Who is the most famous person that ever lived?

Elvis was far more famous than either J.C.

Mark Twain thought that Joan Of Arc was the most amazing/important person that ever lived.

Jesus is a fictional character.

Shakespeare

Mohammed

Chaka Khan

Cleopatra

The historical Buddha is probably known to more people than Jesus since people in both South and East Asia know of him and have for over two thousand years. Julius Caesar is known widely only in the Western world.

Buddha, Genghis Khan, Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, QEII, Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Marilyn Monroe and Tom Cruise

ME. Obviously.

R3 No he's not. It's quite obvious that a great avatar lived and walked in Israel 2000 years ago and still mightily resonates with society today. He's real and changed the world.

Oh lord!

Madonna

R11 No there was no Jesus. That idiotic story is far older and had existed in other forms LONG before it was retread once again into the Jesus myth.

R11, the fiction is you claiming "Israel" existed 2000 years ago

Why me, of course!

R14 People like Buddha, Mohammed, Jesus, and other great avatars/spiritual teachers ALL existed. Let's not be silly and pick and choose who existed and who didn't.

R15 You are obviously an angry, picky atheist. Don't yuck on someone else's parade.

I blame Irene for the explosion of hideous K Pop.

R17 Don't deal with reality. Got it.

Given the current world population as it compares to previous generations, I’d say Hitler, then Jesus, then Oprah.

Madeline Kahn

The most famous living person is obviously Madonna. And thanks to her efforts in Malawi, even Darfur orphans know who she is.

Jesus, Mohammed, Queen Elizabeth, Mao Zedong, Hitler(As in infamous), Genghis Khan, Caesar, Plato, Confucius, Shakespeare

Julius Caesar and Jesus Christ are the same person. Julius really existed and the other JC was a cult of personality based upon the former. C’mon, even Judas and Brutus rhyme, and you have Jesus saying “give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar.” It’s the same guy

It doesn't matter if Jesus existed or not because in history he did. Lots of things in history are fictitious but they are still 'true'.

Queen Elizabeth ll

Eddie Mecca

Al the Great

Big and Little Edie

Somebody like Elvis or Marilyn Monroe. 2/3 of the planet don't give a fuck about Christianity.

R30, nobody remembers Elvis anymore.

Living: Brendad Ickson Almost Dead: Betty White Dead: Vivian Vance WTF: Caitlyn Jenner and Momma June

Rasputin may not have been the most famous person to ever live but he certainly was one of the most fascinating, to this very day.

Surprised no one’s mentioned Alexander the Great, who is one of the first to make impact in both the West and the East. Constantine might also be considered transcending the ancient and the modern world.

R11, I have proof -- on video -- that Jesus is REAL!

Michael Jackson.

I’m an atheist, but the people who think Jesus didn’t exist are as braindead as the evangelicals who think he walked on water. The existence of Jesus is not doubted by reputable biblical scholars, including the atheist ones such as Bart Ehrman.

Bart Erhman didn't exist.

I love insane people R37 who don't know they're insane.

Jesus existed, period. There isn't much doubt about that. That he was the son of a sky fairy? There's your debate.

Your period is dripping lies.

Khaaaaaaaan!

Unlike Buddha, who there is historical evidence of his existence, there in no historical evidence of Jesus’ life.

Marsha P. Johnson

Kublai Khan

Ghenghis Khan

Lizscha with a Z!

[quote] Jesus is a fictional character.

Not this again.

[quote] Your period is dripping lies.

There’s much more evidence of Jesus than of, say, Moses. Vastly more.

R48 R49 Not this Jesus freak again.

Julianne Moore, seriously.

R50 I’m an atheist, you boob.

Lucille McGillicuddy

The Great Pumpkin

Snoop Dogg.

Not one mention for me?!

She's not the original Candle in the Wind....

Me of course.

You little gay boys know nothing about real star power.

Wing

It's a tie!!

ET or Yoda

Why isn't Mohammad more famous? I know more about L. Ron Hubburd than Mohammad! They suck at marketing! Just sayin'.

George Floyd

Lady Gaga

Famous people of other eras are different from celebrities of today’s connected worlds in the nature of their fame.

Jesus, Muhammad, the Buddha and Confucius

um, me, of course! And yet no one ever asks how I am!

Muriel! No, duh!

Depends on what parts of the world you’re familiar with. People born 1000 years ago had their own ideas. Writing down history was rare, and left to leaders of their time to preserve. Whether it was by having slaves write it, or preserve it other ways. The rich, and forms of royalty and religion determined what history was preserved. People also didn’t have a long life span. Any person considered great in previous millennia were subject to preservation and luck after their local soils, and lava paths were finished with them.

R25 is DL solid gold🥇

Miss Kay Lenz

Hitler easily.

Aren't Jesus & Mohammed just fictional characters?

