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

  1. 1Patriarch Nikon of Moscow1605-1681 · 17th century · Religious Figures3.5
  2. 2Peter the Great1672-1725 · 18th century · Russia · Politicians3.0
  3. 3Nicholas II of Russia1868-1918 · 20th century · Russia · Historical Figures2.6
  4. 4Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow1482-1563 · 16th century · Writers2.5
  5. 5Vladimir Putinborn 1952 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians2.2
  6. 6Nicholas I of Russia1796-1855 · 19th century · Russia · Models2.1
  7. 7Alexander I of Russia1777-1825 · 19th century · Russia · Historical Figures2.0
  8. 8Alexis of Russia1629-1676 · 17th century · Historical Figures1.9
  9. 9Ivan the Terrible1530-1584 · 16th century · Politicians1.9
  10. 10Leo Tolstoy1828-1910 · 19th century · Russia · Writers1.9
  11. 11Maria Feodorovna1847-1928 · 19th century · Denmark · Historical Figures1.5
  12. 12Alexander II of Russia1818-1881 · 19th century · Russia · Historical Figures1.5
  13. 13Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia1857-1905 · 19th century · Russia · Politicians1.5
  14. 14Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia1847-1909 · 19th century · Russia · Politicians1.4
  15. 15Alexander III of Russia1845-1894 · 19th century · Russia · Historical Figures1.4
  16. 16Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia1904-1918 · 20th century · Russia · Historical Figures1.3
  17. 17Boris Godunov1552-1605 · 16th century · Politicians1.3
  18. 18Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia1850-1908 · 19th century · Russia · Historical Figures1.1
  19. 19Elizabeth of Russia1709-1761 · 18th century · Russia · Historical Figures1.0
  20. 20Andrei Bely1880-1934 · 20th century · Russia · Writers1.0
  21. 21Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia1690-1718 · 18th century · Politicians1.0
  22. 22Ivan I of Tver1357-1425 · 14th century · Historical Figures0.99
  23. 23Paul I of Russia1754-1801 · 18th century · Russia · Historical Figures0.96
  24. 24Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia1832-1909 · 19th century · Russia · Politicians0.92
  25. 25Ivan I Aleksandrovich, Prince of Smolenskdied 1359 · 14th century0.88
  26. 26Grand Duke Peter Nikolaevich of Russia1864-1931 · 19th century · Russia · Historical Figures0.86
  27. 27Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia1827-1892 · 19th century · Russia · Historical Figures0.78
  28. 28Marina Tsvetaeva1892-1941 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.77
  29. 29Anna Akhmatova1889-1966 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.76
  30. 30Dmitry Medvedevborn 1965 · 21st century · Russia · Politicians0.75
  31. 31Boris Yeltsin1931-2007 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians0.75
  32. 32Michael of Russia1596-1645 · 17th century · Historical Figures0.74
  33. 33Alexander Blok1880-1921 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.73
  34. 34Vladimir Solovyov1853-1900 · 19th century · Russia · Academics0.72
  35. 35Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia1899-1918 · 20th century · Russia · Historical Figures0.69
  36. 36Patriarch Joachim1621-1690 · 17th century0.69
  37. 37Anna of Russia1693-1740 · 18th century · Russia · Politicians0.67
  38. 38Maxim Gorky1868-1936 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.67
  39. 39Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich of Russia1858-1915 · 19th century · Russia · Writers0.62
  40. 40Alexander Pushkin1799-1837 · 19th century · Russia · Writers0.62
  41. 41Sergei Yesenin1895-1925 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.58
  42. 42Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia1860-1919 · 19th century · Russia · Politicians0.56
  43. 43Peter III of Russia1728-1762 · 18th century · Germany · Historical Figures0.56
  44. 44Boris of Tver1400-1461 · 15th century0.49
  45. 45Patriarch Alexius II1929-2008 · 20th century · Estonia · Religious Figures0.48
  46. 46Joseph Brodsky1940-1996 · 20th century · United States · Writers0.47
  47. 47Aleksey Tolstoy1882-1945 · 20th century · France · Writers0.47
  48. 48Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy1817-1875 · 19th century · Russia · Writers0.46
  49. 49Joseph Stalin1878-1953 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians0.44
  50. 50Mikhail Gorbachev1931-2022 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians0.43
  51. 51Vladimir Vysotsky1938-1980 · 20th century · Russia · Musicians0.42
  52. 52Vasili IV of Russia1552-1612 · 16th century · Historical Figures0.41
  53. 53Avraamy Palitsyn1550-1626 · 16th century · Writers0.41
  54. 54Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia1779-1831 · 19th century · Russia · Politicians0.41
  55. 55Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia1871-1899 · 19th century · Russia · Historical Figures0.40
  56. 56Vasili III of Russia1479-1533 · 16th century · Politicians0.37
  57. 57John of Kronstadt1829-1908 · 19th century · Russia · Writers0.37
  58. 58Yury Luzhkov1936-2019 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians0.36
  59. 59Vladimir Lenin1870-1924 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians0.36
