← 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
Leslie Cheung4 decades - 2
Peng Liyuannot measured- - 3
Jacky Cheungnot measured- - 4
Shi Pei Punot measured- - 5
Liu Huannot measured- - 6
Alan Tamnot measured- - 7
Samuel Huinot measured- - 8
Adam Chengnot measured- - 9
Cui Jiannot measured- - 10
George Lamnot measured- - 11
Tan Dunnot measured- - 12
Lee Hoi-chuennot measured- - 13
Wakin Chaunot measured- - 14
Kenny Beenot measured- - 15
Wingnot measured- - 16
Lam Suetnot measured- - 17
Roman Tamnot measured- - 18
Yao Leenot measured- - 19
Lee Hong-kumnot measured- - 20
Teddy Robinnot measured- - 21
Alex Tonot measured- - 22
Anthony Wong Yiu-mingnot measured- - 23
Mona Fongnot measured- - 24
Joseph Koonot measured- - 25
Maria Corderonot measured- - 26
Paula Tsuinot measured- - 27Deric Wannot measured-
- 28
Ken Choinot measured- - 29Qigang Chennot measured-
- 30Abdurehim Heytnot measured-
- 31
Abingnot measured- - 32
Connie Channot measured- - 33
Wu Yingyinnot measured- - 34
Chen Gangnot measured- - 35Peter Kamnot measured-
- 36
Zhu Xiao-Meinot measured- - 37
Prudence Liewnot measured- - 38
Joe Juniornot measured- - 39Bright Shengnot measured-
- 40
Kwan Hoi-sannot measured- - 41
Albert Aunot measured- - 42
Yu Longnot measured- - 43Wang Luobinnot measured-
- 44
Ma Sicongnot measured- - 45Zhao Jipingnot measured-
- 46Cong Sunot measured-
- 47
Li Jinhuinot measured- - 48
Zheng Xiaoyingnot measured- - 49
Zhou Longnot measured- - 50Buren Bayaernot measured-
- 51Yao Minnot measured-
- 52
Wan Kwongnot measured- - 53
Albert Leungnot measured- - 54
Pal Sinnnot measured- - 55
Wu Mannot measured- - 56
Cheng Maoyunnot measured- - 57Li Huanzhinot measured-
- 58Li Lingyunot measured-
- 59Tseten Dolmanot measured-
- 60Michael Kwannot measured-
- 61Muhai Tangnot measured-
- 62
Xue Fannot measured- - 63
Samantha Lamnot measured- - 64Wu Zhengyinot measured-
- 65
Chen Gexinnot measured- - 66Ye Xiaogangnot measured-
- 67
Liu Solanot measured- - 68
Tenggernot measured- - 69
Li Guyinot measured- - 70
Yuan Xuefennot measured- - 71
Cai Mingnot measured- - 72Wang Kunnot measured-
- 73
Yip Wing-sienot measured- - 74Ding Shandenot measured-
- 75
Xin Fengxianot measured- - 76Warren Moknot measured-
- 77Chan Wing-wahnot measured-
- 78
Barbara Feinot measured- - 79Chow Ching Lienot measured-
- 80
Zhu Jian'ernot measured- - 81
Paul Wongnot measured- - 82
Chen Yumeinot measured- - 83
David Luinot measured- - 84
Dai Yuqiangnot measured- - 85Richard Lamnot measured-
- 86
Michael Lainot measured- - 87Liu Wenjinnot measured-
- 88
He Xuntiannot measured- - 89Liu Shikunnot measured-
- 90
Zheng Lüchengnot measured- - 91
Nawang Khechognot measured- - 92
Liu Dehainot measured- - 93
Jiang Yingnot measured- - 94
Hwang Yau-tainot measured- - 95
Wang Fulinot measured- - 96Irene Rydernot measured-
- 97Peng Xiuwennot measured-
- 98Tan Jiazhennot measured-
- 99Wong Ka Keungnot measured-
- 100
Janet Leenot 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.