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

  1. 1Jesus5 BC-30 · 1st century · Religious Figures102
  2. 2Aristotle384 BC-322 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics13
  3. 3Plato428 BC-348 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics11
  4. 4Socrates470 BC-399 BC · 1st millennium BC · Brazil · Academics6.5
  5. 5Homer900 BC-800 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers5.4
  6. 6Cicero106 BC-43 BC · 1st millennium BC · Italy · Politicians4.2
  7. 7Augustus63 BC-14 · 1st millennium BC · Italy · Politicians4.1
  8. 8Johns Hopkins1795-1873 · 19th century · United States · Founders4.0
  9. 9Virgil70 BC-19 BC · 1st millennium BC · Italy · Writers3.3
  10. 10George Washington1732-1799 · 18th century · United States · Politicians3.0
  11. 11George W. Bushborn 1946 · 20th century · United States · Politicians2.2
  12. 12Ovid43 BC-17 · 1st millennium BC · Italy · Writers2.2
  13. 13Plutarch40-120 · 1st century · Academics1.9
  14. 14Thomas Jefferson1743-1826 · 18th century · United States · Politicians1.9
  15. 15Cleopatra69 BC-30 BC · 1st millennium BC · Egypt · Historical Figures1.9
  16. 16Abraham Lincoln1809-1865 · 19th century · United States · Politicians1.9
  17. 17Galen129-300 · 2nd century · Turkey · Doctors1.8
  18. 18Saddam Hussein1937-2006 · 20th century · Iraq · Politicians1.7
  19. 19Ronald Reagan1911-2004 · 20th century · United States · Politicians1.7
  20. 20Herodotus484 BC-425 BC · 1st millennium BC · Turkey · Writers1.6
  21. 21Origen185-254 · 3rd century · Egypt · Academics1.5
  22. 22John the Baptist6 BC-30 · 1st century · Israel · Religious Figures1.5
  23. 23Bill Clintonborn 1946 · 20th century · United States · Politicians1.5
  24. 24Adam Smith1723-1790 · 18th century · United Kingdom · Academics1.4
  25. 25Mark Twain1835-1910 · 19th century · United States · Writers1.4
  26. 26Ahab918 BC-852 BC · 1st millennium BC · Models1.3
  27. 27Charlemagne748-814 · 8th century · Historical Figures1.3
  28. 28John F. Kennedy1917-1963 · 20th century · United States · Politicians1.3
  29. 29Euripides480 BC-406 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers1.3
  30. 30Thucydides460 BC-395 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers1.3
  31. 31Hoseaborn 784 BC · 1st millennium BC · Religious Figures1.2
  32. 32Woodrow Wilson1856-1924 · 19th century · United States · Politicians1.2
  33. 33Rembrandt1606-1669 · 17th century · Netherlands · Artists1.2
  34. 34Barack Obamaborn 1961 · 20th century · United States · Politicians1.2
  35. 35Livy59 BC-17 · 1st millennium BC · Italy · Writers1.2
  36. 36Hadrian76-138 · 2nd century · Spain · Historical Figures1.1
  37. 37Bede672-735 · 8th century · United Kingdom · Writers1.1
  38. 38Winston Churchill1874-1965 · 20th century · United Kingdom · Politicians1.1
  39. 39Walt Disney1901-1966 · 20th century · United States · Directors1.1
  40. 40Thomas Aquinas1225-1274 · 13th century · Italy · Academics1.1
  41. 41Theodore Roosevelt1858-1919 · 19th century · United States · Politicians1.0
  42. 42Euclid333 BC-285 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics1.0
  43. 43Benjamin Franklin1706-1790 · 18th century · United States · Politicians1.0
  44. 44Julius Caesar100 BC-44 BC · 1st millennium BC · Italy · Politicians1.00
  45. 45Sophocles496 BC-406 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.97
  46. 46Goliath1100 BC-1023 BC · 2nd millennium BC0.95
  47. 47Plotinus205-270 · 3rd century · Academics0.94
  48. 48Jane Austen1775-1817 · 19th century · United Kingdom · Writers0.92
  49. 49James Madison1751-1836 · 18th century · United States · Politicians0.92
  50. 50Richard Nixon1913-1994 · 20th century · United States · Politicians0.92
  51. 51Xenophon430 BC-354 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.92
  52. 52Alexander the Great356 BC-323 BC · 1st millennium BC · Historical Figures0.90
  53. 53Abababorn 200 · 3rd century0.89
  54. 54John Adams1735-1826 · 18th century · United States · Politicians0.89
  55. 55Pythagoras582 BC-490 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.88
  56. 56Pericles494 BC-429 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.87
  57. 57Tertullian160-240 · 2nd century · Academics0.87
  58. 58Edward Elgar1857-1934 · 19th century · United Kingdom · Musicians0.87
  59. 59Aristophanes445 BC-385 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.84
  60. 60Virginia Woolf1882-1941 · 20th century · United Kingdom · Writers0.83
  61. 61Henry James1843-1916 · 19th century · United States · Writers0.83
  62. 62Ho Chi Minh1890-1969 · 20th century · Politicians0.82
  63. 63Charles Darwin1809-1882 · 19th century · United Kingdom · Scientists0.80
  64. 64Charles Dickens1812-1870 · 19th century · United Kingdom · Writers0.79
  65. 65Tony Blairborn 1953 · 20th century · United Kingdom · Politicians0.79
  66. 66Osama bin Laden1957-2011 · 20th century · Saudi Arabia · Historical Figures0.78
  67. 67William Shakespeare1564-1616 · 16th century · United Kingdom · Writers0.76
  68. 68Jimmy Carter1924-2024 · 20th century · United States · Politicians0.76
  69. 69Mary Magdalenedied 100 · 1st century · Israel · Academics0.76
  70. 70Brigham Young1801-1877 · 19th century · United States · Politicians0.75
  71. 71Irenaeus130-202 · 2nd century · Turkey · Academics0.75
  72. 72Suharto1921-2008 · 20th century · Indonesia · Politicians0.75
  73. 73Aeschylus525 BC-456 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.74
  74. 74Oscar Wilde1854-1900 · 19th century · Ireland · Writers0.73
  75. 75Henry Ford1863-1947 · 19th century · United States · Founders0.72
  76. 76Hippocrates460 BC-370 BC · 1st millennium BC · Doctors0.72
  77. 77Andrew Jackson1767-1845 · 19th century · United States · Politicians0.71
  78. 78Hesiod776 BC-700 BC · 1st millennium BC · Turkey · Writers0.71
  79. 79Trajan53-117 · 1st century · Spain · Politicians0.71
  80. 80Solon630 BC-560 BC · 1st millennium BC · Writers0.69
  81. 81John Knox1514-1572 · 16th century · United Kingdom · Writers0.69
  82. 82Margaret Thatcher1925-2013 · 20th century · United Kingdom · Politicians0.68
  83. 83Lucan39-65 · 1st century · Writers0.68
  84. 84Demosthenes384 BC-322 BC · 1st millennium BC · Politicians0.68
  85. 85George Eliot1819-1880 · 19th century · United Kingdom · Writers0.68
  86. 86Lucretius94 BC-55 BC · 1st millennium BC · Italy · Writers0.68
  87. 87Saladin1138-1193 · 12th century · Politicians0.67
  88. 88Frederick Douglass1818-1895 · 19th century · United States · Writers0.67
  89. 89Strabo63 BC-23 · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.66
  90. 90Mahatma Gandhi1869-1948 · 20th century · India · Activists0.65
  91. 91John Henry1322-1375 · 14th century0.65
  92. 92Parmenides515 BC-470 BC · 1st millennium BC · Italy · Academics0.65
  93. 93John Locke1632-1704 · 17th century · United Kingdom · Academics0.65
  94. 94John Wesley1703-1791 · 18th century · United Kingdom · Academics0.65
  95. 95Boethius480-524 · 6th century · Italy · Politicians0.64
  96. 96Malcolm X1925-1965 · 20th century · United States · Activists0.64
  97. 97Archimedes287 BC-212 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.64
  98. 98Epicurus342 BC-270 BC · 1st millennium BC · Academics0.64
  99. 99William Henry1774-1836 · 19th century · Scientists0.63
  100. 100John Smith1580-1631 · 17th century · United Kingdom · Historical Figures0.63

