← 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
Chen-ning Yang8 decades - 2
Tu Youyounot measured- - 3
Qian Xuesennot measured- - 4
Yuan Longpingnot measured- - 5Duan Yongpingnot measured-
- 6Liu Gang0 decades
- 7Jin Yuzhangnot measured-
- 8
Shi Pingnot measured- - 9
He Zehuinot measured- - 10
Sun Yafangnot measured- - 11
Qian Sanqiangnot measured- - 12
Cheng Kaijianot measured- - 13
Wang Ganchangnot measured- - 14
Wang Xijinot measured- - 15
Huang Xuhuanot measured- - 16
Hu Xiansunot measured- - 17
Bai Chunlinot measured- - 18
Deng Jiaxiannot measured- - 19
Da-Wen Sunnot measured- - 20
Wang Yongzhinot measured- - 21
Zhu Guangyanot measured- - 22
Vivian Wing-Wah Yamnot measured- - 23Zhou Guangzhaonot measured-
- 24
Lu Jiaxinot measured- - 25Shiu-Ying Hunot measured-
- 26
Xie Xidenot measured- - 27
Bei Shizhangnot measured- - 28
Zheng Jinot measured- - 29
Wang Xuannot measured- - 30
Wang Zhigangnot measured- - 31
Huang Kunnot measured- - 32
Zhang Yuzhenot measured- - 33
Liang Silinot measured- - 34Meemann Changnot measured-
- 35
Sun Jiadongnot measured- - 36
Xiao Qiangnot measured- - 37
Wu Weihuanot measured- - 38
Li Linnot measured- - 39Ren Xinminnot measured-
- 40
Houlin Zhaonot measured- - 41
Ye Peijiannot measured- - 42Kenneth Hsunot measured-
- 43
Xiaoliang Sunney Xienot measured- - 44Zheng Zheminnot measured-
- 45Ye Shuhuanot measured-
- 46Ren-Chang Chingnot measured-
- 47
Xue Qikunnot measured- - 48Sun Laiyannot measured-
- 49
Ding Zhonglinot measured- - 50
Li Minhuanot measured- - 51Wang Tianpunot measured-
- 52Wan Chun Chengnot measured-
- 53Hui-Lin Linot measured-
- 54
Xu Zhihongnot measured- - 55Duan Zhengchengnot measured-
- 56
Luke Chia-Liu Yuannot measured- - 57Peng Jiamunot measured-
- 58Jia Lanponot measured-
- 59Yifang Wangnot measured-
- 60
Ye Qisunnot measured- - 61Xu Guangxiannot measured-
- 62Peng Huanwunot measured-
- 63Li Fanghuanot measured-
- 64
Shen Chun-shannot measured- - 65
Chung-Yao Chaonot measured- - 66Nan Rendongnot measured-
- 67
Xu Liangyingnot measured- - 68
Wu Youxunnot measured- - 69
Lu Shijianot measured- - 70
Qi Lunot measured- - 71
Tong Dizhounot measured- - 72Wang Engenot measured-
- 73Shih-Ying Leenot measured-
- 74Woon Young Chunnot measured-
- 75
Huang Jiqingnot measured- - 76Te-Tzu Changnot measured-
- 77
Yan Jicinot measured- - 78Wu Weirennot measured-
- 79
Bing Zhinot measured- - 80Qin Hanzhangnot measured-
- 81Wang Sichaonot measured-
- 82
Deng Shuqunnot measured- - 83Xi Zezongnot measured-
- 84Hao Bailinnot measured-
- 85Li Xiaojiangnot measured-
- 86Su-Shu Huangnot measured-
- 87Wen-Pei Fangnot measured-
- 88Zhu Wuhuanot measured-
- 89Li Guohaonot measured-
- 90
Li Peinot measured- - 91Zhou Mingzhennot measured-
- 92Zhang Zongsuinot measured-
- 93Xuejia Lainot measured-
- 94Yi Li Kengnot measured-
- 95Sun Kwoknot measured-
- 96Cai Xitaonot measured-
- 97
Sung Shu Chiennot measured- - 98Jiang Zehuinot measured-
- 99Tsin Tangnot measured-
- 100Fa Tsuan Wangnot 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.