← 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
David Hockney5 decades - 2
Stuart Sutcliffe0 decades - 3
Lucian Freud4 decades - 4
Cynthia Lennonnot measured- - 5
Henry Moorenot measured- - 6
Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdonnot measured- - 7
Roger Deakinsnot measured- - 8
Anish Kapoornot measured- - 9
Tracey Eminnot measured- - 10
John Bergernot measured- - 11
Malcolm McLarennot measured- - 12
Eric Gillnot measured- - 13Lady Sarah Chattonot measured-
- 14
Antony Gormleynot measured- - 15
David Hamiltonnot measured- - 16
Cecil Beatonnot measured- - 17
Quentin Blakenot measured- - 18
Joy Adamsonnot measured- - 19
Raymond Briggsnot measured- - 20
Barbara Hepworthnot measured- - 21
Vanessa Bellnot measured- - 22
Martin Parrnot measured- - 23
Arthur Rackhamnot measured- - 24
Storm Thorgersonnot measured- - 25
Pamela Colman Smithnot measured- - 26Ernest Howard Shepardnot measured-
- 27
Alan Leenot measured- - 28
Wyndham Lewisnot measured- - 29
L. S. Lowrynot measured- - 30
Paul Nashnot measured- - 31
Grayson Perrynot measured- - 32
Andy Goldsworthynot measured- - 33
Roland Penrosenot measured- - 34
Gerald Scarfenot measured- - 35Graham Sutherlandnot measured-
- 36
Roger Frynot measured- - 37Bridget Rileynot measured-
- 38
Gwen Johnnot measured- - 39
Dora Carringtonnot measured- - 40
Roger Deannot measured- - 41
David Baileynot measured- - 42
Augustus Johnnot measured- - 43
Austin Osman Sparenot measured- - 44
Duncan Grantnot measured- - 45Lucie Rienot measured-
- 46
Chris Boningtonnot measured- - 47
Philip de Lászlónot measured- - 48
Mario Testinonot measured- - 49
Eduardo Paolozzinot measured- - 50
Peter Blakenot measured- - 51
Dave Gibbonsnot measured- - 52Bob Klosenot measured-
- 53
Peter Doignot measured- - 54Guru Joshnot measured-
- 55
Allan Warrennot measured- - 56
Peter Scottnot measured- - 57George Rodgernot measured-
- 58Frank Auerbachnot measured-
- 59
Clive Bellnot measured- - 60
Tony Craggnot measured- - 61
Suze Randallnot measured- - 62
Ben Nicholsonnot measured- - 63
Derek Riggsnot measured- - 64
Ralph Steadmannot measured- - 65Jack Vettrianonot measured-
- 66
Don McCullinnot measured- - 67
Laura Knightnot measured- - 68
Dave McKeannot measured- - 69
Lady Ottoline Morrellnot measured- - 70
William Orpennot measured- - 71
Bernard Leachnot measured- - 72
David Bailienot measured- - 73
Stanley Spencernot measured- - 74
Pauline Baynesnot measured- - 75
Margaret Meenot measured- - 76
Liz Pichonnot measured- - 77Patrick Anson, 5th Earl of Lichfieldnot measured-
- 78
Rachel Whitereadnot measured- - 79
David Lloydnot measured- - 80
Ronald Searlenot measured- - 81William Heath Robinsonnot measured-
- 82James Ogilvynot measured-
- 83
Marc Quinnnot measured- - 84
Mona Hatoumnot measured- - 85
Prince Andrew Andreievich Romanovskynot measured- - 86
Alice Seeley Harrisnot measured- - 87
Terry O'Neillnot measured- - 88
Anthony Caronot measured- - 89
Alan Aldridgenot measured- - 90
Mick Rocknot measured- - 91
Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdalenot measured- - 92
Alvin Langdon Coburnnot measured- - 93
Sarah Lucasnot measured- - 94
Kathleen Scottnot measured- - 95
Cicely Mary Barkernot measured- - 96
Adrian Biddlenot measured- - 97
Larry Burrowsnot measured- - 98
Peter Savillenot measured- - 99
Cornelia Parkernot measured- - 100Eileen Agarnot 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.