32 most famous people in the world as of 2025: Who are they?

Fame is difficult to measure, but one may develop useful metrics to quantify someone's fame. The world has global icons like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylie Jenner, Dwayne Johnson, and Elon Musk. Their career achievements and massive influence make them stand out. This article highlights the most famous people in the world as of 2025. The metrics used include media coverage, social media following, and internet searches.

Key takeaways

• It is challenging to confidently point out the most famous people in the world as of 2025 because people gain popularity from different fields.
• Most celebrities on the list of the most famous people are musicians, actors, sportspeople, business magnates, and IT innovators.
• Since some of these sectors attract more people than others, a celebrity in one field may not be well-known to people interested in another industry.
• Those who spark global conversations or influence trends, e.g., Elon Musk in tech or Kylie Jenner in beauty, rank highly.

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Most famous people in the world as of 2025

It is challenging to name the most famous person worldwide because people gain popularity in different fields and for different reasons. The most famous people in the world as of 2025 include musicians, actors, sportspeople, business magnates, and IT innovators.

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Note that the list is in no particular order. The metrics used to gauge fame include social media following, perceived influence in various fields, media coverage, and number of internet searches.

32. Michelle Obama

• Full name: Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama
• Date of birth: 17 January 1964
• Age: 61 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Michelle Obama is an attorney and author. She served as the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Michelle Obama is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School. She has attracted plenty of attention in 2025 because of her podcast, IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson.

31. David Beckham

• Full name: Sir David Robert Joseph Beckham
• Date of birth: 2 May 1975
• Age: 50 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Whipps Cross University Hospital, London, United Kingdom

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David Beckham is one of the world's most famous and wealthiest footballers of all time. He was captain of the English national team from 2000 to 2009 and is now retired. Throughout his career, David Beckham has been a good scorer.

30. Johnny Depp

• Full name: John Christopher Depp II
• Date of birth: 9 June 1963
• Age: 62 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Owensboro, Kentucky, United States

Johnny Depp is a famous actor and musician. He first captured the public's attention as part of the cast of 21 Jump Street in the late 80s. Since launching his career, Johnny Depp has performed in many famous films, including his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

29. Miley Cyrus

• Full name: Miley Ray Cyrus
• Date of birth: 23 November 1992
• Age: 32 years (as of May 2025)
• Place of birth: Franklin, Tennessee, United States

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Miley Cyrus is a singer, songwriter, and actress who came into the limelight as a child actor and singer. Over the years, she has become a global star with music that has spanned a range of styles, including pop, country pop, and hip hop. Miley Cyrus is the daughter of singer Billy Ray Cyrus.

28. Ellen DeGeneres

• Full name: Ellen Lee DeGeneres
• Date of birth: 26 January 1958
• Age: 67 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Metairie, Louisiana, United States

Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American comedian, television host, actress, and writer. She gained fame in 1982 when her club video performances won Showtime TV's Funniest Person in America award. She also earned a Primetime Emmy Award for starring in the Ellen sitcom from 1994 to 1998. Ellen DeGeneres' talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, has entertained millions worldwide.

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27. LeBron James

• Full name: LeBron Raymone James Sr.
• Date of birth: 30 December 1984
• Age: 40 years (as of August 2025)
• Place of birth: Akron, Ohio, United States

LeBron James is a basketball player and film producer. He achieved billionaire status in 2022. The tall NBA star has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron is arguably the greatest NBA player of all time and is recorded as one of the few selected to 16 All-Star games in NBA history.

26. Donald Trump

• Full name: Donald John Trump
• Date of birth: 14 June 1946
• Age: 79 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Jamaica Hospital Medical Centre, New York, United States

Donald John Trump is a famous politician, media personality, and businessman. He is the sitting president of the United States. Besides politics, he is a successful businessman. Donald Trump took over his parents' real estate company in 1971 and renamed it the Trump Organisation. The firm has invested in various industries, including golf courses.

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25. Oprah Winfrey

• Full name: Oprah Gail Winfrey
• Date of birth: 29 January 1954
• Age: 71 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Kosciusko, Mississippi, United States

Oprah is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ran from 1986 to 2011. Oprah Winfrey was once the world's only black billionaire.

