← 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 English books during the 21st century, whenever they lived.
- 1
Jesus102 - 2
Aristotle13 - 3
Plato11 - 4
Socrates6.5 - 5
Homer5.4 - 6
Cicero4.2 - 7
Augustus4.1 - 8
Johns Hopkins4.0 - 9
Virgil3.3 - 10
George Washington3.0 - 11
George W. Bush2.2 - 12
Ovid2.2 - 13
Plutarch1.9 - 14
Thomas Jefferson1.9 - 15
Cleopatra1.9 - 16
Abraham Lincoln1.9 - 17
Galen1.8 - 18
Saddam Hussein1.7 - 19
Ronald Reagan1.7 - 20
Herodotus1.6 - 21
Origen1.5 - 22
John the Baptist1.5 - 23
Bill Clinton1.5 - 24
Adam Smith1.4 - 25
Mark Twain1.4
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
Donald Trump336.3M - 2
Elizabeth II223.3M - 3
Cristiano Ronaldo211.6M - 4
Elon Musk207.7M - 5
Lionel Messi178.6M - 6
Vladimir Putin136.2M - 7
Joe Biden124M - 8
Freddie Mercury122.9M - 9
Jeffrey Dahmer120.3M - 10
Adolf Hitler118.7M - 11
Taylor Swift117.8M - 12
Barack Obama115.9M - 13
Michael Jackson114.4M - 14
Pablo Escobar114.4M - 15
Kamala Harris113.6M - 16
Dwayne Johnson111M - 17
Queen Victorianot measured105.6M - 18
Keanu Reeves103.4M - 19
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh102.1M - 20
Elvis Presley99.6M - 21
Tom Cruise99.4M - 22
LeBron James99.2M - 23
Jeffrey Epstein98.7M - 24
Michael Jordan98.4M - 25
Ariana Grande98M
Lived then
The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 21st century, ranked where coverage and readership agree.
- 1
Oscar Piastrinot measured- - 2
Daniel Ricciardo0 decades - 3
Shane Warne2 decades - 4
Mark Webbernot measured- - 5
Ian Thorpe1 decades - 6
Cathy Freeman1 decades - 7
Casey Stoner0 decades - 8
Alexander Volkanovskinot measured- - 9
Jack Doohannot measured- - 10
Rhea Ripleynot measured- - 11
Michael Matthewsnot measured- - 12
Cadel Evans0 decades - 13
Nathan Jonesnot measured- - 14
Nicola Olyslagersnot measured- - 15
Adam Scottnot measured- - 16
Chris Gaylenot measured- - 17
Michael Doohannot measured- - 18
Phillip Hughesnot measured- - 19
Ricky Pontingnot measured- - 20
Eleanor Pattersonnot measured- - 21
Adam Gilchristnot measured- - 22
Mitchell Starcnot measured- - 23
Buddy Matthewsnot measured- - 24
Ellyse Perrynot measured- - 25
Steve Waughnot measured- - 26
Will Powernot measured- - 27
Nina Kennedynot measured- - 28
Andrew Symondsnot measured- - 29
Jos Buttlernot measured- - 30
Jessica Hullnot measured- - 31
Jack Millernot measured- - 32
Glenn Maxwellnot measured- - 33
Israel Folaunot measured- - 34
Michael Clarkenot measured- - 35
Pat Cumminsnot measured- - 36
Jai Hindleynot measured- - 37
Mitchell Marshnot measured- - 38
Billie Kaynot measured- - 39
Tiffany Cromwellnot measured- - 40
Ben O'Connornot measured- - 41
Josh Hazlewoodnot measured- - 42
Bronson Reednot measured- - 43
Matthew Haydennot measured- - 44
Glenn McGrathnot measured- - 45
Sally Pearsonnot measured- - 46
Shane Watsonnot measured- - 47
Robbie McEwennot measured- - 48
Richie Portenot measured- - 49
David Brabhamnot measured- - 50
Rohan Dennisnot measured- - 51
Nathan Lyonnot measured- - 52
Grayson Wallernot measured- - 53
Tenille Dashwoodnot measured- - 54
Younus Khannot measured- - 55
Marnus Labuschagnenot measured- - 56
Michelle Jennekenot measured- - 57
Travis Headnot measured- - 58
Jana Pittmannot measured- - 59
Kurtis Marschallnot measured- - 60
Aaron Finchnot measured- - 61
Mitchell Johnsonnot measured- - 62
Matthew Richardsonnot measured- - 63
Peyton Roycenot measured- - 64
Alyson Annannot measured- - 65
Alyssa Healynot measured- - 66
Usman Khawajanot measured- - 67
Meg Lanningnot measured- - 68
Jay Vinenot measured- - 69
Anthony Mundinenot measured- - 70
Jeff Hornnot measured- - 71
Mark Waughnot measured- - 72Jai Opetaianot measured-
- 73
Matthew Dennynot measured- - 74
Troy Baylissnot measured- - 75
Kieron Pollardnot measured- - 76
Caleb Ewannot measured- - 77
Justin Langernot measured- - 78Sam Willoughbynot measured-
- 79
Moisés Henriquesnot measured- - 80
Adam Zampanot measured- - 81
Anna Mearesnot measured- - 82
Indi Hartwellnot measured- - 83
Marcus Stoinisnot measured- - 84
Beth Mooneynot measured- - 85
Brad Haddinnot measured- - 86Lachlan Kennedynot measured-
- 87
Scott Bolandnot measured- - 88
Michael Rogersnot measured- - 89
Steve Hookernot measured- - 90
Stuart O'Gradynot measured- - 91
Grace Brownnot measured- - 92
Shaun Marshnot measured- - 93
Peter Bolnot measured- - 94
Alex Halesnot measured- - 95
Michael Husseynot measured- - 96
Simon Gerransnot measured- - 97
Jason Gillespienot measured- - 98
Ladybeardnot measured- - 99
Cameron Greennot measured- - 100
Matt Shirvingtonnot 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.