1900–1999
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.
In books written inEnglish28,219German4,127French3,913Italian2,072Spanish1,601Russian838Chinese282Hebrew149
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Per million words
- 1
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Jesus5 BC–30 · 1st century · Religious Figures30 - 2
Aristotle384 BC–322 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics7.1 - 3
Plato428 BC–348 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics7.1 - 4
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Homer900 BC–800 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers7.1 - 5
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Augustus63 BC–14 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians4.9 - 6
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Sealborn 1963 · 20th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians4.5 - 7
RMborn 1994 · 21st century · 🇰🇷 South Korea · Musicians4.5 - 8
Johns Hopkins1795–1873 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders4.4 - 9
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Cicero106 BC–43 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians4.0 - 10
George Washington1732–1799 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians3.8 - 11
Socrates470 BC–399 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇧🇷 Brazil · Academics3.4 - 12
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Virgil70 BC–19 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers3.3 - 13
Abraham Lincoln1809–1865 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians2.0 - 14
Euclid333 BC–285 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics1.9 - 15
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Pinkborn 1979 · 21st century · 🇺🇸 United States · Musicians1.6 - 16AAcmedied 5 BC · 1st millennium BC1.6
- 17
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Thomas Jefferson1743–1826 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.6 - 18
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IUborn 1993 · 21st century · 🇰🇷 South Korea · Musicians1.6 - 19
Ovid43 BC–17 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers1.6 - 20
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Madonnaborn 1958 · 20th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Musicians1.5 - 21
Charles II, Duke of Savoy1489–1496 · 15th century · Historical Figures1.5 - 22
Charles II, Lord of Monaco1555–1589 · 16th century · Politicians1.5 - 23
Charles II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels1545–1617 · 16th century · Historical Figures1.5 - 24
Mark Twain1835–1910 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers1.5 - 25
Plutarch40–120 · 1st century · Academics1.5 - 26
Cleopatra69 BC–30 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Historical Figures1.4 - 27
Theodore Roosevelt1858–1919 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.4 - 28
Woodrow Wilson1856–1924 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.4 - 29
William Henry1774–1836 · 19th century · Scientists1.3 - 30
Benjamin Franklin1706–1790 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.3 - 31
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Herodotus484 BC–425 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers1.3 - 32
Charlemagne748–814 · 8th century · Historical Figures1.3 - 33
Rembrandt1606–1669 · 17th century · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Artists1.3 - 34
Euripides480 BC–406 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers1.2 - 35
Pocahontas1596–1617 · 17th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers1.1
- 36
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John Brown1800–1859 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders1.1 - 37
John Smith1580–1631 · 17th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures1.0 - 38
Adam Smith1723–1790 · 18th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics1.0 - 39
Henry IV, Duke of Brabant1251–1272 · 13th century1.0 - 40HIHenry IV, Count of Waldeck1300–1348 · 14th century1.0
- 41
Henry IV, Duke of Limburg1195–1247 · 13th century · Historical Figures1.0 - 42HIHenry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1463–1514 · 15th century · 🇩🇪 Germany1.0
- 43
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor1050–1106 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures1.0 - 44
Henry IV, Count of Luxembourg1113–1196 · 12th century · Politicians1.0 - 45
John Adams1735–1826 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians1.0 - 46
Sophocles496 BC–406 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers1.0 - 47
Henry James1843–1916 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers0.99 - 48
Galen129–300 · 2nd century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Doctors0.97 - 49
Walter Scott1771–1832 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers0.95 - 50
Livy59 BC–17 · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers0.95 - 51
Bede672–735 · 8th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers0.94 - 52
John the Baptist6 BC–30 · 1st century · 🇮🇱 Israel · Religious Figures0.93 - 53
Solon630 BC–560 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.93 - 54
Prince George, Duke of Cumberland1653–1708 · 17th century0.90 - 55
Pericles494 BC–429 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.89 - 56
John Henry1322–1375 · 14th century0.87 - 57
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Julius Caesar100 BC–44 BC · 1st millennium BC · 🇮🇹 Italy · Politicians0.86 - 58
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Winston Churchill1874–1965 · 20th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians0.86 - 59
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William James1842–1910 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Academics0.86 - 60
Hadrian76–138 · 2nd century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Historical Figures0.83 - 61
Andrew Jackson1767–1845 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.83 - 62
Thucydides460 BC–395 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.83 - 63
Henry Ford1863–1947 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders0.81 - 64
Aristophanes445 BC–385 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.79 - 65
Charles I, Duke of Savoy1468–1490 · 15th century0.79 - 66
Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Philippsthal1682–1770 · 18th century0.79 - 67
Charles I, Count of Flanders1084–1127 · 12th century · Politicians0.79 - 68CICharles I1516–1576 · 16th century · Historical Figures0.79
