← 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
Alfred Hitchcock9 decades - 2
Ridley Scott4 decades - 3
Danny Boyle2 decades - 4
Terry Gilliam4 decades - 5
Tony Scott6 decades - 6
Frank Oz2 decades - 7
David Lean8 decades - 8
Anthony Minghella2 decades - 9
Ken Loach3 decades - 10
Alan Parker5 decades - 11
Tony Richardsonnot measured- - 12
David Yatesnot measured- - 13
Ken Russellnot measured- - 14
John Boormannot measured- - 15
Peter Greenawaynot measured- - 16
Stephen Frearsnot measured- - 17
David Heymannot measured- - 18
Michael Aptednot measured- - 19
Nick Parknot measured- - 20
Andrea Arnoldnot measured- - 21
Roland Joffénot measured- - 22
Carol Reednot measured- - 23John Schlesingernot measured-
- 24
Michael Winterbottomnot measured- - 25
Betty Williamsnot measured- - 26
Mike Newellnot measured- - 27
Michael Winnernot measured- - 28
Nicolas Roegnot measured- - 29
Harold Lowenot measured- - 30
Roger Michellnot measured- - 31
Adrian Lynenot measured- - 32
George Blakenot measured- - 33
Paul Freemannot measured- - 34
Derek Jarmannot measured- - 35Terence Youngnot measured-
- 36
Peter Brook7 decades - 37
Guy Hamiltonnot measured- - 38
Michael Radfordnot measured- - 39
Simon Fullernot measured- - 40Lindsay Andersonnot measured-
- 41
Michael Powellnot measured- - 42
James Whalenot measured- - 43
Roma Downeynot measured- - 44
Stephen Daldrynot measured- - 45
J. Lee Thompsonnot measured- - 46
John Maddennot measured- - 47
Simon Westnot measured- - 48
Peter Yatesnot measured- - 49
Gurinder Chadhanot measured- - 50
Jonathan Lynnnot measured- - 51
Julien Templenot measured- - 52Michalis Cacoyannisnot measured-
- 53
Olivia Harrisonnot measured- - 54Peter Hallnot measured-
- 55
Nicholas Hytnernot measured- - 56
Simon Curtisnot measured- - 57
Tony Kayenot measured- - 58
Hugh Hudsonnot measured- - 59
Michael Andersonnot measured- - 60
Bryan Forbesnot measured- - 61Lewis Gilbertnot measured-
- 62
John Glennot measured- - 63
Karel Reisznot measured- - 64
Richard Marquandnot measured- - 65
Adam Curtisnot measured- - 66
Gerry Andersonnot measured- - 67
Peter Lordnot measured- - 68
John Irvinnot measured- - 69
Laura Mulveynot measured- - 70
Sally Potternot measured- - 71John Guillerminnot measured-
- 72
Stephen Hopkinsnot measured- - 73
Mick Jacksonnot measured- - 74
Alex Coxnot measured- - 75
Trudie Stylernot measured- - 76
Roger Ashton-Griffithsnot measured- - 77
Ken Annakinnot measured- - 78
Phyllida Lloydnot measured- - 79Robert Stevensonnot measured-
- 80Charles Crichtonnot measured-
- 81
Fiona Brucenot measured- - 82
Anthony Asquithnot measured- - 83
Edward Gordon Craignot measured- - 84
Frank Lloyd13 decades - 85
Andrew V. McLaglennot measured- - 86
Jonathan Millernot measured- - 87
Jack Claytonnot measured- - 88
Bill Forsythnot measured- - 89Terence Fishernot measured-
- 90
Jack Cardiffnot measured- - 91
Eric Fellnernot measured- - 92
Simon Wellsnot measured- - 93
Michael Caton-Jonesnot measured- - 94
Graham Kingnot measured- - 95
Freddie Francisnot measured- - 96
Peter Chelsomnot measured- - 97
Mark Burnettnot measured- - 98
Jeremy Thomasnot measured- - 99
Robin Hardynot measured- - 100Clive Donnernot 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.