Eric Bernenot measured- - 18
Louise Pennynot measured- - 19
Northrop Fryenot measured- - 20
A. E. van Vogtnot measured- - 21
Jo Waltonnot measured- - 22
Farley Mowatnot measured- - 23Mordecai Richlernot measured-
- 24
Aimee Semple McPhersonnot measured- - 25
Dmytro Dontsovnot measured- - 26
John McCraenot measured- - 27
Robertson Daviesnot measured- - 28Rohinton Mistrynot measured-
- 29
Margaret MacMillannot measured- - 30
Stephen Leacocknot measured- - 31
Robert J. Sawyernot measured- - 32
Gabrielle Roynot measured- - 33
Robert W. Servicenot measured- - 34
Margaret Trudeaunot measured- - 35
Deborah Ellisnot measured- - 36
Robert Charles Wilsonnot measured- - 37
Miriam Toewsnot measured- - 38
Don McKellarnot measured- - 39
Graham Yostnot measured- - 40
Cliff Thorburnnot measured- - 41Carol Shieldsnot measured-
- 42
Gordon R. Dicksonnot measured- - 43
Ed Greenwoodnot measured- - 44
Shane Rimmernot measured- - 45
Karim Rashidnot measured- - 46
Natalie Zemon Davisnot measured- - 47
Émile Nelligannot measured- - 48
Karen Dianne Baldwinnot measured- - 49
Mazo de la Rochenot measured- - 50Sasha Sokolovnot measured-
- 51
Gilles Vigneaultnot measured- - 52
David Mannersnot measured- - 53
Elisabeth Mann Borgesenot measured- - 54Margaret Laurencenot measured-
- 55
Tarek Fatahnot measured- - 56Graeme Gibsonnot measured-
- 57
Anne Hébertnot measured- - 58
Petar Rajičnot measured- - 59
Sara Botsfordnot measured- - 60
John R. Saulnot measured- - 61
Antonine Mailletnot measured- - 62Alan Bradleynot measured-
- 63
Aki Shimazakinot measured- - 64
Nellie McClungnot measured- - 65
Spider Robinsonnot measured- - 66
Sylvana Windsor, Countess of St Andrewsnot measured- - 67
Dick Poundnot measured- - 68
Shari Lapenanot measured- - 69Serge Monastnot measured-
- 70
Nalo Hopkinsonnot measured- - 71
Joy Fieldingnot measured- - 72
Marion Woodmannot measured- - 73Judith Merrilnot measured-
- 74
Mark Steynnot measured- - 75
Marie-Claire Blaisnot measured- - 76Mavis Gallantnot measured-
- 77Margaret Millarnot measured-
- 78
Jeremy Podeswanot measured- - 79
Alistair MacLeodnot measured- - 80
William P. Youngnot measured- - 81Charles de Lintnot measured-
- 82
Sue Johansonnot measured- - 83
Patrick Lussiernot measured- - 84Timothy Findleynot measured-
- 85
Anne Michaelsnot measured- - 86Irving Laytonnot measured-
- 87
Emily Murphynot measured- - 88Victor Ostrovskynot measured-
- 89George Woodcocknot measured-
- 90
Douglas Waltonnot measured- - 91Grizelda Kristiņanot measured-
- 92Réjean Ducharmenot measured-
- 93
Fedir Bohatyrchuknot measured- - 94Moishe Postonenot measured-
- 95
Tanya Huffnot measured- - 96
Jan Grabowskinot measured- - 97
Jane Urquhartnot measured- - 98
Hubert Aquinnot measured- - 99
Denise Bombardiernot measured- - 100Ian Cameron Esslemontnot 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.