Across centuries and cultures, countless women have shaped politics, science, art, religion, and public life. Many did not receive the recognition they deserved during their lifetimes, yet their influence has endured through history, memory, and global public interest.
Based on rankings associated with the MIT Pantheon Project and its Historical Popularity Index, these are 15 of the most famous women in history. Their stories continue to inspire people around the world.
15. Angela Merkel
Markus Schreiber / AP Photo
Birthplace: Eimsbüttel, Germany
Years living: 1954-present
What Angela Merkel is famous for: Politics
Bottom line: Angela Merkel is a retired German politician and scientist who became the first woman to serve as chancellor of Germany. She held the office from 2005 to 2021, becoming one of the most recognizable political leaders of the modern era.
Merkel also led the Christian Democratic Union for 18 years. Her global reputation, long tenure, and steady leadership helped make her one of the most widely known politicians in the world. Her Wikipedia biography is available in 159 languages.
Note: Rankings are based on the MIT Pantheon Project, a collaboration with MIT’s Collective Learning group that uses Wikipedia data to estimate historical popularity.
14. Maria Theresa
Hans Punz / AP Photo
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Years living: 1717-1780
What Maria Theresa is famous for: Religion and politics
Bottom line: Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina, commonly known as Maria Theresa, ruled the Habsburg dominions for 40 years, from 1740 until her death in 1780.
Her rule extended across Austria, Croatia, Bohemia, Hungary, Milan, Galicia, Transylvania, Mantua, Lodomeria, Parma and the Austrian Netherlands. She remains the only woman to have ruled the Habsburg dominions in her own right.
Through marriage, she was also Holy Roman Empress, Grand Duchess of Tuscany and Duchess of Lorraine. Her historical importance continues to draw significant public interest, with millions of views on her Wikipedia page.
13. Grace Kelly
AP Photo
Birthplace: Philadelphia, United States
Years living: 1929-1982
What Grace Kelly was famous for: Acting
Bottom line: Grace Kelly was one of the defining stars of classic Hollywood. With a background in dance and a graceful screen presence, she appeared in several major films during the 1950s and became one of the most admired actresses of her time.
Her fame grew even further when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956 and became Princess of Monaco. Her biography is available in 98 languages and has attracted more than 19 million page views.
12. Marilyn Monroe
Matty Zimmerman / AP Photo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, United States
Years living: 1926-1962
What Marilyn Monroe is famous for: Acting
Bottom line: Marilyn Monroe remains one of the most famous actresses in entertainment history. Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, she adopted the name Marilyn Monroe and became a major film star known for her charisma, beauty and unforgettable performances.
She starred in celebrated films such as “Some Like It Hot” and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” Monroe became one of the earliest American sex symbols and was among the highest-paid actresses of her decade. Her films earned the equivalent of billions of dollars, and she remains one of the most searched actors on Wikipedia in the United States.
11. Marie Antoinette
AP Photo
Birthplace: Hofburg, Austria
Years living: 1755-1793
What Marie Antoinette is famous for: Nobility
Bottom line: Marie Antoinette’s life remains one of the most dramatic royal stories in European history. She was the youngest daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I of Austria, making her an Archduchess from birth.
At age 14, she married Louis-Auguste, heir to the French throne, and later became Queen of France. Her luxurious fashion and reputation for extravagance made her a controversial figure during a period of deep economic and social unrest.
Public anger toward the monarchy grew during the French Revolution, and Marie Antoinette was executed by guillotine in 1793. Her biography continues to attract millions of readers.
10. Nefertiti
Markus Schreiber / AP Photo
Birthplace: Thebes, Egypt
Years living: 1370-1330 B.C.
What Nefertiti is famous for: Politics
Bottom line: Neferneferuaten Nefertiti was queen of Egypt during the 18th dynasty and the royal wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten. Although she is not primarily remembered as an independent ruler, she played a major role in one of ancient Egypt’s most significant religious shifts.
Nefertiti and Akhenaten promoted the worship of Aten, the sun disc, influencing Egyptian religion and culture. Her image remains one of the most recognizable from the ancient world, and her biography is available in 93 languages.
9. Queen Victoria
AP Photo
Birthplace: Kensington Palace, United Kingdom
Years living: 1819-1901
What Queen Victoria is famous for: Politics
Bottom line: Queen Victoria is best known for her exceptionally long reign as queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. She ruled for 63 years and seven months, longer than any British monarch before her.
