← 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
Alex Ferguson2 decades - 2
Gary Lineker1 decades - 3
Kevin Keegan2 decades - 4
George Best4 decades - 5
Bobby Charlton2 decades - 6
Kenny Dalglish1 decades - 7
David Moyes0 decades - 8
Denis Law1 decades - 9
Bobby Robson1 decades - 10
Ian Wrightnot measured- - 11
Peter Shilton0 decades - 12
Bobby Moore2 decades - 13
Bill Shankly1 decades - 14
Ian Rush0 decades - 15
Brian Cloughnot measured- - 16
Mark Hughesnot measured- - 17
Harry Redknappnot measured- - 18
Stanley Matthewsnot measured- - 19
Geoff Hurstnot measured- - 20
David Seaman0 decades - 21
Roy Hodgsonnot measured- - 22
Gordon Banks1 decades - 23
David Ickenot measured- - 24
Martin O'Neillnot measured- - 25
Bryan Robsonnot measured- - 26
Matt Busbynot measured- - 27
Graeme Sounessnot measured- - 28
Jack Charltonnot measured- - 29
Steve Brucenot measured- - 30
Glenn Hoddlenot measured- - 31
Bob Paisleynot measured- - 32
Alf Ramseynot measured- - 33
Gordon Strachannot measured- - 34
Stuart Pearcenot measured- - 35
Jimmy Greavesnot measured- - 36
John Barnesnot measured- - 37
Chris Waddlenot measured- - 38
Sam Allardycenot measured- - 39
Ally McCoistnot measured- - 40
Alan Pardewnot measured- - 41
Jock Steinnot measured- - 42
Ray Wilkinsnot measured- - 43
Emlyn Hughesnot measured- - 44
Tony Pulisnot measured- - 45
Nobby Stilesnot measured- - 46
Peter Beardsleynot measured- - 47
Tony Cascarinonot measured- - 48
Alan Ball Jr.not measured- - 49
Ron Atkinsonnot measured- - 50
Don Revienot measured- - 51
Terry Venablesnot measured- - 52
Neville Southallnot measured- - 53
Alan Hansennot measured- - 54
Steve McClarennot measured- - 55
John Toshacknot measured- - 56
Ray Clemencenot measured- - 57
Roger Huntnot measured- - 58
Martin Petersnot measured- - 59
Duncan Edwardsnot measured- - 60
Peter Reidnot measured- - 61Justin Fashanunot measured-
- 62
Trevor Francisnot measured- - 63
John Charlesnot measured- - 64
Mick McCarthynot measured- - 65
Steve Clarkenot measured- - 66
Terry Butchernot measured- - 67
Gary Stevensnot measured- - 68
Pat Jenningsnot measured- - 69
Gary McAllisternot measured- - 70
Billy Bremnernot measured- - 71
Terry McDermottnot measured- - 72
Dixie Deannot measured- - 73
John Aldridgenot measured- - 74
Paul McGrathnot measured- - 75
Ian Callaghannot measured- - 76
Dean Saundersnot measured- - 77
George Grahamnot measured- - 78
David O'Learynot measured- - 79
Harry Greggnot measured- - 80
Tommy Lawrencenot measured- - 81
Laurie Cunninghamnot measured- - 82
Billy Wrightnot measured- - 83
Graham Taylornot measured- - 84
Viv Andersonnot measured- - 85
Chris Hughtonnot measured- - 86
Neil Warnocknot measured- - 87
Lee Dixonnot measured- - 88
Phil Nealnot measured- - 89
Joe Jordannot measured- - 90
Ian Hollowaynot measured- - 91
Steve Coppellnot measured- - 92
Alex McLeishnot measured- - 93
Andy Graynot measured- - 94
Tom Finneynot measured- - 95
Tony Mowbraynot measured- - 96
Trevor Brookingnot measured- - 97
Brian McClairnot measured- - 98
George Cohennot measured- - 99
John Warknot measured- - 100
Brian Kiddnot 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.