← 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
Wong Kar-wai3 decades - 2
John Woonot measured- - 3
Zhang Yimou4 decades - 4
Tsui Harknot measured- - 5
Chen Kaigenot measured- - 6
Hou Hsiao-Hsiennot measured- - 7
Edward Yangnot measured- - 8
Yuen Woo-pingnot measured- - 9
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Johnnie Tonot measured- - 10
King Hunot measured- - 11
Raymond Chownot measured- - 12
Ann Huinot measured- - 13
Corey Yuennot measured- - 14
Ringo Lamnot measured- - 15
Feng Xiaogangnot measured- - 16Lau Kar-leungnot measured-
- 17
Peter Channot measured- - 18Lo Weinot measured-
- 19
Tian Zhuangzhuangnot measured- - 20
Benny Channot measured- - 21
Wong Jingnot measured- - 22
Ronny Yunot measured- - 23
Chor Yuennot measured- - 24
Stanley Kwannot measured- - 25
Andrew Launot measured- - 26
Stanley Tongnot measured- - 27
Ching Siu-tungnot measured- - 28
Zhang Fengyinot measured- - 29
Xie Jinnot measured- - 30
Chang Chehnot measured- - 31
Carrie Ngnot measured- - 32
Dai Sijienot measured- - 33
Fruit Channot measured- - 34
Philip Channot measured- - 35
Gordon Channot measured- - 36
Jeffrey Launot measured- - 37
Bryan Leungnot measured- - 38
Wilson Yipnot measured- - 39
Dante Lamnot measured- - 40
Lawrence Ngnot measured- - 41
Mabel Cheungnot measured- - 42
Teddy Channot measured- - 43Robert Leenot measured-
- 44
Yonfannot measured- - 45
Zhang Yuannot measured- - 46
Raman Huinot measured- - 47
Ng See-yuennot measured- - 48
Gu Changweinot measured- - 49
Wu Tianmingnot measured- - 50
Clifton Konot measured- - 51
Cai Chushengnot measured- - 52
Sun Weishinot measured- - 53
Herman Yaunot measured- - 54
Albert Yeungnot measured- - 55
Anthony Channot measured- - 56Leonard Honot measured-
- 57
Zheng Junlinot measured- - 58
Godfrey Honot measured- - 59
Nansun Shinot measured- - 60
Alfred Cheungnot measured- - 61
Billy Launot measured- - 62
William Changnot measured- - 63
Xie Feinot measured- - 64
Huang Jianxinnot measured- - 65
Daniel Leenot measured- - 66Yim Honot measured-
- 67
William Kongnot measured- - 68
Lee Lik-cheenot measured- - 69
Jacob Cheungnot measured- - 70Lee Siu-keinot measured-
- 71
Li Shaohongnot measured- - 72
Steven Lonot measured- - 73
Wang Yingnot measured- - 74
Yu Lannot measured- - 75
Li Yangnot measured- - 76
Wu Yonggangnot measured- - 77
Allen Fongnot measured- - 78
Hu Meinot measured- - 79
Shi Huinot measured- - 80
Te Weinot measured- - 81
Lü Yuenot measured- - 82Robert Leenot measured-
- 83
He Pingnot measured- - 84
Selina Chownot measured- - 85
Dennis Lawnot measured- - 86
Kirk Wongnot measured- - 87
Mou Tun-feinot measured- - 88
Peng Xiaoliannot measured- - 89
Lawrence Ah Monnot measured- - 90
Hou Yaonot measured- - 91
Ho Meng Huanot measured- - 92
Jingle Manot measured- - 93
Feng Xiaoningnot measured- - 94Huo Jianqinot measured-
- 95
Vivian Qunot measured- - 96
Huang Shuqinnot measured- - 97Zhang Xinxinnot measured-
- 98
Clarence Foknot measured- - 99
Chen Litingnot measured- - 100
Zhang Yibainot 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.