24. Nicki Minaj

• Full name: Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty
• Date of birth: 8 December 1982
• Age: 42 years (as of August 2025)
• Place of birth: Saint James, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago

Nicki Minaj is a famous rapper, singer, and songwriter with a net worth of $150 million. Her meteoric rise to fame was fueled by three immensely popular mixtapes she put out between 2007 and 2009. In 2010, Nicki Minaj released her debut album, Pink Friday.

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23. Hugh Jackman

• Full name: Hugh Michael Jackman
• Date of birth: 12 October 1968
• Age: 56 years (as of August 2025)
• Place of birth: Sydney, Australia

Hugh Jackman was catapulted into the spotlight after portraying Wolverine in the X-Men franchise. The role earned him the Guinness World Record for the longest career as a live-action Marvel character until Patrick Stewart surpassed his record in May 2022. Did you know Hugh Jackman's dad was a a Cambridge-educated accountant?

22. Robert Pattinson

• Full name: Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson
• Date of birth: 13 May 1986
• Age: 39 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: London, United Kingdom

Robert Pattinson is ranked among the world's highest-paid actors. The actor is famous for appearing in the Twilight franchise of movies with Kristen Stewart and playing Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter franchise. Robert Pattinson often portrays eccentric characters across various genres.

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21. Kendall Jenner

• Full name: Kendall Nicole Jenner
• Date of birth: 3 November 1995
• Age: 29 years (as of August 2025)
• Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, United States

Kendall Jenner is a model, media personality, socialite, and businesswoman. She is best known for her role in Keeping Up with the Kardashians alongside her family. Kendall Jenner is one of the highest-paid models in the world.

20. Jennifer Lopez

• Full name: Jennifer Lynn Lopez
• Date of birth: 24 July 1969
• Age: 56 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: New York City, United States

Jennifer Lopez, alias J.Lo, is an American singer and actress who started her music career as a dancer in 1991. She was also the first Latin actress to pocket over $1 million in her leading role in a 1997 film. Her films have garnered over $3.1 billion with over 70 million global sales.

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19. Taylor Swift

• Full name: Taylor Alison Swift
• Date of birth: 13 December 1989
• Age: 35 years (as of May 2025)
• Place of birth: West Reading, Pennsylvania

Taylor Swift is an American singer and songwriter who has won global recognition due to her songwriting skills. Her second studio album was certified as a Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2008. Records show that Taylor Swift is among the best-selling female music artists.

18. Rihanna

• Full name: Robyn Rihanna Fenty
• Date of birth: 20 February 1988
• Age: 37 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: St. Michael, Barbados

Rihanna is a talented singer, songwriter, and actress who rose to fame due to her fashion style, versatility, and melodious voice.

She discovered her singing talent while still in high school, and her debut album, Pon de Reply, gave her much recognition during her early musical journey. Besides her singing career, Rihanna runs a Fenty Beauty cosmetic company and a Savage X Fenty lingerie company.

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17. Mark Zuckerberg

• Full name: Mark Elliot Zuckerberg
• Date of birth: 14 May 1984
• Age: 41 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: White Plains, New York

Mark Zuckerberg is one of the top 20 most famous people in the world as of late 2025. He is best known as the co-founder, CEO, and chairman of Facebook, a social media platform recently rebranded to include the metaverse.

Time magazine named Mark Zuckerberg among the 100 most influential people in the world as part of the Person of the Year award. He was also ranked 10th in the Forbes list of the world's most powerful people.

16. Tiger Woods

• Full name: Eldrick Tont Woods
• Date of birth: 30 December 1975
• Age: 49 years (as of August 2025)
• Place of birth: Cypress, California, United States

As an American professional golfer, Tiger Woods is among the greatest golfers of all time, with numerous records. He was also ranked 1st in the Forbes list of richest players 11 times. He took a break from the field in 2010 to resolve his marital issues, but emerged later stronger and became the world's first golfer for consecutive weeks.

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15. Jeff Bezos

• Full name: Jeffrey Preston Bezos
• Date of birth: 12 January 1964
• Age: 61 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Jeff Bezos is the founder of Amazon Inc., an American multinational tech company estimated to have a market cap of about $1.6 trillion. He also founded a space exploration company, Blue Origin, in 2000. Jeff Bezos recently resigned as the company president to pursue his Space interest, becoming the second billionaire to travel to space, which he completed in 11 minutes.

