who is the most famous person in human history?

Answer 1

Confucius - more famous than Jesus to billions.

Confucius - whose thoughts are still studied today in Asia today - whereas the "Little Red Book" by Chairman Mao Zedong has fallen out of favour, and whose teachings never were adopted outside of revolutionary China.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, in the age we live in today, many pop culture icons would be up there to include: Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, John Wayne, Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, and David Beckham.

Throughout history, I would have to agree most major religious figures would rank high, especially Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha, the Dalai Lama, and Confucius. Some of the more famous political figures would be Adolph Hitler, Julius Caesar, Mao Zedong, Genghis Khan, Queen Victoria, and Mahatma Ghandi.

My guess is that because roughly 1/3 of the world's population is Christian, and another 1/5 is Muslim (and therefore know about Jesus), Jesus is probably the most famous.

Answer 3

Gotta go with Jesus. Religious figures have to be the top several. Second would probably be Mohammad. (Note - I'm not religious, and have no Christian flag to wave.)

Among non religious figures, I'd have to go with Julius Caesar, Hitler, or Mao.

In China, Mao might to rank above Confucius. (I don't know how much he was taught to peasant, illiterate Chinese in centuries past, or how much he is taught in early grades in China today. I know he was out of favor for a while there.)

Though I suppose that would depend on whether you mean, known to currently living people, or people who ever lived. If it's people who ever lived, after the religious types, it would have to be Julius Caesar hands down.


Edit - Why do so many people think that, just because China has for most of recorded history been the single most populous country, that it outweighs the cultures of nearly everyone else combined? Right now, with 1.3 billion, roughly one in every 5 people in the world are Chinese. Maybe 1 in 4, if you add in Chinese-influenced cultures like Japan, Korea, Vietnam, etc. - some of which, like Korea, also are influenced by Christianity. That's not significantly more than in Western and Central Europe and the Americas alone, much less when you add the Christian and Christian-influenced areas of Africa and even India, not to mention the Muslim world, which also recognizes Jesus, though assigning him a different role.

Who would be better known in areas not central to either European or Chinese culture, like Mozambique or the Punjabi plain or New Guinea - do you think a Mozambican or Punjabi or New Guinean farmer would know about Jesus, or Confucius? How about those same farmers in 1600?

Remember, too, that only about 5.6% of the people who have ever lived are alive today. Let's give historical figures a chance.

Answer 4

I agree with J.S.

Confucius is undoubtedly the most influential person in human history. 500 years before Jesus and 1000 years before Mohammad, Confucius was building the cornerstones of ethics, philosophy, government, and spirituality for billions of people. His teaching are still center stage in much of Asia. Even Western thought borrowed from Confucius from time to time. He was truly born of greatness.

Do not confuse infamous with famous. Hitler is infamous because he is know for negatives. Confucius, Ghandi, Garth Brooks, Hanna Montana are famous.

Answer 5

Its been Adam, Jesus, Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) Hitler, Adam Smith,Thomas Edison,Mother Terresa, these are really the most famous people in Human History ( in ascending order)

Answer 6

Chairman Mao.

Answer 7

I would go for my BIG brother J.C.
Jesus Christ

Answer 8

Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) Peace upon him
Thanks for your question

Answer 9

Hitler?

Answer 10

Jesus