← 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
Donnie Yennot measured- - 2
Jiang Qing9 decades - 3
Chow Yun-fat2 decades - 4
Stephen Chownot measured- - 5
Andy Launot measured- - 6
Tony Leungnot measured- - 7
Sammo Hungnot measured- - 8
Bolo Yeungnot measured- - 9
Cheng Pei-peinot measured- - 10
Jiang Wennot measured- - 11
Yuen Biaonot measured- - 12
Robin Shounot measured- - 13
Eric Tsangnot measured- - 14
Anthony Wongnot measured- - 15
Tony Leung Ka-fainot measured- - 16Lam Ching-yingnot measured-
- 17
Ruan Lingyunot measured- - 18Kenneth Tsangnot measured-
- 19
Nora Miaonot measured- - 20Ng Man-tatnot measured-
- 21Gordon Liunot measured-
- 22
Nick Cheungnot measured- - 23
Rosamund Kwannot measured- - 24
Simon Yamnot measured- - 25
Zhou Xuannot measured- - 26
Tsai Chinnot measured- - 27
David Chiangnot measured- - 28
Dayo Wongnot measured- - 29
Lang Pingnot measured- - 30
Patrick Tsenot measured- - 31
Yuen Wahnot measured- - 32
Ti Lungnot measured- - 33
Cherie Chungnot measured- - 34
Shih Kiennot measured- - 35
Josephine Siaonot measured- - 36
Kara Huinot measured- - 37Ricky Huinot measured-
- 38
Derek Yeenot measured- - 39
Sean Launot measured- - 40
Paul Chunnot measured- - 41
Francis Ngnot measured- - 42
Roy Chiaonot measured- - 43
Yu Rongguangnot measured- - 44
Kent Chengnot measured- - 45
Ge Younot measured- - 46
Bruce Leungnot measured- - 47
Teresa Monot measured- - 48
Zhao Benshannot measured- - 49
Liu Xiaoqingnot measured- - 50
Richard Ngnot measured- - 51
Karl Makanot measured- - 52
Pansy Honot measured- - 53
Cecilia Yipnot measured- - 54
Felix Wongnot measured- - 55
Ray Luinot measured- - 56
Chen Kuan-tainot measured- - 57
Wei Weinot measured- - 58
Dean Sheknot measured- - 59
Siqin Gaowanot measured- - 60
Chen Daomingnot measured- - 61
Damian Launot measured- - 62
Wai Ching Honot measured- - 63
Ip Chunnot measured- - 64
Tang Guoqiangnot measured- - 65
Stephen Huinot measured- - 66
Ivy Ling Ponot measured- - 67
Michael Miunot measured- - 68
Bai Guangnot measured- - 69
Ken Lonot measured- - 70Ann Muinot measured-
- 71Bill Tungnot measured-
- 72
Roger Yuannot measured- - 73
Wong Pak Mingnot measured- - 74Yammie Lamnot measured-
- 75
Tony Liunot measured- - 76
Leung Tingnot measured- - 77
Lam Po-chuennot measured- - 78
Law Kar-yingnot measured- - 79
Bobby Au-yeungnot measured- - 80
Zhang Hanyunot measured- - 81
Leanne Liunot measured- - 82
Liu Xiao Ling Tongnot measured- - 83
Angie Chiunot measured- - 84Chao-Li Chinot measured-
- 85
Bai Hongnot measured- - 86
Frances Yipnot measured- - 87
John Shumnot measured- - 88
Shangguan Yunzhunot measured- - 89
Michelle Yimnot measured- - 90
Kwan Shannot measured- - 91
Norman Chuinot measured- - 92
Gallen Lonot measured- - 93
Chin Siu-honot measured- - 94
Wayne Lainot measured- - 95
Zhang Guolinot measured- - 96
Esther Kwannot measured- - 97
Alex Fongnot measured- - 98
Wang Xueqinot measured- - 99
Tina Chennot measured- - 100
Natalis Channot 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.