← 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
Yassine Bounounot measured- - 2
Alphonso Daviesnot measured- - 3
Jonathan Davidnot measured- - 4
Cyle Larinnot measured- - 5
Stephen Eustáquionot measured- - 6
Asmir Begović0 decades - 7
Liam Millarnot measured- - 8
Nathan Salibanot measured- - 9
Promise Akinpelunot measured- - 10
Tajon Buchanannot measured- - 11
Alistair Johnstonnot measured- - 12
Ali Ahmednot measured- - 13
Christine Sinclair0 decades - 14
Jordyn Huitemanot measured- - 15
Dayne St. Clairnot measured- - 16
Junior Hoilettnot measured- - 17
Derek Corneliusnot measured- - 18
Jonathan de Guzmánnot measured- - 19
Atiba Hutchinsonnot measured- - 20
Niko Sigurnot measured- - 21
Richie Laryeanot measured- - 22
Maxime Crépeaunot measured- - 23
Milan Borjannot measured- - 24
Moïse Bombitonot measured- - 25
Jonathan Osorionot measured- - 26
Jayden Nelsonnot measured- - 27
Dwayne De Rosarionot measured- - 28
Samuel Piettenot measured- - 29
Paul Stalterinot measured- - 30
Jacob Shaffelburgnot measured- - 31
Tomasz Radzinskinot measured- - 32
Joel Watermannot measured- - 33
David Edgarnot measured- - 34
Marcelo Floresnot measured- - 35
Quinnnot measured- - 36
Mathieu Choinièrenot measured- - 37
Kadeisha Buchanannot measured- - 38
Daniel Jebbisonnot measured- - 39
Julian de Guzmannot measured- - 40
Lucas Cavallininot measured- - 41
Jessie Flemingnot measured- - 42
Julia Grossonot measured- - 43
Sam Adekugbenot measured- - 44Theo Bairnot measured-
- 45Theo Corbeanunot measured-
- 46
Kamal Millernot measured- - 47
Kaylyn Kylenot measured- - 48
Rayan Ellouminot measured- - 49
Iain Humenot measured- - 50
Paul Peschisolidonot measured- - 51
Ashley Lawrencenot measured- - 52
Vanessa Gillesnot measured- - 53
Adriana Leonnot measured- - 54
Issey Nakajima-Farrannot measured- - 55
Shelina Zadorskynot measured- - 56
Kailen Sheridannot measured- - 57
Liam Frasernot measured- - 58
Jayde Rivierenot measured- - 59
Alex Bunburynot measured- - 60
Mark-Anthony Kayenot measured- - 61
James Pantemisnot measured- - 62
Victor Montaglianinot measured- - 63
Lauren Sesselmannnot measured- - 64
Olivia Smithnot measured- - 65
Sophie Schmidtnot measured- - 66
Jacen Russell-Rowenot measured- - 67Craig Forrestnot measured-
- 68
Rob Friendnot measured- - 69Josué Duvergernot measured-
- 70
Olivia Appsnot measured- - 71
Kevin McKennanot measured- - 72
Simeon Jacksonnot measured- - 73
Diana Mathesonnot measured- - 74
Evelyne Viensnot measured- - 75
Cloé Lacassenot measured- - 76
Paul Dolannot measured- - 77
Nichelle Princenot measured- - 78
Dejan Jakovicnot measured- - 79
Sabrina D'Angelonot measured- - 80
Will Johnsonnot measured- - 81
Desiree Scottnot measured- - 82
Stephanie Labbénot measured- - 83
Zachary Brault-Guillardnot measured- - 84Jamie Knight-Lebelnot measured-
- 85
Patrice Berniernot measured- - 86
Erin McLeodnot measured- - 87
Gabrielle Carlenot measured- - 88
Doneil Henrynot measured- - 89
Marc Dos Santosnot measured- - 90
Marcus Habernot measured- - 91
Jim Brennannot measured- - 92
Tosaint Rickettsnot measured- - 93
Olivier Occéannot measured- - 94
Pat Onstadnot measured- - 95
Rhian Wilkinsonnot measured- - 96
Allysha Chapmannot measured- - 97
Carmelina Moscatonot measured- - 98
Terry Dunfieldnot measured- - 99
Karina LeBlancnot measured- - 100
Lars Hirschfeldnot 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.