The period of her reign became known as the Victorian era, a time associated with major political, industrial and cultural change. Her Wikipedia page has received more than 66 million views, and she remains one of the most popular British political figures on the platform.
8. Hurrem Sultan
Titian / Wikimedia
Birthplace: Rohatyn, Ukraine
Years living: 1502-1558
What Hurrem Sultan is famous for: Politics
Bottom line: Hurrem Sultan, also known as Roxelana, was the wife and chief consort of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Though she may be less familiar to some modern readers than other women on this list, her influence within the Ottoman court was substantial.
She was admired for her intelligence, presence and beauty, and she became one of the most notable women associated with Ottoman political history.
7. Frida Kahlo
AP Photo
Birthplace: Coyoacán, Mexico
Years living: 1907-1954
What Frida Kahlo is famous for: Painting
Bottom line: Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter whose bold, personal and symbolic artwork made her one of the most recognizable artists of the 20th century. Her style drew from folk art and explored themes including identity, gender, race and class.
She is best known for vivid self-portraits that blend realism with fantasy. Her work remains instantly recognizable, and her Wikipedia biography has more than 22 million page views and is available in 150 languages.
6. Elizabeth I
Wikimedia
Birthplace: Palace of Placentia, United Kingdom
Years living: 1533-1603
What Elizabeth I is famous for: Politics
Bottom line: Elizabeth I was queen of England and Ireland from 1558 until her death in 1603. Often called the Virgin Queen because she never married, she became one of the most influential monarchs in English history.
She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who was executed when Elizabeth was only 2 years old. Elizabeth came to the throne after the death of her half-sister Mary.
Her reign marked the final chapter of the Tudor monarchy and is remembered as the Elizabethan era. She is the most popular U.K. politician on Wikipedia, with more than 28 million page views.
5. Joan of Arc
AP Photo
Birthplace: Domrémy-la-Pucelle, France
Years living: 1412-1431
What Joan of Arc is famous for: Military accomplishments and religion
Bottom line: Joan of Arc is one of history’s most famous examples of a young woman associated with military leadership and religious conviction. She is credited with helping inspire French forces during the Hundred Years’ War, including the siege of Orléans.
After her capture, she was handed over to the English, convicted as a heretic and burned at the stake. Her death made her a lasting symbol of courage and sacrifice, and she later became a patron saint of France. Her biography has more than 15 million page views.
4. Cleopatra
Atsushi Tsukada / AP Photo
Birthplace: Alexandria, Egypt
Years living: 69 B.C.-30 B.C.
What Cleopatra is famous for: Politics
Bottom line: No list of the most famous women in history would feel complete without Cleopatra. Highly intelligent and well educated, she was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt and descended from a Macedonian Greek general.
Known as the last pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra has fascinated readers, historians and artists for centuries. Her biography has attracted an extraordinary number of views, reflecting her enduring global fame.
3. Elizabeth II
Kirsty O’Connor / AP Photo
Birthplace: Mayfair, United Kingdom
Years living: 1926-2022
What Elizabeth II is famous for: Nobility
Bottom line: Elizabeth II was born in Mayfair, London, as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She was educated at home and began serving her country during World War II.
She later became the longest-reigning British monarch and remained a central figure in public life until her death on Sept. 8, 2022. Her long reign made her one of the most widely recognized women in the world.
She was also well known for her love of corgis, owning more than 30 during her lifetime, and her first horse was named Peggy.
2. Marie Curie
AP Photo
Birthplace: Warsaw, Poland
Years living: 1867-1934
What Marie Curie is famous for: Physics
Bottom line: Marie Curie is one of the most important scientists in modern history. At a time when women faced enormous barriers in science, she made groundbreaking contributions to the study of radioactive elements.
Curie became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person to win two Nobel Prizes. Her work helped open doors for future generations of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
She is one of the most popular physicists on Wikipedia, with more than 20 million page views.
1. Mary, Mother of Jesus
Ramon Espinosa / AP Photo
Birthplace: Bethsaida, Israel
Years living: 18 B.C.-33 A.D.
What Mary is famous for: Religion
Bottom line: According to Wikipedia-based popularity data, the most famous woman in history is Mary, the mother of Jesus.
In Christian tradition and in the Quran, Mary is recognized as the mother of Jesus, whom she conceived through the Holy Spirit. She holds a central place in Christian devotion and is regarded as one of the greatest and most holy saints in the Christian faith.
Mary remains one of the most widely known religious figures in the world and ranks among the most popular religious biographies on Wikipedia.