14. Will Smith

• Full name: Willard Carroll Smith Jr.
• Date of birth: 25 September 1968
• Age: 56 years (as of August 2025)
• Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Known by his stage name, The Fresh Prince, Will Smith is a black Hollywood actor, producer, singer, and lyricist. He has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and four Grammy Awards. He is considered one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.

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13. Robert Downey Jr.

• Full name: Robert John Downey Jr.
• Date of birth: 4 April 1965
• Age: 60 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: New York City, United States

Robert is a world-renowned Hollywood actor, producer, and singer. Robert Downey Jr.'s exemplary skills have made him one of the highest-paid actors. His blockbuster hit movies include Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, and Chaplin.

12. Bill Gates

• Full name: William Henry Gates III
• Date of birth: 28 October 1955
• Age: 69 years (as of August 2025)
• Place of birth: Seattle, Washington, United States

Bill Gates is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author. He co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975, a company that has become the biggest PC software entity. Bill Gates has held many positions during his career journey, including chairman, CEO, president, and chief software architect, which has given him much respect and insight in his industry.

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11. Elon Musk

• Full name: Elon Reeve Musk
• Date of birth: 28 June 1971
• Age: 54 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa

Elon Musk is the CEO of Tesla and Space X. He also owns X (Twitter). Musk co-founded Tesla in 2003, owning 23% of the stake. Elon Musk is one of the world's richest men, with an estimated net worth of $419.5 billion. Time Magazine named him Person of the Year in 2021.

10. Justin Bieber

• Full name: Justin Drew Bieber
• Date of birth: 1 March 1994
• Age: 31 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: St. Joseph's Hospital, London, Canada

Justin Bieber is a Canadian singer and songwriter focusing on pop, R&B, and dance-pop music genres. The singer ventured into the music industry in 2007 and has released several albums and hits.

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His well-known songs include Sorry, Despacito, Essence, Love Yourself, and Mistletoe. Justin Bieber is married to American model Hailey Rhode Bieber.

9. Khloé Kardashian

• Full name: Khloé Alexandra Kardashian
• Date of birth: 27 June 1984
• Age: 41 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, United States

Khloé is a reality TV star, model, and businesswoman from the United States of America. She is Kim Kardashian's younger sister.

She rose to fame following her appearance on the reality TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashians and has been featured in multiple TV shows since then. Khloé Kardashian enjoys a massive following across social media platforms, especially Instagram, where she shares pictures.

8. Beyoncé

• Full name: Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter
• Date of birth: 4 September 1981
• Age: 43 years (as of August 2025)
• Place of birth: Houston, Texas, United States

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Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is among the top 20 most famous people in the world as of 2025. She is an American singer, songwriter, and actress regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 21st century. Her famous hits include Irreplaceable, Brown Skin Girl, Already, and Crazy in Love. Beyoncé Knowles sings hip-hop, R&B, and soul music and has been in the US music industry since 1997.

7. Kim Kardashian

• Full name: Kimberly Noel Kardashian
• Date of birth: 21 October 1980
• Age: 44 years (as of August 2025)
• Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, United States

Kim Kardashian is an American media personality, model, and businessperson. She has developed a significant presence online and across numerous social media platforms. Kim Kardashian first attracted public attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton. Later, she became a TV personality, appearing in 2 Broke Girls, Love Advent, Ocean's Eight, and For SKIMS.

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6. Ariana Grande

• Full name: Ariana Grande
• Date of birth: 26 June 1993
• Age: 32 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Boca Raton, Florida, United States

Ariana Grande is an Italian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is among the top 10 most famous persons in the world of all time.

Ariana is famous because of her thriving music career and has released over ten music albums. Ariana Grande gained popularity due to her powerful vocals and details of her personal life, which grabbed the media's attention. She has starred in a few movies, such as Don't Look Up (2018).

