← 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
Gisele Bündchen0 decades - 2
Adriana Lima0 decades - 3
Alessandra Ambrosio0 decades - 4
Isabeli Fontananot measured- - 5
Ana Paula Arósionot measured- - 6
Francisco Lachowskinot measured- - 7
Camila Alvesnot measured- - 8
Izabel Goulartnot measured- - 9
Kelly Piquetnot measured- - 10
Lais Ribeironot measured- - 11
Reynaldo Gianecchininot measured- - 12
Valentina Sampaionot measured- - 13
Ana Beatriz Barrosnot measured- - 14
Daniella Cicarellinot measured- - 15
Raquel Zimmermannnot measured- - 16
Caroline Trentininot measured- - 17
Alinne Moraesnot measured- - 18
Maria Fernanda Cândidonot measured- - 19
Marcela Temernot measured- - 20Ana Carolina Restonnot measured-
- 21
Helena Ranaldinot measured- - 22
Lea Tnot measured- - 23
Michelle Alvesnot measured- - 24
Thaila Ayalanot measured- - 25
Daniella Sarahybanot measured- - 26
Eduarda Braumnot measured- - 27
Letícia Birkheuernot measured- - 28
Marlon Teixeiranot measured- - 29
Natália Guimarãesnot measured- - 30
Andressa Urachnot measured- - 31
Priscilla Meirellesnot measured- - 32
Gianne Albertoninot measured- - 33
Barbara Fialhonot measured- - 34
Fernanda Tavaresnot measured- - 35
Isabella Meninnot measured- - 36
Cintia Dickernot measured- - 37
Emanuela de Paulanot measured- - 38
Alice Dellalnot measured- - 39
Joana Pradonot measured- - 40
Ana Cláudia Michelsnot measured- - 41
Raica Oliveiranot measured- - 42
Flavia de Oliveiranot measured- - 43
Gracie Carvalhonot measured- - 44
Daniela Braganot measured- - 45
Caroline Bittencourtnot measured- - 46
Danielle Souzanot measured- - 47
Fernanda Mottanot measured- - 48
Yasmin Brunetnot measured- - 49
Caroline Ribeironot measured- - 50
Larissa Ramosnot measured- - 51
Jesus Luznot measured- - 52
Débora Lyranot measured- - 53Mariana Bridi Costanot measured-
- 54
Karina Bacchinot measured- - 55
Bruna Tenórionot measured- - 56
Isabel Fillardisnot measured- - 57Júlia Gamanot measured-
- 58
Evandro Soldatinot measured- - 59
Larissa Costanot measured- - 60
Agatha Moreiranot measured- - 61Susana Wernernot measured-
- 62
Fabiana Semprebomnot measured- - 63
Gracyanne Barbosanot measured- - 64
Raíssa Santananot measured- - 65
Viviane Araújonot measured- - 66
Gabriela Bertantenot measured- - 67
Juliana Imainot measured- - 68
Marthina Brandtnot measured- - 69Priscila Machadonot measured-
- 70
Jakelyne Oliveiranot measured- - 71
Deise Nunesnot measured- - 72
Suzy Corteznot measured- - 73
Luma Grothenot measured- - 74
Mariana Weickertnot measured- - 75Júlia Hortanot measured-
- 76Gabriela Markusnot measured-
- 77
Camila Finnnot measured- - 78
Nicole Bahlsnot measured- - 79
Carol Francischininot measured- - 80
Fernanda de Freitasnot measured- - 81
Aline Webernot measured- - 82
Melissa Gurgelnot measured- - 83
Carina Beduschinot measured- - 84
Clara Monekenot measured- - 85
Sasha Meneghelnot measured- - 86
Guilhermina Guinlenot measured- - 87Rosenery Mello do Nascimentonot measured-
- 88Fernanda Lessanot measured-
- 89
Bianca Mattenot measured- - 90
Fael Lunanot measured- - 91Kat Torresnot measured-
- 92
Bárbara Evansnot measured- - 93
Sasckya Portonot measured- - 94
Solange Wilvertnot measured- - 95
Claudia Alendenot measured- - 96
Babi Rossinot measured- - 97
Vivian Amorimnot measured- - 98
Monalysa Alcântaranot measured- - 99Jéssica Paulettonot measured-
- 100Natália Anderlenot 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.