# Poll: Who is the most famous person from your country? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 25, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668 "2004-11-25T19:07:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/61 "2004-11-26T19:00:15Z")
> [@China Guy](#): > > He is in fact one of the most popular entertainers in China. He should also be rich by now but I’m not certain of that. He makes a pile of money and has a house in a very ritzy area here in Toronto. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/62 "2004-11-26T19:05:37Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > I already claimed him for Britain 😃 (and [Googlefight](http://www.googlefight.com/cgi-bin/compare.pl?q1=%22alexander+graham+bell%22+canadian&q2=%22alexander+graham+bell%22+british&B1=Make+a+fight%21&compare=1&langue=us) agrees…) Of course I knew Bell was Scottish and considered that. However, by the standards we’re more or less establishing in the thread, he’s more a famous Canadian than a famous Briton. He lived most of his life in Canada and everything he’s famous for was accomplished during that time. Another strong Canadian candidate would be the unfirtunate Ben Johnson, or indeed the much more fortunate (and honest) Donovan Bailey. Winning the Olympic 100m dash is pretty much instant worldwide fame. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/63 "2004-11-26T19:22:46Z")
> [@gouda](#): > > M. K. Gandhi would win the most famous Indian title hands down. Mother Teresa would give him some competition as the most famous person associated with India. > > Other possible famous Indians: Ismail Merchant (of the Merchant-Ivory duo), Zubin Mehta (conductor), Freddy Mercury, Vinod Khosla (to geeks, I guess)… There is that Budda guy… Leif the Happy? Is that Leif Erikson? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/64 "2004-11-26T19:37:27Z")
For Japan I’d nominate Akira Kurosawa. Though **marky33** ’s suggestion (Yoko Ono) is pretty good too. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/65 "2004-11-26T19:57:31Z")
> [@Rune](#): > > Tasmania / Australia is fairly obvious, but that Corsica is French is at least debatable. Even though it is so legally today, it wasn’t so for much of history, It became french just before Bonaparte’s birth. Some parts of France, like the area of Nice and savoy, for instance, became french later than that. Corsica has peculiarities and a separate history, but I don’t think one can argue it’s not part of France, without saying the same for several other regions. Alsace, for instance, which is linguistically German, and has been German for most of its history. What I mean is that Corsica isn’t perceived as being _that_ special. Just a pain in the ass and a good vacation spot. > [@](#): > > and what percentage of Corsicans consider themselves French today. Roughly 15% of the population vote for autonomist or independantist parties during local elections, if I’m not mistaken. The majority of the population has no interest in gaining independance. Getting some special advantages has much more support. I’ d better stop now before I begin seriously badmouthing Corsica. I would suspect that a vote for independance would get more “yes” in mainland France (on the continent, as they say) than in Corsica. I would give it back to Italy any time, personnally. > [@](#): > > Didn’t Napoleon’s family hold fervent anti-French sentiments? I’ve absolutely no clue. Napoleon itself, at least, didn’t seem to have any issue with being French. Or maybe he forgot to mention it. If you meant _currently_ I don’t think so. There’s still a Bonapartist party in Corsica (that held one of the two major towns until very recently) , and the pretender to the crown ran for some local election not long ago. I suspect his goal isn’t becoming emperor of Corsica. > [@](#): > > Though I agree Napoleon should be considered French Since he has been a french sovereign, it would be difficult to argue he wasn’t french, IMO. Even if he had been born in Argentina instead of Corsica. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/66 "2004-11-27T00:38:27Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > However, I’m actually from England. I’ll allow Shakespeare as numero uno. Churchill too, perhaps. Benny Hill? And of course we mustn’t forget Jesus. Don’t be silly **jjimm** God is English, but Jesus is only half English 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/67 "2004-11-27T01:26:47Z")
> [@](#): > > but Jesus is only half English 😉 Indeed, otherwise it would have been the miracle of the _chips_ and fishes. Jesus’ old man is an Aussie though. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/68 "2004-11-27T02:43:19Z")
> [@gouda](#): > > M. K. Gandhi would win the most famous Indian title hands down. Mother Teresa would give him some competition as the most famous person associated with India. > > Other possible famous Indians: Ismail Merchant (of the Merchant-Ivory duo), Zubin Mehta (conductor), Freddy Mercury, Vinod Khosla (to geeks, I guess)… Freddy Mercury? Born on Zanzibar, raised in England, of Persian ancestry. What’s his tie to India? ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/69 "2004-11-27T07:31:42Z")
I think Tyrannosaurus rex had dual citizenship in the U.S.A. and Canada… ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/70 "2004-11-27T10:47:19Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Freddy Mercury? Born on Zanzibar, raised in England, of Persian ancestry. What’s his tie to India? [Linky](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Mercury) > [@](#): > > He was born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town, Zanzibar to Bomi and Jer Bulsara. He had a sister, Kashmira Bulsara-Cooke. His parents were Parsis from the state of Gujarat in western India. The name Bulsara was taken from the small Gujarati town in which Bomi Bulsara, Freddie’s father, was brought up. Freddie’s father was an accountant for the British Colonial Office in Zanzibar. Freddie was educated at St. Peter’s boarding school near Bombay, India, where he had his first musical training (Grade V piano). His first onstage performance was also at St. Peters, with his five-member school band, the Hectics. It was at St. Peter’s where he picked up the name ‘Freddie’; soon even his parents addressed him by that name. ---