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
Show 75 more

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 21st century, ranked where coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Lamine Yamalborn 2007 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  2. 2Pep Guardiolaborn 1971 · Spain · Footballers1 decades
  3. 3Xabi Alonsoborn 1981 · Spain · Footballers1 decades
  4. 4Gerard Piquéborn 1987 · Spain · Footballers1 decades
  5. 5Sergio Ramosborn 1986 · Spain · Footballers4 decades
  6. 6James Rodríguezborn 1991 · Spain · Footballers1 decades
  7. 7Luis Enriqueborn 1970 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  8. 8Achraf Hakimiborn 1998 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  9. 9Ferran Torresborn 2000 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  10. 10Mikel Artetaborn 1982 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  11. 11Rodriborn 1996 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  12. 12Samuel Eto'oborn 1981 · Spain · Footballers2 decades
  13. 13Cesc Fàbregasborn 1987 · Spain · Footballers1 decades
  14. 14Fernando Torresborn 1984 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  15. 15Xavi Hernándezborn 1980 · Spain · Footballers1 decades
  16. 16Álvaro Arbeloaborn 1983 · Spain · Footballers0 decades
  17. 17Andrés Iniestaborn 1984 · Spain · Footballers1 decades
  18. 18Álvaro Morataborn 1992 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  19. 19Iker Casillasborn 1981 · Spain · Footballers1 decades
  20. 20Marc Cucurellaborn 1998 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  21. 21Mikel Merinoborn 1996 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  22. 22Nico Williamsborn 2002 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  23. 23Pedriborn 2002 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  24. 24Mikel Oyarzabalborn 1997 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
  25. 25David de Geaborn 1990 · Spain · Footballersnot measured-
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.