- 69
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Charles I, Count of Nevers1414–1464 · 15th century · Historical Figures0.79 - 70AAbababorn 200 · 3rd century0.78
- 71
Origen185–254 · 3rd century · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Academics0.76 - 72
George Eliot1819–1880 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers0.75 - 73
Demosthenes384 BC–322 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.75 - 74
John F. Kennedy1917–1963 · 20th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.75 - 75
Brigham Young1801–1877 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Academics0.75 - 76
Xenophon430 BC–354 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.73 - 77
Henry VI, Count of Luxembourg1240–1288 · 13th century · Politicians0.72 - 78HVHenry VI, Count of Waldeck1340–1397 · 14th century0.72
- 79
Henry VI1376–1454 · 15th century0.72 - 80
William Penn1644–1718 · 17th century · Founders0.71 - 81
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Alexander Hamilton1757–1804 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.71 - 82
Henry II1207–1248 · 13th century · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0.70 - 83
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor973–1024 · 11th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures0.70 - 84
Henry II , Duke of Lower Lorraine1059–1119 · 11th century0.70 - 85
Henry II, Duke of Ziębice1396–1420 · 15th century0.70 - 86
Henry II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg1317–1390 · 14th century0.70 - 87
Henry II, Count of Champagne1166–1197 · 12th century · 🇫🇷 France · Historical Figures0.70 - 88
Henry II, Duke of Münsterberg-Oels1507–1548 · 16th century0.70 - 89HIHenry II, Margrave of the Nordmark1102–1128 · 12th century0.70
- 90
Henry II, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen1289–1351 · 14th century · Historical Figures0.70 - 91
Henry II, Prince of Anhalt-Aschersleben1215–1266 · 13th century · Historical Figures0.70 - 92
Henry II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Stendal1308–1320 · 14th century · Models0.70 - 93
Henry II, Duke of Świdnica1312–1345 · 14th century0.70 - 94
Richard II963–1026 · 10th century · 🇫🇷 France0.69 - 95
John Marshall1755–1835 · 18th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.67 - 96
Henry Clay1777–1852 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.67 - 97
Jefferson Davis1808–1889 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.67 - 98
James I, Count of Urgell1321–1347 · 14th century0.67 - 99
Osceola1804–1838 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Politicians0.67
Lived then
The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 20th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Echoed
- 1
Irène Joliot-Curie1897–1956 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists8 decades - 2
Hans Bethe1906–2005 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists7 decades - 3
Frédéric Joliot-Curie1900–1958 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists8 decades - 4
Louis de Broglie1892–1987 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists10 decades - 5
Luc Montagnier1932–2022 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists4 decades - 6
Paul Langevin1872–1946 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists11 decades - 7
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Franz Reichelt1878–1912 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 8
Louis Blériot1872–1936 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists12 decades - 9
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Alain Aspectborn 1947 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists4 decades - 10
Marcel Dassault1892–1986 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 11
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Henri Désiré Landru1869–1922 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 12
Louis Renault1877–1944 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 13
Anne L'Huillierborn 1958 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 14
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Michel Devoretborn 1953 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 15
Jacques Valléeborn 1939 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 16
Hélène Langevin-Joliotborn 1927 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 17
Pierre-Gilles de Gennes1932–2007 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists5 decades - 18
Françoise Barré-Sinoussiborn 1947 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists2 decades - 19
Eugène Schueller1881–1957 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 20
Georges Charpak1924–2010 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists3 decades - 21
Jean Baptiste Perrin1870–1942 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists15 decades - 22
Serge Harocheborn 1944 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists1 decades - 23
Claude Cohen-Tannoudjiborn 1933 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists2 decades - 24
Jean-Marie Lehnborn 1939 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists3 decades - 25
Jorge Chávez1887–1910 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 26
Marguerite Perey1909–1975 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 27
Théodore Monod1902–2000 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 28
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Victor Grignard1871–1935 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists3 decades - 29
Alfred Kastler1902–1984 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists6 decades - 30
Gérard Mourouborn 1944 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 31
Jules A. Hoffmannborn 1941 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 32
André Courrèges1923–2016 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 33
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Pierre Agostiniborn 1941 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 34
Albert Fertborn 1938 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists1 decades - 35
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Henri Laborit1914–1995 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 36
Louis Camille Maillard1878–1936 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 37
Léon Brillouin1889–1969 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 38
Jean-Pierre Sauvageborn 1944 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists0 decades - 39
