215,950 profiles ranked

← Fame through time2001 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 coverage and readership agree.

  1. 1Sargon of Akkad2350 BC-2300 BC · Historical Figures4 decades
  2. 2Khufu2700 BC-2566 BC · Politicians15 decades
  3. 3Imhotep2800 BC-2700 BC · Egypt · Architects11 decades
  4. 4Ötzi3275 BC-3230 BC · Italy1 decades
  5. 5Narmer3200 BC-3125 BC · Historical Figures11 decades
  6. 6Djoser2800 BC-2700 BC · Politicians7 decades
  7. 7Enheduanna2300 BC-2300 BC · Writers2 decades
  8. 8Menes3200 BC-3125 BC · Historical Figures22 decades
  9. 9Sneferu2700 BC-2609 BC · Egypt · Politicians8 decades
  10. 10Pepi II Neferkare2300 BC-2180 BC · Politicians0 decades
  11. 11Qa'aborn 2890 BC · Politicians0 decades
  12. 12Hor-Aha3162 BC-3100 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  13. 13Menkaure2532 BC-2503 BC · Politicians3 decades
  14. 14Scorpion IIborn 3500 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  15. 15Yu the Great2297 BC-2197 BC · China · Models0 decades
  16. 16Djer3001 BC-2999 BC · Politicians2 decades
  17. 17Nynetjer3000 BC-2845 BC · Politicians0 decades
  18. 18Khasekhemwy2800 BC-2700 BC · Politicians0 decades
  19. 19Mentuhotep II2100 BC-2013 BC · Historical Figures1 decades
  20. 20Djet3000 BC-3000 BC · Historical Figures1 decades
  21. 21Unas2375 BC-2350 BC · Politicians22 decades
  22. 22Merneith3000 BC-3000 BC · Politicians0 decades
  23. 23Djedefre2610 BC-2558 BC · Politicians0 decades
  24. 24Iry-Horborn 3101 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  25. 25Teti2350 BC-2300 BC · Politicians13 decades
  26. 26Huni2650 BC-2630 BC · Politicians8 decades
  27. 27Ka3200 BC-3100 BC · Politiciansnot measured-
  28. 28Scorpion Iborn 3500 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  29. 29Pepi I Meryre2400 BC-2250 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  30. 30Gudea2200 BC-2200 BC · Historical Figures14 decades
  31. 31Hotepsekhemwy2900 BC-2900 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  32. 32Anedjibdied 2985 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  33. 33Shulgidied 2045 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  34. 34Sahure2600 BC-2475 BC · Politicians3 decades
  35. 35Semerkhet3000 BC-2960 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  36. 36Merenre Nemtyemsaf I2250 BC-2245 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  37. 37Sekhemkhet2800 BC-2700 BC · Politicians0 decades
  38. 38Seth-Peribsen2775 BC-2650 BC · Politiciansnot measured-
  39. 39Khafra2612 BC-2530 BC · Historical Figures8 decades
  40. 40Userkaf2600 BC-2490 BC · Politicians1 decades
  41. 41Enmerkar3100 BC-3000 BC · Historical Figures3 decades
  42. 42Nyuserre Ini2500 BC-2430 BC · Politicians0 decades
  43. 43Shepseskaf2600 BC-2499 BC · Politicians0 decades
  44. 44Nitocris2250 BC-2192 BC · Politiciansnot measured-
  45. 45Den3000 BC-2995 BC · Politiciansnot measured-
  46. 46Lugal-zage-sidied 2335 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  47. 47Ptahhotep2450 BC-2400 BC · Academics5 decades
  48. 48Khaba2700 BC-2700 BC · Politicians0 decades
  49. 49Neithotepdied 3100 BC · Politiciansnot measured-
  50. 50Manishtushudied 2255 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  51. 51Zhuanxu2600 BC-2500 BC0 decades
  52. 52Djedkare Isesi2500 BC-2380 BC · Egypt · Politicians0 decades
  53. 53Neferirkare Kakaidied 2465 BC · Politicians0 decades
  54. 54Urukaginaborn 2500 BC · Historical Figures3 decades
  55. 55Neferefre2480 BC-2455 BC · Politicians0 decades
  56. 56Mentuhotep III2050 BC-2005 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  57. 57Menkauhor Kaiu2500 BC-2420 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  58. 58Sanakht2700 BC-2668 BC · Politicians0 decades
  59. 59Qi of Xia2200 BC-2200 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  60. 60Userkare2500 BC-2330 BC · Politicians0 decades
  61. 61Hetepheres I2575 BC-2551 BC · Politicians0 decades
  62. 62Double Falconborn 3100 BC0 decades
  63. 63Mentuhotep IV2100 BC-1991 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  64. 64Eannatum2500 BC-2425 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  65. 65Ibbi-Sinborn 2050 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  66. 66Merenre Nemtyemsaf II2300 BC-2200 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  67. 67Intef II2150 BC-2073 BC · Politicians0 decades
  68. 68Senedj2800 BC-2800 BC · Politiciansnot measured-
  69. 69Intef I2200 BC-2121 BC · Politicians0 decades
  70. 70Puabi2500 BC-2001 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  71. 71Mentuhotep I2200 BC-2200 BC · Politicians0 decades
  72. 72Utu-hengal2200 BC-2200 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  73. 73Amar-Sin2100 BC-2100 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  74. 74Ur-Nanshe2500 BC-2500 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  75. 75Mesannepadadied 2525 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  76. 76Netjerkareborn 2216 BC · Politiciansnot measured-
  77. 77Khentkaus I2600 BC-2600 BC · Politiciansnot measured-
  78. 78Sekhemib-Perenmaat2800 BC-2760 BC · Politiciansnot measured-
  79. 79Qakare Ibiborn 2150 BC · Politiciansnot measured-
  80. 80Menkare2200 BC-2200 BC0 decades
  81. 81Bikheris2600 BC-2600 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  82. 82Kennewick Mandied 7300 BC · Historical Figures2 decades
  83. 83Puzur-Ashur I2050 BC-1970 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  84. 84Tai Kangdied 2200 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  85. 85Prince Rahotep2600 BC-2600 BC · Religious Figures0 decades
  86. 86Cheddar Manborn 9000 BC0 decades
  87. 87Wenegborn 2750 BC · Egypt · Politicians0 decades
  88. 88Horus Crocodile3100 BC-3099 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  89. 89Shaokangdied 2100 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  90. 90Entemena2430 BC-2389 BC3 decades
  91. 91Hetepheres II2600 BC-2560 BC · Politicians0 decades
  92. 92Merikare2100 BC-2040 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  93. 93Neferkare Neby2300 BC-2260 BC · Historical Figuresnot measured-
  94. 94Nefermaatborn 2500 BC · Architectsnot measured-
  95. 95Meskalamdug2600 BC-2600 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  96. 96Neferkare IIborn 2150 BCnot measured-
  97. 97Ankhesenpepi IIborn 2400 BC · Politiciansnot measured-
  98. 98Ishbi-Erra2100 BC-1985 BC · Models0 decades
  99. 99Zhong Kang2200 BC-2200 BC · Historical Figures0 decades
  100. 100Kushim3500 BC-3500 BC0 decades

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.