5. Dwayne Johnson

• Full name: Dwayne Douglas Johnson
• Date of birth: 2 May 1972
• Age: 53 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Hayward, California, United States

Dwayne Johnson, alias The Rock, is an actor and former professional wrestler. He has been in the entertainment scene since 1996, when he debuted as a wrestler on the WWF and was then known as Rocky Maivia.

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He is also a bigwig in the movie industry, boasting over 90 acting credits. His popular movies include Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Moana, Doom, and Ballers.

4. Selena Gomez

• Full name: Selena Marie Gomez
• Date of birth: 22 July 1992
• Age: 33 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Grand Prairie, Texas, United States

Selena Gomez is an American actress, singer, and film producer. She is among most Googled persons in the world. Selena Gomez is recognised for her Spring Breakers, Monte Carlo, and Getaway movie roles. The entertainer has multiple solo music albums and hit songs, including Calm Down, Taki Taki, It Ain't, Back to You, Wolves, and Lose You to Love Me.

3. Kylie Jenner

• Full name: Kylie Kristen Jenner
• Date of birth: 10 August 1997
• Age: 28 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, United States

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Kylie Kristen Jenner is among the most famous celebrities in the world. She is an American TV personality, model, and businesswoman. She has been featured in Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Early Ventures, and Rise of Kylie Cosmetics.

She is a regular Instagram user, boasting a significant following on the platform. Kylie Jenner has endorsed numerous brands, including Madden Girls and Sinful Colours.

2. Lionel Messi

• Full name: Lionel Andrés Messi
• Date of birth: 24 June 1987
• Age: 38 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Rosario, Argentina

Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional soccer player widely regarded as one of the greatest and most loved footballers ever. He is among the top 50 most famous persons in the world. Lionel Messi spent most of his professional career playing for FC Barcelona.

He is known for his incredible dribbling skills, precise ball control, exceptional vision, and ability to score goals from various positions on the field.

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1. Cristiano Ronaldo

• Full name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
• Date of birth: 5 February 1985
• Age: 40 years (as of 2025)
• Place of birth: Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça, Funchal, Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best football players in history. He is an accomplished footballer and has won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award five times, among other trophies.

Ronaldo has played for top European football clubs such as Manchester United and Real Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo first rose to prominence in 2003 when he joined Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon. He is arguably the most famous person in the world in 2025.

Who is the most famous person in the world of all time?

Jesus Christ, the son of God according to Christianity, is the most famous person in the world of all time.

Who is the most famous person in the world dead or alive?

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Jesus Christ is recognised as the most famous man in the world. According to Christian teachings, He is the son of God.

Who is today's most famous person?

The most popular celebrities in the world include Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, J-Lo, Johnny Depp, and Robert Pattinson. Out of them all, Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the most famous man in the world right now.

Who is the most famous person in the world 2025?

The world's most famous people include Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Donald Trump, Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, J-Lo, Johnny Depp, and Robert Pattinson.

Who are the 10 greatest people in the world?

It is challenging to quantify greatness because opinions and achievements differ significantly. Even so, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Jesus Christ, Leonardo da Vinci, Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, William Shakespeare, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, and Buddha are listed among the greatest people of all time.

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Who is the most-searched person on Google this month?

Due to the lack of access to live and constantly updated Google search data, it is extremely challenging to pinpoint the most-searched person on Google in August 2025.

Who is the most famous person on Instagram?

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is the most-followed individual on Instagram, with over 662 million followers as of August 2025.

Which model is the most famous person in the world?

American model Kendall Jenner and her sister, Kylie Kristen Jenner, are some of the world's most famous fashion models.

Which singer is the most famous person in the world?

Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, and Justin Bieber are among the most followed singers on Instagram and among the most famous singers globally.

Where do most famous people live?

While celebrities live in different parts of the world, most gravitate to the US coasts. Most have homes in Hollywood Hills, California, or New York.

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The most famous people in the world as of 2025 are drawn from various professions, including entrepreneurs, actors, models, and tech moguls. These are people whose impact on various fronts cannot be disputed.

Briefly.co.za listed the highest-paid South African actors and their net worth. SA is one of the countries in the African continent with some of the best technological advancements in the entertainment industry.

The government has recognized the potential of the entertainment scene. The highest-paid SA actors and actresses have made it big locally and internationally.

Source: Briefly News