Roland Moreno1945–2012 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 40
Georges Claude1870–1960 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 41
Louis Néel1904–2000 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists8 decades - 42
André Michel Lwoff1902–1994 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists7 decades - 43
Traian Vuia1872–1950 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 44
Jean-François Clervoyborn 1958 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 45
Paul-Émile Victor1907–1995 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 46
Pierre Joliotborn 1932 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 47
Louis Pouzinborn 1931 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 48
Maurice de Broglie1875–1960 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 49
Gérard Larrousseborn 1940 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 50
Michel Siffre1939–2024 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 51
Bertrand Meyerborn 1950 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 52
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Yves Chauvin1930–2015 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientists1 decades - 53
Étienne Kleinborn 1958 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 54
Gabriel Voisin1880–1973 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 55
Charles Fabry1867–1945 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 56
Francis Hallé1938–2025 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 57
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Pierre Auger1899–1993 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 58
Jean-Pierre Petitborn 1937 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 59
Françoise Combesborn 1952 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 60
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Paul Cornu1881–1944 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 61
André-Louis Debierne1874–1949 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 62
André Dewavrin1911–1998 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 63
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Jean Malaurie1922–2024 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 64
Patrick Blancborn 1953 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 65HDHermano da Silva Ramos1925–2026 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
- 66
Émile Muselier1882–1965 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 67
Eugène Freyssinet1879–1962 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 68
Thibault Damourborn 1951 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 69
Gérard Mestralletborn 1949 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 70
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Cécile DeWitt-Morette1922–2017 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 71
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Pierre Weiss1865–1940 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 72
Émile Gagnan1900–1984 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 73
Eugénie Cotton1881–1967 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 74
José Dolhem1944–1988 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 75
Anatole Abragam1914–2011 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 76RORobert Opron1932–2021 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
- 77
Hervé Thisborn 1955 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 78FHFrançois Hesnaultborn 1956 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
- 79
René Quinton1866–1925 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 80
Daniel Paulyborn 1946 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 81
Louis Leprince-Ringuet1901–2000 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 82
Bernard d'Espagnat1921–2015 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 83
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Hubert Curien1924–2005 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 84
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Jean-Marc Jancoviciborn 1962 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 85
Adolphe Kégresse1879–1943 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 86ASAndré Simon1920–2012 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
- 87
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Bernard Lyot1897–1952 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 88RMRobert Manzon1917–2015 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
- 89
Jean-Jacques Favier1949–2023 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 90PBPierre-Jules Boulanger1885–1950 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
- 91
Jean Becquerel1878–1953 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 92FZFelix Zandman1928–2011 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
- 93
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André-Louis Danjon1890–1967 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 94
Jacques Bertin1918–2010 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 95
Yves Giraud-Cabantous1903–1973 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 96JCJean Cabannes1885–1959 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
- 97
Catherine Bréchignacborn 1946 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 98JBJean Bertin1917–1975 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
- 99
Maurice Martenot1898–1980 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured— - 100
Gérard de Vaucouleurs1918–1995 · 🇫🇷 France · Scientistsnot measured—
How this is measured
- Placing people in time. Each person belongs to the century in which they were most active — around age 35, and never after their death.
- Who ranks highest. Within a century, people are ranked where two independent signals agree: how many of the world’s Wikipedia language editions cover them, and how many people actually read about them. Article counts alone can be lifted by a person’s own circle; readers cannot.
- Fame in print. The curves count how often a name appears in Google Books from 1800 to 2019, as a share of all the words printed each year, in the person’s own language wherever that corpus exists. Those decades are over, so each measurement is made once and kept.
- What is left out. A lifetime is measured only from 1820, when there is enough print to judge; the five years after a death are skipped as obituaries; and a name shared with someone equally notable is credited to neither.