← 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
Benedict Anderson3 decades - 2
Hu Shihnot measured- - 3
Shiing-Shen Chernnot measured- - 4
Andrew Yaonot measured- - 5
Liu Henot measured- - 6
Fang Lizhinot measured- - 7
Zhou Youguangnot measured- - 8
Chen Jingrunnot measured- - 9
Fei Xiaotongnot measured- - 10
Feng Youlannot measured- - 11
Justin Yifu Linnot measured- - 12
Liang Shumingnot measured- - 13
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Chen Jiningnot measured- - 14
Hua Luogengnot measured- - 15
Zhou Xiaochuannot measured- - 16
Zhang Dongsunnot measured- - 17
Yi Gangnot measured- - 18
Wu Wenjunnot measured- - 19
Chien Wei-zangnot measured- - 20
Savio Hon Tai-Fainot measured- - 21
Gang Tiannot measured- - 22Zeng Liansongnot measured-
- 23
Ma Yinchunot measured- - 24
Ding Zilinnot measured- - 25
Mao Yushinot measured- - 26
Xiong Shilinot measured- - 27
Cheng Hongnot measured- - 28
Xia Peisunot measured- - 29
He Weifangnot measured- - 30
Chen Wangdaonot measured- - 31
Jin Yuelinnot measured- - 32
Yang Zhongjiannot measured- - 33
Gu Chaohaonot measured- - 34Lai Xiaominnot measured-
- 35
Zheng Zhenduonot measured- - 36
Zhang Sizhinot measured- - 37
Yang Jianlinot measured- - 38
Tsui Lap-cheenot measured- - 39
Hu Depingnot measured- - 40
Feng Zhenghunot measured- - 41
Cheng Siweinot measured- - 42
Tang Chun-inot measured- - 43
Cai Xianot measured- - 44Ding Shisunnot measured-
- 45
Weinan Enot measured- - 46
Zhu Minnot measured- - 47
Kongjian Yunot measured- - 48
Tang Yongtongnot measured- - 49Hu Heshengnot measured-
- 50Shang-Hua Tengnot measured-
- 51
Wu Jingliannot measured- - 52
Shiu-Yuen Chengnot measured- - 53Zhao Tingyangnot measured-
- 54Xiaodong Wangnot measured-
- 55
Zhao Luoruinot measured- - 56
Fan Gangnot measured- - 57
Jiang Jianqingnot measured- - 58
Su Bainot measured- - 59
Cui Zhiyuannot measured- - 60
Peng Shigenot measured- - 61
Qiu Xiguinot measured- - 62Zheng Zhenxiangnot measured-
- 63
Qiheng Hunot measured- - 64Ma Chengyuannot measured-
- 65
Choh Hao Linot measured- - 66
Pao-Lu Hsunot measured- - 67
Yu Kepingnot measured- - 68Li Yiningnot measured-
- 69Ma Hongnot measured-
- 70
He Qingliannot measured- - 71Su Buqingnot measured-
- 72
J.G. Tengnot measured- - 73
Aisiqinot measured- - 74
Zhang Naiqinot measured- - 75Ke Zhaonot measured-
- 76
He Siyuannot measured- - 77Chao Yao-dongnot measured-
- 78
Xia Yeliangnot measured- - 79Hu Angangnot measured-
- 80
Tang Yijienot measured- - 81Wang Yuannot measured-
- 82
Xue Muqiaonot measured- - 83
Wallace Lohnot measured- - 84
Liang Siyongnot measured- - 85
Ji Chaodingnot measured- - 86Wu Xinzhinot measured-
- 87Xiang Lanxinnot measured-
- 88
José Song Sui-Wannot measured- - 89
Wu Wenzaonot measured- - 90
Qidi Wunot measured- - 91Jigmé Ngaponot measured-
- 92
Tan Leinot measured- - 93Wang Hongzhangnot measured-
- 94Wang Jinnot measured-
- 95Huang Danot measured-
- 96Deng Xiaomangnot measured-
- 97
Chi Che Wangnot measured- - 98Hu Haichangnot measured-
- 99
Fang Weiguinot measured- - 100
Zhao Xinnanot 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.