← 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
Liu Xiaobo4 decades - 2
Lu Xun13 decades - 3
Mo Yan4 decades - 4
Gao Xingjian4 decades - 5
Liu Cixinnot measured- - 6
Jin Yongnot measured- - 7
Lin Yutang7 decades - 8
Xu Zhimonot measured- - 9
Lao Shenot measured- - 10
Bogd Khannot measured- - 11
Yu Huanot measured- - 12
Guo Moruonot measured- - 13Sanmaonot measured-
- 14
Can Xuenot measured- - 15
Ba Jinnot measured- - 16
Wei Jingshengnot measured- - 17
Fang Fangnot measured- - 18
Watchman Neenot measured- - 19
Chiung Yaonot measured- - 20
Zhu Ziqingnot measured- - 21
Yan Liankenot measured- - 22
Ding Lingnot measured- - 23
Zhou Zuorennot measured- - 24
Tian Hannot measured- - 25
Mao Dunnot measured- - 26
Shen Congwennot measured- - 27
Qian Zhongshunot measured- - 28
Bei Daonot measured- - 29
Ai Qingnot measured- - 30
Michael Huinot measured- - 31
Bing Xinnot measured- - 32
Li Aonot measured- - 33
Hiro Saganot measured- - 34
Yang Jiangnot measured- - 35
Geling Yannot measured- - 36
Tie Ningnot measured- - 37
Wen Yiduonot measured- - 38
Gao Zhishengnot measured- - 39
Li Zhaoxingnot measured- - 40
Cao Yunot measured- - 41
Su Tongnot measured- - 42
Ji Xianlinnot measured- - 43
Qiu Xiaolongnot measured- - 44Wang Xiaobonot measured-
- 45
Qiao Guanhuanot measured- - 46
Jia Pingwanot measured- - 47Gui Minhainot measured-
- 48
Gu Chengnot measured- - 49
Lin Zhaonot measured- - 50
Liao Yiwunot measured- - 51
Chen Yinquenot measured- - 52
Liu Zhenyunnot measured- - 53
Huang Huanot measured- - 54
Wai Ka-fainot measured- - 55
Xia Yannot measured- - 56
Alex Mannot measured- - 57
Wang Anyinot measured- - 58
Zhang Jienot measured- - 59
Fu Leinot measured- - 60
Ye Shengtaonot measured- - 61
Hu Fengnot measured- - 62
Liang Yushengnot measured- - 63
Gu Jiegangnot measured- - 64
Lilian Leenot measured- - 65
Qi Xinnot measured- - 66
Mao Anqingnot measured- - 67
Ma Zhaoxunot measured- - 68
Wu Xueqiannot measured- - 69
Lau Dannot measured- - 70
Liang Shih-chiunot measured- - 71Li Zehounot measured-
- 72Zhong Achengnot measured-
- 73
Wang Shuonot measured- - 74
Muhammad Ma Jiannot measured- - 75
Nan Huai-Chinnot measured- - 76Zhang Chengzhinot measured-
- 77Zhang Xianliangnot measured-
- 78
Cao Wenxuannot measured- - 79
Chen Zhongshinot measured- - 80
Barry Wongnot measured- - 81
Mipham Chokyi Lodronot measured- - 82
Yi Zhongtiannot measured- - 83
Shu Tingnot measured- - 84Hai Zinot measured-
- 85
Wang Linot measured- - 86Lü Jiaminnot measured-
- 87
Liu Binyannot measured- - 88
Chen Mengjianot measured- - 89
Tu Weimingnot measured- - 90
Bi Feiyunot measured- - 91Xia Mengnot measured-
- 92
Xi Xinot measured-
- 93
Wang Lixiongnot measured- - 94Li Fang-Kueinot measured-
- 95
Khenpo Sodargyenot measured- - 96
Alainot measured- - 97
Dai Wangshunot measured- - 98Ge Feinot measured-
- 99Lu Yaonot measured-
- 100
Yang Liannot 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.