Claim profile
Fame through time

Famous after death

People whose names were printed far more after they died than while they lived, ranked by the share of all their mentions in print that came after death — in their own language, and counted from five years on, so the obituaries do not count.

CenturyAll19th1,78220th1,31321st3
  1. 1Zuo ZongtangZuo Zongtang1812–1885 · 19th century · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians100%
  2. 2Hong XiuquanHong Xiuquan1814–1864 · 19th century · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians100%
  3. 3Bruce LeeBruce Lee1940–1973 · 20th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Actors100%
  4. 4Tan SitongTan Sitong1865–1898 · 19th century · 🇨🇳 China · Academics100%
  5. 5Lin Tse-hsuLin Tse-hsu1785–1850 · 19th century · Politicians100%
  6. 6Zeng GuofanZeng Guofan1811–1872 · 19th century · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians100%
  7. 7Sergey SolovyovSergey Solovyov1820–1879 · 19th century · Writers100%
  8. 8Louis VuittonLouis Vuitton1821–1892 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Designers100%
  9. 9Marie BashkirtsevaMarie Bashkirtseva1860–1884 · 19th century · Artists100%
  10. 10Shoqan WalikhanovShoqan Walikhanov1835–1865 · 19th century · Academics100%
  11. 11Alexander UlyanovAlexander Ulyanov1866–1887 · 19th century · Activists100%
  12. 12Abraham GoldfadenAbraham Goldfaden1840–1908 · 19th century · Writers100%
  13. 13Mikhail AlekseyevMikhail Alekseyev1857–1918 · 19th century · Politicians100%
  14. 14Abay KunanbaiulyAbay Kunanbaiuly1845–1904 · 19th century · Writers100%
  15. 15Christian Dietrich GrabbeChristian Dietrich Grabbe1801–1836 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers100%
  16. 16Vladimir StasovVladimir Stasov1824–1906 · 19th century100%
  17. 17Pyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky1840–1893 · 19th century · Musicians100%
  18. 18Ivan VazovIvan Vazov1850–1921 · 19th century · Writers100%
  19. 19Fyodor TyutchevFyodor Tyutchev1803–1873 · 19th century · Writers100%
  20. 20Nikolai GeNikolai Ge1831–1894 · 19th century · Artists100%
  21. 21Natalia PushkinaNatalia Pushkina1812–1863 · 19th century100%
  22. 22Valentin SerovValentin Serov1865–1911 · 20th century · Artists100%
  23. 23Nikolai LobachevskyNikolai Lobachevsky1792–1856 · 19th century · Academics100%
  24. 24Stepan MakarovStepan Makarov1849–1904 · 19th century · Scientists100%
  25. 25Nikolai RubinsteinNikolai Rubinstein1835–1881 · 19th century · Musicians100%
  26. 26Pyotr ChaadayevPyotr Chaadayev1794–1856 · 19th century · Academics100%
  27. 27Kondraty RyleyevKondraty Ryleyev1795–1826 · 19th century · Writers100%
  28. 28Alexander KovalevskyAlexander Kovalevsky1840–1901 · 19th century · Academics100%
  29. 29Gabriel of Our Lady of SorrowsGabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows1838–1862 · 19th century100%
  30. 30Wilhelm KüchelbeckerWilhelm Küchelbecker1797–1846 · 19th century · Writers100%
  31. 31Wild Bill HickokWild Bill Hickok1837–1876 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Athletes100%
  32. 32Vasily SurikovVasily Surikov1848–1916 · 19th century · Artists100%
  33. 33Pyotr LavrovPyotr Lavrov1823–1900 · 19th century · Academics100%
  34. 34Alexander KolchakAlexander Kolchak1874–1920 · 20th century · Politicians100%
  35. 35Pavel PestelPavel Pestel1793–1826 · 19th century · Activists100%
  36. 36Ivan KramskoiIvan Kramskoi1837–1887 · 19th century · Artists100%
  37. 37Mikhail VrubelMikhail Vrubel1856–1910 · 19th century · Artists100%
  38. 38Alexei KhomyakovAlexei Khomyakov1804–1860 · 19th century · Academics100%
  39. 39Eduard MeyerEduard Meyer1855–1930 · 19th century · Academics100%
  40. 40Aleksey KoltsovAleksey Koltsov1809–1842 · 19th century · Writers100%
  41. 41Mirza Fatali AkhundovMirza Fatali Akhundov1812–1878 · 19th century · Writers100%
  42. 42Sergei Ivanovich TaneyevSergei Ivanovich Taneyev1856–1915 · 19th century · Musicians100%
  43. 43Nikolai Rimsky-KorsakovNikolai Rimsky-Korsakov1844–1908 · 19th century · Musicians100%
  44. 44Gerard Manley HopkinsGerard Manley Hopkins1844–1889 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers100%
  45. 45Carlo CollodiCarlo Collodi1826–1890 · 19th century · Writers100%
  46. 46Bahá'u'lláhBahá'u'lláh1817–1892 · 19th century · Writers100%
  47. 47Ayn RandAyn Rand1905–1982 · 20th century · Writers100%
  48. 48Gustavo Adolfo BécquerGustavo Adolfo Bécquer1836–1870 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers100%
  49. 49Eugène AtgetEugène Atget1857–1927 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Artists100%
  50. 50Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau1817–1862 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers100%
  51. 51Emily DickinsonEmily Dickinson1830–1886 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers100%
  52. 52Antoni GaudíAntoni Gaudí1852–1926 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Architects100%
  53. 53Jenny von WestphalenJenny von Westphalen1814–1881 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians100%
  54. 54Christian Daniel RauchChristian Daniel Rauch1777–1857 · 19th century · Artists100%
