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

  1. 1Mao Zedong1893-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians114
  2. 2Deng Xiaoping1904-1997 · 20th century · China · Politicians61
  3. 3Lu Xun1881-1936 · 20th century · China · Writers36
  4. 4Jiang Zemin1926-2022 · 20th century · China · Politicians36
  5. 5Hu Jintaoborn 1942 · 20th century · China · Politicians30
  6. 6Zhou Enlai1898-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians26
  7. 7Confucius551 BC-479 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Academics19
  8. 8Sun Yat-sen1866-1925 · 20th century · China · Politicians18
  9. 9Chen Shui-bianborn 1950 · 20th century · Taiwan · Politicians13
  10. 10Liu Shaoqi1898-1969 · 20th century · China · Politicians13
  11. 11Xi Jinpingborn 1953 · 20th century · China · Politicians12
  12. 12Laozi579 BC-500 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics11
  13. 13Lee Teng-hui1923-2020 · 20th century · Taiwan · Politicians10.0
  14. 14Lee Kuan Yew1923-2015 · 20th century · Singapore · Politicians8.8
  15. 15Ma Ying-jeouborn 1950 · 20th century · Taiwan · Politicians8.5
  16. 16Wen Jiabaoborn 1942 · 20th century · China · Politicians8.1
  17. 17Lin Biao1907-1971 · 20th century · China · Politicians5.7
  18. 18Zhu De1886-1976 · 20th century · China · Politicians4.9
  19. 19Yuan Shikai1859-1916 · 19th century · China · Politicians4.6
  20. 20Jiang Qing1914-1991 · 20th century · China · Actors4.0
  21. 21Zhuang Zhou369 BC-288 BC · 1st millennium BC · China · Academics3.9
  22. 22Gao Ming1305-1370 · 14th century · Writers3.6
  23. 23Kang Youwei1858-1927 · 19th century · China · Politicians3.6
  24. 24Chiang Ching-kuo1910-1988 · 20th century · China · Politicians2.9
  25. 25Yan Fu1854-1921 · 19th century · Writers2.8
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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. 1Tom Hollandborn 1996 · United Kingdom · Actorsnot measured-
  2. 2Dua Lipaborn 1995 · United Kingdom · Musicians0 decades
  3. 3Lewis Hamiltonborn 1985 · United Kingdom · Athletes1 decades
  4. 4David Beckhamborn 1975 · United Kingdom · Footballers2 decades
  5. 5Christopher Nolanborn 1970 · United Kingdom · Directors2 decades
  6. 6Emma Watsonborn 1990 · United Kingdom · Actors1 decades
  7. 7Harry Kaneborn 1993 · United Kingdom · Footballersnot measured-
  8. 8Amy Winehouse1983-2011 · United Kingdom · Musicians1 decades
  9. 9Kate Winsletborn 1975 · United Kingdom · Actors3 decades
  10. 10Andrew Garfieldborn 1983 · United Kingdom · Actors0 decades
  11. 11Jason Stathamborn 1967 · United Kingdom · Actors0 decades
  12. 12Emily Bluntborn 1983 · United Kingdom · Actors0 decades
  13. 13Keira Knightleyborn 1985 · United Kingdom · Actors2 decades
  14. 14Robert Pattinsonborn 1986 · United Kingdom · Actors1 decades
  15. 15J. K. Rowlingborn 1965 · United Kingdom · Writers2 decades
  16. 16Andy Burnhamborn 1970 · United Kingdom · Politiciansnot measured-
  17. 17Daniel Craigborn 1968 · United Kingdom · Actors2 decades
  18. 18Tom Hardyborn 1977 · United Kingdom · Actors1 decades
  19. 19Daniel Radcliffeborn 1989 · United Kingdom · Actors1 decades
  20. 20Robbie Williamsborn 1974 · United Kingdom · Musicians2 decades
  21. 21Christian Baleborn 1974 · United Kingdom · Actors2 decades
  22. 22Catherine Zeta-Jonesborn 1969 · United Kingdom · Actors2 decades
  23. 23Millie Bobby Brownborn 2004 · United Kingdom · Actors0 decades
  24. 24Ed Sheeranborn 1991 · United Kingdom · Musicians1 decades
  25. 25Orlando Bloomborn 1977 · United Kingdom · Actors2 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.