**Author:** ![kebsis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@kebsis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kebsis)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/71 "2004-11-27T13:59:44Z")
> [@](#): > > kellner, not obvious to me, really. He’s talking about Hitler, I believe. > [@](#): > > Of course I knew Bell was Scottish and considered that. However, by the standards we’re more or less establishing in the thread, he’s more a famous Canadian than a famous Briton. He lived most of his life in Canada and everything he’s famous for was accomplished during that time. Bell was a crook. He stole his invention from an italian immigrant named Antonio Meucci, whose work was based on the research of a German inventor whose name escapes me at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/72 "2004-11-27T16:23:32Z")
When we say “famous,” are we talking only about INTERNATIONAL fame? Remember, there are many people who are extremely famnous in their native lands, but whose names would elicit a blank stare in another country. Every American knows the name “Barry Bonds,” But most Europeans either wouldn’t know who he is or would guess “Isn’t he some kind of American athlete?” Robbie Williams is a huge musical star in the U.K. and Johnny Hallyday was a huge star in France, but practically no one in the Americas knows who they are. That’s why Elvis is probably a safe choice as Most Famous American (for a long time, Muhammad Ali was right up there) in the world. Almost anyone around the globe would recognize a photo or even a caricature of Elvis. If Canadians want to claim Alexander Graham Bell (never mind that he was born in Scotland and did his most important work in the U.S.), fine by me. If he qualifies as Canadian, he’s probably the world’s most famous Canadian (just ahead of William Shatner and Celine Dion!). Most famous Englishman: almost certainly Shakespeare. Most famous Frenchman: definitely Napoleon Bonaparte. Most famous Brazilian: Pele, by a country mile. Most famous South African: Well, maybe it SHOULD be Mandela, but it might be J.R.R. Tolkien (even though he left as a child), Ernie Els or Manfred Mann! ---
**Author:** ![bananabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8baadc/32.png) [@bananabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bananabelle)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/73 "2004-11-27T16:26:41Z")
i live in israel. i’d say abraham and jesus would be the most famous ones… modern times, maybe ben gurion (natalie portman, too, but most people don’t know she’s from israel). ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/74 "2004-11-27T16:58:50Z")
> [@Rune](#): > > Though I agree Napoleon should be considered French and one of the greates Europeans of all time. Just wondering, by the way : Would Bernadotte be considered rather French or rather Swede? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/75 "2004-11-27T17:02:50Z")
> [@bananabelle](#): > > i live in israel. i’d say abraham and jesus would be the most famous ones… modern times, maybe ben gurion . For some reason, the first name popping up in my mind would be Moshe Dayan. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/76 "2004-11-27T17:40:40Z")
I think Jim Carrey is the most famous person from my country. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/77 "2004-11-27T18:02:15Z")
Hmm… Depends on which sector of society you ask I suppose. The Duke of Welllington for the military historians. Oscar Wilde, James Joyse, Samuel Beckett, Seamus Heaney for the literary types. Liam Neeson, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Farrell, Peter O’Toole, Richard Harris if you ask the movie goers. Bono, Bob Geldof, Van Morrison, Phil Lynnott, if you’re asking music lovers. I’d go for Oscar Wilde, but that’s just me. I’m having problems thinking pf famous irish women, I think that finding an internationally famous woman for each country would be more of a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/78 "2004-11-27T19:32:15Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Perhaps a way of measuring it is to pick those who’s names have entered the language as actual words: Henry Rolls & C S Royce, James Watt, Alexander Graham Bell (who scores twice, with both the colloquial “give a bell” and the various company names)… Well, there’s this guy from England, who has not been mentioned by you guys so far, but his name has entered the language as a word, and has been mentioned about 10 times so far in this thread. And I’ve just used his name twice. (He is quite possibly an ancestor of mine, so I think I’m allowed to). He even has his own holiday in England. Guy Fawkes ---
**Author:** ![violacrane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c57346/32.png) [@violacrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/violacrane)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/79 "2004-11-27T19:58:32Z")
There’s even a case for Napoleon being Italian rather than Corsican or French… But I didn’t come here to make trouble just to ask “won’t somebody please speak for BELGIUM.” ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668/80 "2004-11-27T20:02:08Z")
[Famous Belgians](http://www.famousbelgians.net/) Who knew? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-who-is-the-most-famous-person-from-your-country/276668.md?page=5)