  55. 55Johnny AppleseedJohnny Appleseed1774–1845 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Scientists100%
  56. 56Scott JoplinScott Joplin1868–1917 · 20th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Musicians100%
  57. 57Alan TuringAlan Turing1912–1954 · 20th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Academics100%
  58. 58Amedeo ModiglianiAmedeo Modigliani1884–1920 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists100%
  59. 59Stieg LarssonStieg Larsson1954–2004 · 20th century · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Writers100%
  60. 60Tristan CorbièreTristan Corbière1845–1875 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers100%
  61. 61Mikhail BakhtinMikhail Bakhtin1895–1975 · 20th century · Academics100%
  62. 62Johann Jakob BachofenJohann Jakob Bachofen1815–1887 · 19th century · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Academics100%
  63. 63Nathan Bedford ForrestNathan Bedford Forrest1821–1877 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States100%
  64. 64Wilhelm CanarisWilhelm Canaris1887–1945 · 20th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Historical Figures100%
  65. 65John VianneyJohn Vianney1786–1859 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures100%
  66. 66RamakrishnaRamakrishna1836–1886 · 19th century · 🇮🇳 India · Academics100%
  67. 67George Armstrong CusterGeorge Armstrong Custer1839–1876 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Historical Figures100%
  68. 68Annette von Droste-HülshoffAnnette von Droste-Hülshoff1797–1848 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians100%
  69. 69Aloysius BertrandAloysius Bertrand1807–1841 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers100%
  70. 70Claus von StauffenbergClaus von Stauffenberg1907–1944 · 20th century · 🇩🇪 Germany100%
  71. 71Khalil GibranKhalil Gibran1883–1931 · 20th century · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers100%
  72. 72Juliette RécamierJuliette Récamier1777–1849 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers100%
  73. 73Giuseppe Tomasi di LampedusaGiuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa1896–1957 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Writers99%
  74. 74Gottlieb DaimlerGottlieb Daimler1834–1900 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Scientists99%
  75. 75Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe1809–1849 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers99%
  76. 76F. W. MurnauF. W. Murnau1888–1931 · 20th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Directors99%
  77. 77Maurice de GuérinMaurice de Guérin1810–1839 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers99%
  78. 78Mary ShelleyMary Shelley1797–1851 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers99%
  79. 79Anita GaribaldiAnita Garibaldi1821–1849 · 19th century · 🇧🇷 Brazil · Politicians99%
  80. 80Kang YouweiKang Youwei1858–1927 · 19th century · 🇨🇳 China · Politicians99%
  81. 81H. P. LovecraftH. P. Lovecraft1890–1937 · 20th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers99%
  82. 82Charlotte BrontëCharlotte Brontë1816–1855 · 19th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers99%
  83. 83Mary Todd LincolnMary Todd Lincoln1818–1882 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States99%
  84. 84Wilfred OwenWilfred Owen1893–1918 · 20th century · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers99%
  85. 85Carl ZeissCarl Zeiss1816–1888 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Scientists99%
  86. 86Sholem AleichemSholem Aleichem1859–1916 · 19th century · Writers99%
  87. 87Johns HopkinsJohns Hopkins1795–1873 · 19th century · 🇺🇸 United States · Founders99%
  88. 88Jaroslav HašekJaroslav Hašek1883–1923 · 20th century · Writers99%
  89. 89Rudolf HössRudolf Höss1901–1947 · 20th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Politicians99%
  90. 90Vincent van GoghVincent van Gogh1853–1890 · 19th century · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Artists99%
  91. 91Carl SpitzwegCarl Spitzweg1808–1885 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists99%
  92. 92Marie d'AgoultMarie d'Agoult1805–1876 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers99%
  93. 93Valentín Gómez FaríasValentín Gómez Farías1781–1858 · 19th century · 🇪🇸 Spain · Politicians99%
  94. 94Antonio GramsciAntonio Gramsci1891–1937 · 20th century · 🇮🇹 Italy · Academics99%
  95. 95Moses HessMoses Hess1812–1875 · 19th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Academics99%
  96. 96Walter BenjaminWalter Benjamin1892–1940 · 20th century · Academics99%
  97. 97Konstantin PobedonostsevKonstantin Pobedonostsev1827–1907 · 19th century · Academics99%
  98. 98Eva BraunEva Braun1912–1945 · 20th century · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists99%
  99. 99Marceline Desbordes-ValmoreMarceline Desbordes-Valmore1786–1859 · 19th century · 🇫🇷 France · Writers99%
  100. 100Fernando PessoaFernando Pessoa1888–1935 · 20th century · 🇵🇹 Portugal · Writers99%

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.