  60. 60Seraphim of Sarov1754-1833 · 18th century · Russia0.36
  61. 61Vladimir Mayakovsky1893-1930 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.36
  62. 62Alexandra Velyaminova1301-1364 · 14th century0.35
  63. 63Maximus the Greek1475-1556 · 16th century · Writers0.35
  64. 64Anton Chekhov1860-1904 · 19th century · Russia · Writers0.35
  65. 65Nikita Khrushchev1894-1971 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians0.33
  66. 66Valery Bryusov1873-1924 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.33
  67. 67Mikhail Bulgakov1891-1940 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.33
  68. 68Catherine Pavlovna of Russia1788-1819 · 19th century · Russia · Historical Figures0.33
  69. 69Alla Pugachevaborn 1949 · 20th century · Russia · Musicians0.32
  70. 70Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn1918-2008 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.32
  71. 71Fyodor Dostoevsky1821-1881 · 19th century · Russia · Writers0.31
  72. 72Boris Berezovsky1946-2013 · 20th century · Russia · Academics0.30
  73. 73Ilya Ehrenburg1891-1967 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.29
  74. 74Ivan Bunin1870-1953 · 20th century · France · Writers0.29
  75. 75Leonid Andreyev1871-1919 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.29
  76. 76Yuri Gagarin1934-1968 · 20th century · Russia · Astronauts0.28
  77. 77Korney Chukovsky1882-1969 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.28
  78. 78Nursultan Nazarbayevborn 1940 · 20th century · Kazakhstan · Politicians0.28
  79. 79Symeon of Polotsk1629-1680 · 17th century · Writers0.27
  80. 80Lavrentiy Beria1899-1953 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians0.26
  81. 81Bulat Okudzhava1924-1997 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.26
  82. 82Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia1863-1919 · 19th century · Russia · Politicians0.24
  83. 83Vladimir Nabokov1899-1977 · 20th century · United States · Writers0.23
  84. 84Ivan Fyodorov1510-1583 · 16th century0.23
  85. 85Andrei Platonov1899-1951 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.23
  86. 86Mikhail Sholokhov1905-1984 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.23
  87. 87Nikolai Gogol1809-1852 · 19th century · Russia · Writers0.23
  88. 88Nikita Mikhalkovborn 1945 · 20th century · Russia · Directors0.23
  89. 89Heydar Aliyev1923-2003 · 20th century · Azerbaijan · Politicians0.23
  90. 90Nikolai Berdyaev1874-1948 · 20th century · France · Academics0.23
  91. 91Konstantin Simonov1915-1979 · 20th century · Russia · Writers0.23
  92. 92Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna of Russia1825-1844 · 19th century · Russia · Historical Figures0.23
  93. 93Peter II of Russia1715-1730 · 18th century · Russia · Politicians0.23
  94. 94Leon Trotsky1879-1940 · 20th century · Mexico · Activists0.22
  95. 95Joseph Volotsky1440-1515 · 15th century · Writers0.22
  96. 96Vladimir Zhirinovsky1946-2022 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians0.22
  97. 97Stepan Razin1630-1671 · 17th century0.21
  98. 98Leonid Brezhnev1906-1982 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians0.21
  99. 99Grigory Orlov1734-1783 · 18th century · Russia · Historical Figures0.21
  100. 100Yuri Andropov1914-1984 · 20th century · Russia · Politicians0.20

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. 1Novak Djokovicborn 1987 · Serbia · Tennis Players1 decades
  2. 2Serena Williamsborn 1981 · United States · Tennis Players2 decades
  3. 3Rafael Nadalborn 1986 · Spain · Tennis Players2 decades
  4. 4Roger Federerborn 1981 · Switzerland · Tennis Players2 decades
  5. 5Jannik Sinnerborn 2001 · Italy · Tennis Playersnot measured-
  6. 6Naomi Osakaborn 1997 · Japan · Tennis Playersnot measured-
  7. 7Carlos Alcarazborn 2003 · Spain · Tennis Playersnot measured-
  8. 8Andre Agassiborn 1970 · United States · Tennis Players3 decades
  9. 9Venus Williamsborn 1980 · United States · Tennis Players2 decades
  10. 10Steffi Grafborn 1969 · Germany · Tennis Players4 decades
  11. 11Maria Sharapovaborn 1987 · Russia · Tennis Players2 decades
  12. 12Andy Murrayborn 1987 · United Kingdom · Tennis Players1 decades
  13. 13Anna Kournikovaborn 1981 · Russia · Tennis Players1 decades
  14. 14Aryna Sabalenkaborn 1998 · Belarus · Tennis Playersnot measured-
  15. 15Iga Świątekborn 2001 · Poland · Tennis Playersnot measured-
  16. 16Boris Beckerborn 1967 · Germany · Tennis Players4 decades
  17. 17Emma Raducanuborn 2002 · United Kingdom · Tennis Playersnot measured-
  18. 18Monica Selesborn 1973 · United States · Tennis Players2 decades
  19. 19Elena Rybakinaborn 1999 · Kazakhstan · Tennis Playersnot measured-
  20. 20Stan Wawrinkaborn 1985 · Switzerland · Tennis Players0 decades
  21. 21Pete Samprasborn 1971 · United States · Tennis Players3 decades
  22. 22Alexander Zverevborn 1997 · Germany · Tennis Playersnot measured-
  23. 23Coco Gauffborn 2004 · United States · Tennis Playersnot measured-
  24. 24Daniil Medvedevborn 1996 · Russia · Tennis Playersnot measured-
  25. 25Andy Roddickborn 1982 · United States · Tennis Players0 decades
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.