← 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
Scott Morrison0 decades - 2
Penny Wongnot measured- - 3
Peter Duttonnot measured- - 4
Barnaby Joycenot measured- - 5
Bill Shortennot measured- - 6
Annastacia Palaszczuknot measured- - 7
Gladys Berejikliannot measured- - 8
Fatima Paymannot measured- - 9
Dominic Perrottetnot measured- - 10
Zali Steggallnot measured- - 11
Mathias Cormannnot measured- - 12
Tanya Pliberseknot measured- - 13
Daniel Andrewsnot measured- - 14
Richard Marlesnot measured- - 15
Josh Frydenbergnot measured- - 16
Katy Gallaghernot measured- - 17
Christopher Pynenot measured- - 18
Lidia Thorpenot measured- - 19
Angus Taylornot measured- - 20
Joe Hockeynot measured- - 21
Adam Bandtnot measured- - 22
Mike Bairdnot measured- - 23
Cory Bernardinot measured- - 24
Tim Wilsonnot measured- - 25
Mark McGowannot measured- - 26
Chris Bowennot measured- - 27
Jacinta Allannot measured- - 28
Lia Finocchiaronot measured- - 29
Michaelia Cashnot measured- - 30
Andrew Barrnot measured- - 31
Peter Malinauskasnot measured- - 32
Christian Porternot measured- - 33
Nathan Reesnot measured- - 34
Mark Butlernot measured- - 35
Clare O'Neilnot measured- - 36
Larissa Watersnot measured- - 37
Steven Marshallnot measured- - 38
Greg Huntnot measured- - 39
Natasha Stott Despojanot measured- - 40
Simon Birminghamnot measured- - 41
Richard Di Natalenot measured- - 42
Jim Chalmersnot measured- - 43
Natasha Griggsnot measured- - 44
Tony Burkenot measured- - 45
Matthew Canavannot measured- - 46
Anika Wellsnot measured- - 47
Adam Arkapawnot measured- - 48
Scott Ryannot measured- - 49
Matt Cowdreynot measured- - 50
Darren Chesternot measured- - 51
Roger Cooknot measured- - 52
Alex Anticnot measured- - 53
David Bartlettnot measured- - 54
Milton Dicknot measured- - 55
Jason Clarenot measured- - 56
Catherine Kingnot measured- - 57
Kirsty Sword Gusmãonot measured- - 58
Russel Normannot measured- - 59
Lara Giddingsnot measured- - 60
Alex Hawkenot measured- - 61
Linda Reynoldsnot measured- - 62
Scott Ludlamnot measured- - 63
Kate Lundynot measured- - 64
Will Hodgmannot measured- - 65
Paul Fletchernot measured- - 66
Anna Burkenot measured- - 67
Ben Carrollnot measured- - 68
Robert Simmsnot measured- - 69
Ed Husicnot measured- - 70Chloë Foxnot measured-
- 71
Brian Greignot measured- - 72
Trevor Evansnot measured- - 73
Michelle Rowlandnot measured- - 74
Andrew Hastienot measured- - 75
David Littleproudnot measured- - 76
Steven Milesnot measured- - 77
David Shoebridgenot measured- - 78Kirstie Marshallnot measured-
- 79
Julie Collinsnot measured- - 80
Katherine Bennell-Peggnot measured- - 81
Dan Tehannot measured- - 82
George Christensennot measured- - 83Tony Briffanot measured-
- 84
Kelly O'Dwyernot measured- - 85
John Barilaronot measured- - 86
Andrew Wallacenot measured- - 87
Michael Gunnernot measured- - 88
Peta Murphynot measured- - 89
Alan Tudgenot measured- - 90
Nicola Roxonnot measured- - 91
Jordon Steele-Johnnot measured- - 92
David Speirsnot measured- - 93
Allegra Spendernot measured- - 94
Keith Pittnot measured- - 95
Natasha Fylesnot measured- - 96
Trent Zimmermannot measured- - 97
Rob Katternot measured- - 98
Ted O'Briennot measured- - 99
Pia Andrewsnot measured- - 100Hannah Beazleynot 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.