Most famous persons in the world

The most famous person in the world

Barack Obama


The 2009 "most famous" would be the new President of the United States, Barack Obama. However, this is usually true of contemporary politicians in the media. Other famous people are Bill Gates, Queen Elizabeth of England, Warren Buffet, Richard Branson, Paul McCartney, Pope Benedict, and the late Michael Jackson.

The historically famous would include Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, and similar religious leaders, who are well-known to a large segment of the world's population.
The historically "infamous" are likewise remembered for some time, such as Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin for the 20th Century, and Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein for the early 21st Century. Kim Jong Il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may make the list eventually.

Only the founders of religions are guaranteed notoriety for more than a few generations after their deaths. Should their religions lose their followers, they, too, will be mostly forgotten. "Ozymandias", by Percy Bysshe Shelley, illustrates the ephermeral nature of an individual's legacy over long spans of time.
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Maybe Al Gore is more famous than Obama because of his connection to global warming.

Barack Obama with Maybe Al Gore

Bill Gates

Queen Elizabeth of England

Warren Buffet

Richard Branson

Paul McCartney

Pope Benedict

Michael Jackson (Late)