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 Hebrew books during the 21st century, whenever they lived.

  1. 1Reuven Rivlinborn 1939 · 20th century · Israel · Politicians15
  2. 2Ahad Ha'am1856-1927 · 19th century · Russia · Writers9.8
  3. 3Rav Ashi352-427 · 4th century9.5
  4. 4Haggaiborn 550 BC · 1st millennium BC · Religious Figures9.3
  5. 5Shimon Peres1923-2016 · 20th century · Israel · Politicians7.2
  6. 6Paul the Apostle5-66 · 1st century · Turkey · Writers6.8
  7. 7Menachem Begin1913-1992 · 20th century · Israel · Politicians6.0
  8. 8Yitzhak Rabin1922-1995 · 20th century · Israel · Politicians5.9
  9. 9Moshe Dayan1915-1981 · 20th century · Israel · Politicians5.7
  10. 10Shimon bar Yochai100-160 · 2nd century5.2
  11. 11Simeon ben Gamliel IIborn 100 · 2nd century4.6
  12. 12Hayyim ben Joseph Vital1542-1620 · 16th century · Turkey · Musicians4.5
  13. 13Hai Gaon939-1038 · 10th century · Writers4.5
  14. 14Johanan ben Zakai50 BC-70 · 1st millennium BC4.4
  15. 15Ariel Sharon1928-2014 · 20th century · Israel · Politicians4.3
  16. 16Josephus37-100 · 1st century · Writers4.2
  17. 17Saadia Gaon882-942 · 10th century · Academics4.0
  18. 18Golda Meir1898-1978 · 20th century · Israel · Politicians3.9
  19. 19Moses Sofer1762-1839 · 18th century3.9
  20. 20Nathan the Babylonianborn 101 · 2nd century3.7
  21. 21Ehud Barakborn 1942 · 20th century · Israel · Politicians3.6
  22. 22Baal Shem Tov1698-1760 · 18th century3.5
  23. 23Habakkuk626 BC-600 BC · 1st millennium BC · Religious Figures3.4
  24. 24Moshe Sharett1894-1965 · 20th century · Israel · Politicians3.1
  25. 25Levi Eshkol1895-1969 · 20th century · Israel · Politicians3.1
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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
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Lived then

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

  1. 1Naomi Kleinborn 1970 · Canada · Writers2 decades
  2. 2Rupi Kaurborn 1992 · Canada · Writers0 decades
  3. 3Tessa Virtueborn 1989 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  4. 4Justine Muskborn 1972 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  5. 5Nathan Fielderborn 1983 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  6. 6Severn Cullis-Suzukiborn 1979 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  7. 7Evan Goldbergborn 1982 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  8. 8Emily St. John Mandelborn 1979 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  9. 9Scott Moirborn 1987 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  10. 10Lisa Jakubborn 1978 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  11. 11Emma Donoghueborn 1969 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  12. 12Xiran Jay Zhaoborn 1997 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  13. 13Nelly Arcan1973-2009 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  14. 14Pattie Malletteborn 1976 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  15. 15R. Scott Bakkerborn 1967 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  16. 16Stephanie Savageborn 1969 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  17. 17Drew Karpyshynborn 1971 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  18. 18Maggie Kangborn 1981 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  19. 19Aaron Abramsborn 1978 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  20. 20Mysteryborn 1971 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  21. 21Rachel Reidborn 1980 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  22. 22Jeff Lemireborn 1976 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  23. 23Madeleine Thienborn 1974 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  24. 24Polly Shannonborn 1973 · Canada · Writersnot measured-
  25. 25Mariko Tamakiborn 1975 · Canada · Writersnot 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.