← 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.
- 1Robert Trumpnot measured-
- 2
Bert Patenaudenot measured- - 3
Bruce Arenanot measured- - 4Thomas Dooleynot measured-
- 5
Jimmy Douglasnot measured- - 6Desmond Armstrongnot measured-
- 7
Prekinot measured- - 8Joe Gaetjensnot measured-
- 9Frank Borghinot measured-
- 10Paul Caligiurinot measured-
- 11
Andranik Eskandariannot measured-
- 12
Brian Schmetzernot measured- - 13Roy Wegerlenot measured-
- 14
Steponas Dariusnot measured- - 15Tom Florienot measured-
- 16
Rube Waddellnot measured- - 17
Tony DiCicconot measured- - 18Bart McGheenot measured-
- 19
Walter Bahrnot measured- - 20
John D. Hertznot measured- - 21Bob Ganslernot measured-
- 22
Eddy Hamelnot measured- - 23
Andy Auldnot measured- - 24
Garo Yepremiannot measured- - 25Fernando Clavijonot measured-
- 26Ed McIlvennynot measured-
- 27
Viktor Kanevskyinot measured- - 28Aldo Donellinot measured-
- 29
George Moorhousenot measured- - 30Gino Parianinot measured-
- 31
Billy Gonsalvesnot measured- - 32Werner Rothnot measured-
- 33Steve Sampsonnot measured-
- 34Frank Vaughnnot measured-
- 35Ed Souzanot measured-
- 36Raphael Traceynot measured-
- 37
Charlie Colombonot measured- - 38Mike Bookienot measured-
- 39
April Heinrichsnot measured- - 40David Vanolenot measured-
- 41Archie Starknot measured-
- 42
William Jeffreynot measured- - 43Rick Davisnot measured-
- 44Frank Wallacenot measured-
- 45
Jimmy Gallaghernot measured- - 46
Matt Bahrnot measured- - 47Paul Krumpenot measured-
- 48Arnie Olivernot measured-
- 49Jimmy Banksnot measured-
- 50John Souzanot measured-
- 51Joe Macanot measured-
- 52Cle Kooimannot measured-
- 53Robert Millarnot measured-
- 54
Francis Ryannot measured- - 55David Gouldnot measured-
- 56John Stollmeyernot measured-
- 57Joe Martinellinot measured-
- 58Harry Keoughnot measured-
- 59Chico Borjanot measured-
- 60Brent Gouletnot measured-
- 61Kyle Rote, Jr.not measured-
- 62
Willie McLeannot measured- - 63Chris Bahrnot measured-
- 64Philip Slonenot measured-
- 65Ed Czerkiewicznot measured-
- 66
Juli Veeenot measured- - 67Peter Pietrasnot measured-
- 68Alexander Woodnot measured-
- 69Nicholas DiOrionot measured-
- 70Walter Dicknot measured-
- 71Paul Childnot measured-
- 72
Al Trostnot measured- - 73Robert Annisnot measured-
- 74David Sochanot measured-
- 75William Lehmannot measured-
- 76
Shep Messingnot measured- - 77Al Harkernot measured-
- 78Greg Ryannot measured-
- 79Robert Craddocknot measured-
- 80Bill Fiedlernot measured-
- 81Joe Lydonnot measured-
- 82MacDonald Taylornot measured-
- 83
Anson Dorrancenot measured- - 84Tom Amrheinnot measured-
- 85John Bestnot measured-
- 86
Charles Doenot measured- - 87
Benny McLaughlinnot measured- - 88Geoff Coombesnot measured-
- 89Kevin Crownot measured-
- 90
Schellas Hyndmannot measured- - 91
Andy Robustellinot measured- - 92Ernő Schwarznot measured-
- 93
Lothar Osiandernot measured- - 94
Dink Templetonnot measured- - 95
Windsor del Llanonot measured- - 96
Bob Rigbynot measured- - 97
Al Millernot measured- - 98
Eduardo Ordoñeznot measured- - 99Bruce Savagenot measured-
- 100
Dudley DeGrootnot 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.