← 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
Christian Pulisic0 decades - 2
Folarin Balogunnot measured- - 3
Landon Donovan0 decades - 4
Megan Rapinoe0 decades - 5
Clint Dempsey0 decades - 6
Alex Morgan0 decades - 7
Tim Howard0 decades - 8
Mia Hamm2 decades - 9
Timothy Weahnot measured- - 10
Giovanni Reynanot measured- - 11
Weston McKennienot measured- - 12
Carli Lloyd0 decades - 13
Abby Wambach0 decades - 14
Brenden Aaronsonnot measured- - 15
Yunus Musahnot measured- - 16
Antonee Robinsonnot measured- - 17
Freddy Adunot measured- - 18
Johnny Cardosonot measured- - 19Obed Vargasnot measured-
- 20
Alexi Lalasnot measured- - 21Faiq Bolkiahnot measured-
- 22
Ali Kriegernot measured- - 23
Brad Friedel0 decades - 24
Hope Solo0 decades - 25
Tim Reamnot measured- - 26
Tyler Adamsnot measured- - 27
Chris Richardsnot measured- - 28
Robbie Rogersnot measured- - 29
Claudio Reynanot measured- - 30
Giuseppe Rossinot measured- - 31
Trinity Rodmannot measured- - 32
Michael Bradleynot measured- - 33
Haji Wrightnot measured- - 34
Gregg Berhalternot measured- - 35
Matt Turnernot measured- - 36
Jozy Altidore0 decades - 37
Ashlyn Harrisnot measured- - 38
Jesse Marschnot measured- - 39
Gianluca Busionot measured- - 40
DeAndre Yedlinnot measured- - 41
Brian Gutiérreznot measured- - 42
Cobi Jonesnot measured- - 43
Chad Johnsonnot measured- - 44
Cavan Sullivannot measured- - 45
Pellegrino Matarazzonot measured- - 46
Julián Araujonot measured- - 47
Josh Sargentnot measured- - 48
Lindsey Heapsnot measured- - 49
John Brooksnot measured- - 50
Auston Trustynot measured- - 51
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Timothy Chandlernot measured- - 52Gabriel Sloninanot measured-
- 53
Ricardo Pepinot measured- - 54
Tobin Heathnot measured- - 55
Kasey Kellernot measured- - 56
Michelle Akersnot measured- - 57
Alex Freemannot measured- - 58
Luca Koleoshonot measured- - 59
Matt Freesenot measured- - 60
Esmir Bajraktarevićnot measured- - 61
DaMarcus Beasleynot measured- - 62
Oguchi Onyewunot measured- - 63
Chris Wondolowskinot measured- - 64
Neven Subotićnot measured- - 65
Mallory Swansonnot measured- - 66
Rose Lavellenot measured- - 67
Tony Meolanot measured- - 68
Brad Guzannot measured- - 69
Joe Scallynot measured- - 70
Julie Ertznot measured- - 71
Christen Pressnot measured- - 72
Konrad de la Fuentenot measured- - 73
Sophia Wilsonnot measured- - 74
Brian McBridenot measured- - 75
Alejandro Bedoyanot measured- - 76
Sydney Lerouxnot measured- - 77
Mark McKenzienot measured- - 78
Kristine Lillynot measured- - 79
Benjamin Cremaschinot measured- - 80
Brandi Chastainnot measured- - 81
Steve Cherundolonot measured- - 82
Jonathan Spectornot measured- - 83
Caleb Wileynot measured- - 84
Maximilian Arfstennot measured- - 85
Julian Greennot measured- - 86
Carlos Bocanegranot measured- - 87
Sebastian Lletgetnot measured- - 88
Alejandro Zendejasnot measured- - 89
Julie Foudynot measured- - 90
Matt Miazganot measured- - 91
Gyasi Zardesnot measured- - 92
Eric Wynaldanot measured- - 93
Zack Steffennot measured- - 94
Cristian Roldannot measured- - 95
Noah Allennot measured- - 96
Miles Robinsonnot measured- - 97
Nick Rimandonot measured- - 98
Tanner Tessmannnot measured- - 99
Clint Mathisnot measured- - 100
Jordan Morrisnot 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.