Claim profile
2001 BC and earlier

The 3rd millennium BC and earlier

Whose working lives fell in the 3rd millennium BC and earlier. Books are measured from 1800 and readers from 2015, so for this period we can say who lived then, not who was talked about then.

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 3rd millennium BC and earlier, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇪🇬 Egypt🇨🇳 China🇮🇹 Italy🇸🇪 Sweden
FieldAllPoliticiansHistorical FiguresReligious FiguresArchitectsWritersDoctorsModelsAcademics
  1. 1KhufuKhufu2700 BC–2566 BC · Politicians15 decades
  2. 2DjoserDjoser2800 BC–2700 BC · Politicians7 decades
  3. 3SneferuSneferu2700 BC–2609 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politicians8 decades
  4. 4MenkaureMenkaure2532 BC–2503 BC · Politicians3 decades
  5. 5Pepi II NeferkarePepi II Neferkare2300 BC–2180 BC · Politicians0 decades
  6. 6Qa'aQa'aborn 2890 BC · Politicians0 decades
  7. 7DjerDjer3001 BC–2999 BC · Politicians2 decades
  8. 8DenDen3000 BC–2995 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  9. 9KhasekhemwyKhasekhemwy2800 BC–2700 BC · Politicians0 decades
  10. 10HuniHuni2650 BC–2630 BC · Politicians8 decades
  11. 11DjedefreDjedefre2610 BC–2558 BC · Politicians0 decades
  12. 12UnasUnas2375 BC–2350 BC · Politicians22 decades
  13. 13MerneithMerneith3000 BC–3000 BC · Politicians0 decades
  14. 14TetiTeti2350 BC–2300 BC · Politicians13 decades
  15. 15Nyuserre IniNyuserre Ini2500 BC–2430 BC · Politicians0 decades
  16. 16SahureSahure2600 BC–2475 BC · Politicians3 decades
  17. 17NynetjerNynetjer3000 BC–2845 BC · Politicians0 decades
  18. 18UserkafUserkaf2600 BC–2490 BC · Politicians1 decades
  19. 19KaKa3200 BC–3100 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  20. 20SekhemkhetSekhemkhet2800 BC–2700 BC · Politicians0 decades
  21. 21ShepseskafShepseskaf2600 BC–2499 BC · Politicians0 decades
  22. 22Seth-PeribsenSeth-Peribsen2775 BC–2650 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  23. 23NNitocris2250 BC–2192 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  24. 24Djedkare IsesiDjedkare Isesi2500 BC–2380 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politicians0 decades
  25. 25KhabaKhaba2700 BC–2700 BC · Politicians0 decades
  26. 26NebraNebra2900 BC–2890 BC · Politicians2 decades
  27. 27Neferirkare KakaiNeferirkare Kakaidied 2465 BC · Politicians0 decades
  28. 28NeferefreNeferefre2480 BC–2455 BC · Politicians0 decades
  29. 29UserkareUserkare2500 BC–2330 BC · Politicians0 decades
  30. 30SenedjSenedj2800 BC–2800 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  31. 31SanakhtSanakht2700 BC–2668 BC · Politicians0 decades
  32. 32WenegWenegborn 2750 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politicians0 decades
  33. 33Hetepheres IHetepheres I2575 BC–2551 BC · Politicians0 decades
  34. 34NeithotepNeithotepdied 3100 BC · Politicians0 decades
  35. 35Intef IIntef I2200 BC–2121 BC · Politicians0 decades
  36. 36Intef IIIntef II2150 BC–2073 BC · Politicians0 decades
  37. 37Mentuhotep IMentuhotep I2200 BC–2200 BC · Politicians0 decades
  38. 38Sekhemib-PerenmaatSekhemib-Perenmaat2800 BC–2760 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  39. 39Khentkaus IKhentkaus I2600 BC–2600 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  40. 40NetjerkareNetjerkareborn 2216 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  41. 41Hetepheres IIHetepheres II2600 BC–2560 BC · Politicians0 decades
  42. 42SneferkaSneferkaborn 2800 BC · Politicians0 decades
  43. 43Qakare IbiQakare Ibiborn 2150 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  44. 44Ankhesenpepi IIAnkhesenpepi IIborn 2400 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  45. 45Meritites IMeritites I2700 BC–2600 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  46. 46HenutsenHenutsen2700 BC–2600 BC · Politicians0 decades
  47. 47IputIput2400 BC–2337 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  48. 48Neferirkare IINeferirkare IIborn 2150 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  49. 49Meresankh IIIMeresankh III2600 BC–2600 BC · Politicians0 decades
  50. 50Khamerernebty IIKhamerernebty II2600 BC–2600 BC · Politicians0 decades
  51. 51NeferkaminNeferkamin2200 BC–2200 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  52. 52KhayuKhayuborn 3500 BC · Politicians0 decades
  53. 53NeferkauhorNeferkauhor2200 BC–2200 BC · Politicians0 decades
  54. 54QahedjetQahedjetborn 2650 BC · Politicians0 decades
