215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time2000-2099

The 21st century

Whose names filled the books of the 21st 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 Italian books during the 21st century, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Caravaggio1571-1610 · 17th century · Italy · Artists5.9
  2. 2Giotto1267-1337 · 14th century · Italy · Artists3.6
  3. 3Benedetto Croce1866-1952 · 20th century · Italy · Academics2.8
  4. 4Silvio Berlusconi1936-2023 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians2.7
  5. 5Leonardo da Vinci1452-1519 · 15th century · Italy · Artists2.6
  6. 6Antonio da Correggio1489-1534 · 16th century · Italy · Artists2.5
  7. 7Giordano Bruno1548-1600 · 16th century · Italy · Academics2.2
  8. 8Dante Alighieri1265-1321 · 14th century · Writers2.2
  9. 9Aldo Moro1916-1978 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.9
  10. 10Donatello1386-1466 · 15th century · Artists1.9
  11. 11Donato Bramante1444-1514 · 15th century · Italy · Architects1.7
  12. 12Francis of Assisi1182-1226 · 13th century · Italy · Writers1.7
  13. 13Leon Battista Alberti1404-1472 · 15th century · Italy · Architects1.6
  14. 14Charles Borromeo1538-1584 · 16th century · Italy · Religious Figures1.5
  15. 15Giacomo Leopardi1798-1837 · 19th century · Italy · Writers1.5
  16. 16Italo Calvino1923-1985 · 20th century · Italy · Journalists1.4
  17. 17Pier Paolo Pasolini1922-1975 · 20th century · Italy · Writers1.4
  18. 18Giuseppe Verdi1813-1901 · 19th century · Italy · Musicians1.3
  19. 19Benito Mussolini1883-1945 · 20th century · Italy · Politicians1.3
  20. 20Pietro Perugino1448-1523 · 15th century · Italy · Artists1.3
  21. 21Primo Levi1919-1987 · 20th century · Italy · Scientists1.2
  22. 22Marco Polo1254-1324 · 13th century · Italy · Historical Figures1.2
  23. 23Tintoretto1519-1594 · 16th century · Italy · Artists1.2
  24. 24Piero della Francesca1415-1492 · 15th century · Italy · Artists1.2
  25. 25Umberto Eco1932-2016 · 20th century · Italy · Writers1.2
Show 75 more

Most read

Who people actually looked up in the 21st century, across every language edition we measure (2015-2026 only - readership is measured from July 2015).

  1. 1Donald Trumpborn 1946 · 20th century · United States · Politicians336.3M
  2. 2Elizabeth II1926-2022 · 20th century · United Kingdom · Historical Figures223.3M
  3. 3Cristiano Ronaldoborn 1985 · 21st century · Portugal · Footballers211.6M
  4. 4Elon Muskborn 1971 · 21st century · South Africa · Founders207.7M
  5. 5Lionel Messiborn 1987 · 21st century · Argentina · Footballers178.6M
  6. 6Vladimir Putinborn 1952 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians136.2M
  7. 7Joe Bidenborn 1942 · 20th century · United States · Politicians124M
  8. 8Freddie Mercury1946-1991 · 20th century · United Kingdom · Musicians122.9M
  9. 9Jeffrey Dahmer1960-1994 · 20th century · United States · Historical Figures120.3M
  10. 10Adolf Hitler1889-1945 · 20th century · Austria · Politicians118.7M
  11. 11Taylor Swiftborn 1989 · 21st century · United States · Musicians117.8M
  12. 12Barack Obamaborn 1961 · 20th century · United States · Politicians115.9M
  13. 13Michael Jackson1958-2009 · 20th century · United States · Musicians114.4M
  14. 14Pablo Escobar1949-1993 · 20th century · Colombia · Politicians114.4M
  15. 15Kamala Harrisborn 1964 · 20th century · United States · Politicians113.6M
  16. 16Dwayne Johnsonborn 1972 · 21st century · Canada · Actors111M
  17. 17Queen Victoria1819-1901 · 19th century · United Kingdom · Historical Figuresnot measured105.6M
  18. 18Keanu Reevesborn 1964 · 20th century · Canada · Actors103.4M
  19. 19Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh1921-2021 · 20th century · United Kingdom102.1M
  20. 20Elvis Presley1935-1977 · 20th century · United States · Musicians99.6M
  21. 21Tom Cruiseborn 1962 · 20th century · United States · Actors99.4M
  22. 22LeBron Jamesborn 1984 · 21st century · United States · Basketball Players99.2M
  23. 23Jeffrey Epstein1953-2019 · 20th century · United States98.7M
  24. 24Michael Jordanborn 1963 · 20th century · United States · Basketball Players98.4M
  25. 25Ariana Grandeborn 1993 · 21st century · United States · Musicians98M
Show 75 more

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 21st century, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Uwe Bollborn 1965 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  2. 2Tom Tykwerborn 1965 · Germany · Directors3 decades
  3. 3Jenny Erpenbeckborn 1967 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  4. 4Florian Henckel von Donnersmarckborn 1973 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  5. 5Fatih Akinborn 1973 · Germany · Directors2 decades
  6. 6Baran bo Odarborn 1978 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  7. 7Maren Adeborn 1976 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  8. 8Katharina Wagnerborn 1978 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  9. 9Dennis Ganselborn 1973 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  10. 10Robert Schwentkeborn 1968 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  11. 11Tim Kruger1981-2025 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  12. 12Lexi Alexanderborn 1974 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  13. 13İlker Çatakborn 1984 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  14. 14Simon Verhoevenborn 1972 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  15. 15Sebastian Schipperborn 1968 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  16. 16Valeska Grisebachborn 1968 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  17. 17Philipp Stölzlborn 1967 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  18. 18Marc Rothemundborn 1968 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  19. 19Jan-Ole Gersterborn 1978 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  20. 20Thor Freudenthalborn 1972 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  21. 21Florian Gallenbergerborn 1972 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  22. 22Katja von Garnierborn 1966 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  23. 23Bora Dağtekinborn 1978 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  24. 24Nora Fingscheidtborn 1983 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
  25. 25Thomas Ostermeierborn 1968 · Germany · Directorsnot measured-
Show 75 more

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.