Writers

Novelists, poets, playwrights, essayists and translators. 39,339 people.

1William ShakespeareEnglish playwright and poet (1564–1616)1564–16162Donald J. TrumpPresident of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)🇺🇸 USAborn 19463Albert EinsteinGerman-born theoretical physicist (1879–1955)🇩🇪 DEU1879–19554Confucius5th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and politician550 BCE–478 BCE5Karl MarxGerman-born philosopher (1818–1883)1818–18836Plato4th-century BCE Greek philosopher428 BCE–348 BCE7Abraham Lincolnpresident of the United States from 1861 to 1865 (1809-1865)🇺🇸 USA1809–18658Nelson MandelaPresident of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist (1918–2013)🇿🇦 ZAF1918–20139Mahatma GandhiIndian independence activist (1869–1948)🇮🇳 IND1869–194810Leo TolstoyRussian author (1828–1910)1828–191011Julius CaesarRoman general and dictator99 BCE–43 BCE12George W. Bush43rd President of the United States (2001–2009)🇺🇸 USAborn 194613Charles DarwinEnglish naturalist and biologist (1809–1882)1809–188214Joe Biden46th President of the United States (2021–2025)🇺🇸 USAborn 194215Socrates5th-century BCE Greek philosopher469 BCE–398 BCE16The BuddhaIndian philosopher and the founder of Buddhism (623 or 563 BCE – 543 or 483 BCE)500 BCE–500 BCE17George WashingtonFounding Father and first U.S. president (1732–1799)🇺🇸 USA1732–179918Dante AlighieriFlorentine poet, writer, and philosopher (c. 1265–1321)1265–132119Victor HugoFrench novelist, poet, dramatist and politician (1802–1885)🇫🇷 FRA1802–188520Charlie ChaplinEnglish actor and filmmaker (1889–1977)🇬🇧 GBR1889–197721Martin LutherGerman priest and theologian (1483–1546)1483–154622MichelangeloItalian artist and architect (1475-1564)1475–156423Fyodor DostoyevskyRussian novelist (1821–1881)1821–188124VoltaireFrench writer, historian and philosopher (1694–1778)1694–177825Friedrich NietzscheGerman philosopher (1844-1900)1844–190026Immanuel KantGerman philosopher (1724-1804)1724–180427René DescartesFrench philosopher, mathematician, and scientist (1596–1650)🇫🇷 FRA1596–165028Mustafa Kemal Atatürkfounding father of the Republic of Turkey (c. 1881–1938)🇹🇷 TUR1881–193829Sigmund FreudAustrian psychiatrist and founder of psychoanalysis (1856–1939)🇦🇹 AUT1856–193930Mark TwainAmerican author and humorist (1835–1910)🇺🇸 USA1835–191031Charles DickensEnglish novelist and social critic (1812–1870)1812–187032John F. Kennedypresident of the United States from 1961 to 1963 (1917–1963)🇺🇸 USA1917–196333Miguel de CervantesSpanish novelist, poet, and playwright (1547-1616)1547–161634Martin Luther King Jr.American Baptist minister and civil rights leader (1929–1968)🇺🇸 USA1929–196835Rabindranath TagoreBengali poet, philosopher and polymath (1861–1941)1861–194136VirgilRoman poet (1st century BC)69 BCE–18 BCE37Hans Christian AndersenDanish writer and poet (1805–1875)1805–187538Alexander PushkinRussian poet, playwright, and novelist (1799–1837)1799–183739Franz KafkaBohemian writer from Prague (1883–1924) CSK1883–192440Marilyn MonroeAmerican actress and model (1926–1962)🇺🇸 USA1926–196241Anton ChekhovRussian dramatist and author (1860–1904)1860–190442Pope Francis266th pope of the Catholic Church from 2013 to 2025 (1936–2025)🇦🇷 ARG1936–202543Jean-Jacques RousseauGenevan philosopher, writer, and composer (1712-1778)1712–177844Mao Zedong1st chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893–1976)🇨🇳 CHN1893–197645Niccolò MachiavelliFlorentine statesman, diplomat, and political theorist (1469–1527)1469–152746Augustine of HippoChristian theologian, philosopher, and saint (354–430)354–43047MolièreFrench playwright and actor (1622–1673)1622–167348Thomas JeffersonFounding Father, U.S. president from 1801 to 1809 (1743–1826)🇺🇸 USA1743–182649Edgar Allan PoeAmerican writer and literary critic (1809–1849)🇺🇸 USA1809–184950Adam SmithScottish moral philosopher and political economist (1723–1790)1723–179051Bill Clinton42nd President of the United States (1993–2001)🇺🇸 USAborn 194652Oscar WildeIrish poet, playwright, and aesthete (1854-1900)🇫🇷 FRA1854–190053Charles de GaulleFrench general and statesman (1890–1970)🇫🇷 FRA1890–197054Lord ByronEnglish Romantic poet and lyricist (1788–1824)1788–182455Otto von BismarckGerman statesman and Chancellor (1815-1898)1815–189856Benjamin FranklinAmerican polymath and statesman (1706–1790)🇺🇸 USA1706–179057Walt DisneyAmerican animator, producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor and entrepreneur, founder of The Walt Disney Company (1901–1966)🇺🇸 USA1901–196658Carl LinnaeusSwedish botanist, physician, and zoologist (1707–1778); developed the foundations of modern taxonomy🇸🇪 SWE1707–177859Sophoclesancient Greek playwright495 BCE–405 BCE60Laozi6th-century BC semi-legendary Chinese philosopher, founder of Taoism579 BCE–500 BCE