I'm not sure of the exact nature of the question. Famous during their lifetime? Famous in posterity? And how do you define "fame"?

I think you could make an argument that, within the context of North Korea right now, Kim Jong-un is the most famous person on earth. He is worshiped and ubiquitous. He is like a god to the North Korean people in a way no other world leader is. And it's an inter-generational fame, something that even Mao couldn't claim.

I'm sure you could point to other times and places where a similar phenomenon occurred, but working to Kim's advantage is technology coupled with mass media, something which even (eg) the Chinese emperors didn't have access to.

“Biblical scholars” can’t come up with an iota of actual evidence that Jesus ever existed.

Janet Jackson

The first Emperor of China, Qin Julius Caesar Cleopatra

(Leaving religious figures out)

Proven? Mohammed.

Alexander the Great

Albert Einstein

Barbra Streisand

Big Bird

Cher, Queen of the Universe

Walt Disney

Sophia, Dorothy, Blanche and Rose

VIVIAN VANCE!!!

r85 and r86 need to be signed, "DL"

Susan Dey

Probably Queen Elizabeth II. Nearly 100, always news, photographed at every stage of her life, widely travelled, seen and reported. From WWII to Covid. All this during the exponential 20th/21st century increase in tele-communication and population. More people globally to know more about her more instantly. Fictional portrayals underline it all. When nature regrettably takes its course, this fame will be amplified yet more.

Helen Lawson

Abraham - he was the father of three major religions, two of which are forces for good.

Meghan Markle.

No proof of Jesus despite the xian nutcases on here. Pick people we know lived.

I can probably sing along to most of Elvis' more famous songs. I can't recite even one bible verse.

Who is the most famous ( Stereotypical Gay) person that ever lived?

Richard Simmons

[quote] No proof of Jesus despite the xian nutcases on here.

Yet we have definitive proof that you are an doofus fuckwad. Life isn't fair.

R96 your insults are not facts, no evidence.

Pia Zadora.

Nan Kempner

The Beloved Jesus.

1. Jesus

2. Mohammed

3. Hitler

The Wrigleyville Cum Dump!

Jesus, The Wrigleyville Cum Dump, what's the difference.

Jesus liked them young, FACT. Like Matt Gaetz.

Demi Lovato

Turn me on and I'll turn you on.

Muhammad basically an Arab version of Joseph Smith . While Muslims must acknowledge Jesus existence ( and every other characters from the Old Testament ) Christians considered Muhammad nothing more than a false cult leader.

[Quote] It's quite obvious that a great avatar lived and walked in Israel 2000 years ago

I guess the mass brain washing has worked

It does every time R108. EVERY TIME.

Jill Zarin

We know “Entertainment” “Lawyer” often sneaks a peak on DL but this is ridiculous. He just posted this today.

Jesus? Julius Caesar? Oh, gimme a few years.

It's not the My Pillow guy?

On DL - Armie Hammer.

The existence of Jesus is doubted by major biblical scholars. Some say he’s likely the fusion of two men of the time.

Everyone thought it was the End of Times and people claiming to be the Jewish Messiah were a dime a dozen at the time.

[Quote] Abraham - he was the father of three major religions, two of which are forces for good.

If we’re picking from mythology, I say Zeus

[Quote] Hitler easily. Aren't Jesus & Mohammed just fictional characters?

I agree about Hitler. No proof of Jesus’ existence—and, no, just musing about his existence isn’t history, it’s faith.

There is a lot of contemporary, independent reporting about Muhammad’s existence

Definitely in Demi Lovato's mind it’s Demi Lovato.

Jesus, who was the most successful cult leader ever.

"Yup, Yahweh-Jehova is totes my dad. What? We don't have a place to stay now? Ok this temple is totes my dad's house and you need to get your gross ass goat sacrifices out of here, they reek more than my disciples' junk after they haven't bathed for a month. Question: how easily can we turn this stone altar into a sling? Will that work?"

He was a fraud but is most likely the most famous person who ever existed.

Buck. Just ask my mother.

Albert Einstein

No Gandhi ?

R122 Too passsive.

If we go by how many would recognize the name, it would have to be the Buddha. Most of the populations of China and India will not have heard of Jesus. And that's at least a billion right there.

Anyone who has heard of Jesus would've heard of the Buddha. The converse would not be true.

That's an adorable picture of Jesus. What happened to Julie's face?

Twain had a big thing for Joan. But she was such an ambiguous 'heroine.'

Hollywood Royalty

Is that a woman R126? Wow what a heavy jaw she had. Joan Crawford was born a man or a drag queen?

She's very much a woman and very aware of the fact.

Keith Richards. Jesus did exist. Whether people think he is the son of God is depends on whatever religious Belief one has.

Since fictional characters like Jesus are ok, I'm voting for Bugs Bunny. Ageless, and will live on forever. Much more so than that Jesus crap.