  55. 55MIMeresankh I2700 BC–2700 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  56. 56UUr-Zabababorn 2350 BC · Politicians0 decades
  57. 57KIKhamerernebty I2600 BC–2600 BC · Politicians0 decades
  58. 58Meryibre KhetyMeryibre Khetyborn 2150 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  59. 59NebkaNebkaborn 2500 BC · Politicians0 decades
  60. 60NimaethapNimaethap2800 BC–2800 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  61. 61NNNeferkare, ninth dynasty2200 BC–2200 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  62. 62NubneferNubneferborn 2500 BC · Politicians0 decades
  63. 63Neferu IINeferu II2100 BC–2013 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  64. 64HetephernebtiHetephernebti2700 BC–2700 BC · Politicians0 decades
  65. 65NNeith2277 BC–2183 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  66. 66Nebkaure KhetyNebkaure Khety2100 BC–2100 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  67. 67Iput IIIput II2300 BC–2200 BC · Politicians0 decades
  68. 68AIAnkhesenpepi Iborn 2400 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  69. 69Horus SaHorus Sa2700 BC–2700 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  70. 70KIKhentakawess III2500 BC–2500 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  71. 71WWadjkareborn 2300 BC · Politicians0 decades
  72. 72NINeferkare IVborn 2500 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  73. 73KIKhéty IV2200 BC–2200 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  74. 74IIInenek Inti2400 BC–2300 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  75. 75MMeretnebtyborn 2600 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  76. 76Anchenespepi IV.Anchenespepi IV.born 2300 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  77. 77PtahshepsesPtahshepses2500 BC–2500 BC · Politicians0 decades
  78. 78KhentetkaKhentetka2700 BC–2600 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  79. 79AshayetAshayetborn 2060 BC · Politicians0 decades
  80. 80BBehenuborn 2400 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  81. 81LugalandaLugalandaborn 2400 BC · Politicians0 decades
  82. 82NNeferkare2700 BC–2700 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  83. 83DjefatnebtiDjefatnebtiborn 2700 BC · 🇪🇬 Egypt · Politiciansnot measured—
  84. 84MeryhathorMeryhathordied 2120 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  85. 85NNeferhetepesborn 2570 BC · Politicians0 decades
  86. 86ReptynubReptynub2450 BC–2001 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  87. 87UdjebtenUdjebtenborn 2400 BC · Politicians0 decades
  88. 88RRekhetre2600 BC–2600 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  89. 89BuneferBuneferborn 2600 BC · Politicians0 decades
  90. 90HeqaibHeqaibborn 2300 BC · Politicians0 decades
  91. 91Gao YaoGao Yao2220 BC–2113 BC · Politicians0 decades
  92. 92HemakaHemakaborn 2900 BC · Politicians0 decades
  93. 93TemTem2100 BC–2060 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  94. 94NNebet2400 BC–2250 BC · Politicians1 decades
  95. 95PenebuiPenebuiborn 2900 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  96. 96KemsitKemsitborn 2060 BC · Politicians0 decades
  97. 97Meresankh IVMeresankh IVborn 2450 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  98. 98MIMeritites IVborn 2300 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  99. 99Nefermaat IINefermaat IIborn 2600 BC · Politiciansnot measured—
  100. 100WadjenesWadjenesborn 2750 BC · Politiciansnot measured—

How this is measured

  • Placing people in time. Each person belongs to the century in which they were most active — around age 35, and never after their death.
  • Who ranks highest. Within a century, people are ranked where two independent signals agree: how many of the world’s Wikipedia language editions cover them, and how many people actually read about them. Article counts alone can be lifted by a person’s own circle; readers cannot.
  • Fame in print. The curves count how often a name appears in Google Books from 1800 to 2019, as a share of all the words printed each year, in the person’s own language wherever that corpus exists. Those decades are over, so each measurement is made once and kept.
  • What is left out. A lifetime is measured only from 1820, when there is enough print to judge; the five years after a death are skipped as obituaries; and a name shared with someone equally notable is credited to neither.