R64 ok that was funny.

"You too Wilona."

Princess Diana

Not the most famous person ever, but one of the most famous and successful movie stars of all time. Doris Day rocked my world!!!

In the end, I think it will turn out to be Suzanne Somers. Rightfully so.

Kurt Cobain.

R124, I think you underestimate the cultural penetration of Christianity. Your average Indian and/or Chinese person has likely heard of Jesus, just as much as your average American is aware of Buddha.

Yeah, lots of troubled boys need to be fully penetrated by Christ.

Adam (and Eve)

Who doesn't know Adam?

^ That's just sad.

The Cat in the Hat

Considering the population of China (and their sphere of influence), I'd say Confucius. Then Buddha, Mohammed, and if he existed, Jesus (bit of a controversy there - I don't think there's as much proof as for the other three but hey ho, who cares?) But if he did, I guess I'd swap him and Mohammed in the order of influence and renown.

Why do Buddhists worship a fat guy? At least Jesus had beautiful locks and was svelte.

[quote] A period of forty years separates the death of Jesus from the writing of the first gospel.

Jesus was so important that no one even bothered to write anything about him at the time or for 40 years after the date of his death. The whole story could easily be a myth.

Cleopatra

I think it's Zendaya.

Jesus Christ was not an actual person. Snap out of it!

In his heyday, I'd think Charlie Chaplin was perhaps the most known and recognized person alive.

King Henry VIII

William Shakespeare

Alexander the Great, Aristotle, Plato and Socrates

Julius Caesar and Cleopatra

Joey Travolta

Viola Davis

Jesus.

Jesus the cartoon character.

Tura Santana

Jeff Stryker

Pietro Boselli

Colonel Sanders

I say Mickey Mouse.

Me, of course.

that hot blonde ho on sketchy sex vids

Hitler, Elvis, Marilyn etc. are only well known for the last less than hundred years. Does that mean that Obama, Trump, Kanye and Kardashian chick are among the most famous people ever cause they are the most famous ones of the last 10-15 years?

Tutankhamun.

Vivian Vance

Rebecca Black

Everyone in the world would recognize the name Adolf Hitler and probably have a visceral reaction to it. Whether is famous or infamous is up to debate, but it’s definitely known.

Such stupidity on this thread. No, many people in the world don't know the name of Adolf Hitler. And Billions more people were alive before his name became famous.

Princess Diana is the most famous person who ever lived. Even though she lived only a short time in the recent world. No one was more known around the world and no person has had such attention paid to their life and death, than Princess Di.❤️ She is never forgotten and her image and good works last forever. Her face is the most famous in the world, twenty years after her death. And her face evokes a memory or feeling. Hitler is more a poster boy, like Marilyn, Elvis or Jesus. Very well known figures.

But Diana is a visceral experience and evocation of goodness. She is the only modern saint. RIP.

Liz Renay

R168 You think a fucking British princess is more famous than Hitler? Get real

Who is the fucking weirdo who is trying to bring Jebus up lately? Get another fucking hobby. For someone claiming to be an atheist you seem to want to convert people into Jebus-believers?

Well Donald Trump is Julius Caesar and Jesus Christ rolled into one.

Trump wins!

Moses

It's true! It's me!

The princess diana troll rears its dum dum head.

Princess Diana is the most famous person who ever lived. It's a proven fact, but most any metric. No one is likely to capture the whole world's attention again, in the way that she did. Like it or not, it's true.

*It's a proven fact, by most any metric.

Marilyn Monroe is first, followed by Princess Diana.

Diana? Really? On what planet is Diana more famous than Hitler? Cause it isn't on the planet Earth

Is Diana even more famous than Queen Elizabeth?

Weird... do young people even remember her? Did old people ever care?

R180 - “Is Diana even more famous than Queen Elizabeth?”

Absolutely! Approximately 200,000 more people came to watch Princess Diana’s funeral procession than went to Queen Elizabeth’s inauguration.

NO proof from the Diana troll.

Most under 40 have no fucking clue what it is.

I suspect it's the boring answer: Jesus (leaving mythicist questions aside). Maybe some people in China have never even heard of him, but not many. Even if he has nothing to do with your own religious beliefs, after 100 or 200 years of European missionaries and colonialism it would be difficult to never have heard of him at all. Plus of course Muslims have all heard of him through their own religion. Christians and Muslims together I think are half the planet just by themselves.

When I googled it,....Donald Trump.

Gross but I can see it.

Who is the QUEENIEST gay person that ever lived?

Richard Simmons

I'm goin' with Johnny Olsen.

Most famous & BEAUTIFUL:

Caitlyn Jenner

Queen Elizabeth II. I think she's tremendous, has lived quite long into this social media era. And the Cuntess Bananas even makes the Queen more famous.

This:

Matt Damon. That ass is known worldwide.

Mozart.