WRITER
William Safire
1929 - 2009

William Safire
William Lewis Safire (; né Safir; December 17, 1929 – September 27, 2009) was an American author, columnist, journalist, and presidential speechwriter. He was a long-time syndicated political columnist for The New York Times and wrote the "On Language" column in The New York Times Magazine about popular etymology, new or unusual usages, and other language-related topics. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in 17 different languages on Wikipedia. William Safire is the 6,824th most popular writer (down from 6,693rd in 2024), the 14,345th most popular biography from United States (down from 13,418th in 2019) and the 1,024th most popular American Writer.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of William Safire by language
Among WRITERS
Among writers, William Safire ranks 6,824 out of 7,302. Before him are Jean-Baptiste Andrea, Marius von Mayenburg, Carol Ann Duffy, Stephen Chbosky, John Crowe Ransom, and Wladimir Kaminer. After him are Louis MacNeice, Lawrence Wright, Peter Morgan, Richard Flanagan, Éliette Abécassis, and Nadia Anjuman.
Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsJean-Baptiste Andrea
1971 - Present
HPI: 47.62
Rank: 6,818
Marius von Mayenburg
1972 - Present
HPI: 47.61
Rank: 6,819
Carol Ann Duffy
1955 - Present
HPI: 47.61
Rank: 6,820
Stephen Chbosky
1970 - Present
HPI: 47.61
Rank: 6,821
John Crowe Ransom
1888 - 1974
HPI: 47.60
Rank: 6,822
Wladimir Kaminer
1967 - Present
HPI: 47.60
Rank: 6,823
William Safire
1929 - 2009
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 6,824
Louis MacNeice
1907 - 1963
HPI: 47.58
Rank: 6,825
Lawrence Wright
1947 - Present
HPI: 47.58
Rank: 6,826
Peter Morgan
1963 - Present
HPI: 47.57
Rank: 6,827
Richard Flanagan
1961 - Present
HPI: 47.55
Rank: 6,828
Éliette Abécassis
1969 - Present
HPI: 47.55
Rank: 6,829
Nadia Anjuman
1981 - 2005
HPI: 47.54
Rank: 6,830
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1929, William Safire ranks 547. Before him are King Moody, Ronnie Barker, Sylvia Cheeseman, Noor Alam, Jacqueline Hill, and Jack Kelsey. After him are Al Alvarez, Joan Taylor, Sartaj Aziz, Yash Johar, Edith Windsor, and Pallonji Mistry. Among people deceased in 2009, William Safire ranks 406. Before him are Vladimir Turchinsky, Arnold Stang, Alastair McCorquodale, Stephen Gately, Valeri Broshin, and Tohir Yoʻldosh. After him are Wendy Richard, Noordin Mohammad Top, Johnny Kerr, Marian Cozma, Zinaida Stahurskaya, and Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri.
Others Born in 1929
Go to all RankingsKing Moody
ACTOR
1929 - 2001
HPI: 48.27
Rank: 541
Ronnie Barker
ACTOR
1929 - 2005
HPI: 48.20
Rank: 542
Sylvia Cheeseman
ATHLETE
1929 - Present
HPI: 48.05
Rank: 543
Noor Alam
ATHLETE
1929 - 2003
HPI: 48.00
Rank: 544
Jacqueline Hill
ACTOR
1929 - 1993
HPI: 47.62
Rank: 545
Jack Kelsey
SOCCER PLAYER
1929 - 1992
HPI: 47.61
Rank: 546
William Safire
WRITER
1929 - 2009
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 547
Al Alvarez
WRITER
1929 - 2019
HPI: 47.52
Rank: 548
Joan Taylor
ACTOR
1929 - 2012
HPI: 47.38
Rank: 549
Sartaj Aziz
POLITICIAN
1929 - 2024
HPI: 47.33
Rank: 550
Yash Johar
PRODUCER
1929 - 2004
HPI: 47.14
Rank: 551
Edith Windsor
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1929 - 2017
HPI: 46.47
Rank: 552
Pallonji Mistry
BUSINESSPERSON
1929 - 2022
HPI: 46.38
Rank: 553
Others Deceased in 2009
Go to all RankingsVladimir Turchinsky
PRESENTER
1963 - 2009
HPI: 48.49
Rank: 400
Arnold Stang
ACTOR
1918 - 2009
HPI: 48.19
Rank: 401
Alastair McCorquodale
ATHLETE
1925 - 2009
HPI: 48.18
Rank: 402
Stephen Gately
SINGER
1976 - 2009
HPI: 48.06
Rank: 403
Valeri Broshin
SOCCER PLAYER
1962 - 2009
HPI: 47.91
Rank: 404
Tohir Yoʻldosh
EXTREMIST
1967 - 2009
HPI: 47.67
Rank: 405
William Safire
WRITER
1929 - 2009
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 406
Wendy Richard
ACTOR
1943 - 2009
HPI: 47.51
Rank: 407
Noordin Mohammad Top
EXTREMIST
1968 - 2009
HPI: 47.50
Rank: 408
Johnny Kerr
POLITICIAN
1932 - 2009
HPI: 47.46
Rank: 409
Marian Cozma
HANDBALL PLAYER
1982 - 2009
HPI: 47.43
Rank: 410
Zinaida Stahurskaya
CYCLIST
1971 - 2009
HPI: 47.33
Rank: 411
Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri
POLITICIAN
1937 - 2009
HPI: 47.32
Rank: 412
In United States
Among people born in United States, William Safire ranks 14,349 out of 20,380. Before him are Tim Schafer (1967), Michael Cimino (1999), Yaya DaCosta (1982), Linda Lingle (1953), Kira Reed (1971), and Vincent Martella (1992). After him are Gifford Pinchot (1865), Matt Gerald (1970), Mary Ann Mobley (1937), Erica Gimpel (1964), Lawrence Wright (1947), and Cynthia Gibb (1963).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsTim Schafer
GAME DESIGNER
1967 - Present
HPI: 47.60
Rank: 14,343
Michael Cimino
ACTOR
1999 - Present
HPI: 47.60
Rank: 14,344
Yaya DaCosta
MODEL
1982 - Present
HPI: 47.60
Rank: 14,345
Linda Lingle
POLITICIAN
1953 - Present
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 14,346
Kira Reed
ACTOR
1971 - Present
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 14,347
Vincent Martella
ACTOR
1992 - Present
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 14,348
William Safire
WRITER
1929 - 2009
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 14,349
Gifford Pinchot
POLITICIAN
1865 - 1946
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 14,350
Matt Gerald
ACTOR
1970 - Present
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 14,351
Mary Ann Mobley
ACTOR
1937 - 2014
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 14,352
Erica Gimpel
ACTOR
1964 - Present
HPI: 47.58
Rank: 14,353
Lawrence Wright
WRITER
1947 - Present
HPI: 47.58
Rank: 14,354
Cynthia Gibb
ACTOR
1963 - Present
HPI: 47.58
Rank: 14,355
Among WRITERS In United States
Among writers born in United States, William Safire ranks 1,024. Before him are Michael Arndt (1970), Terrence McNally (1938), Allen Tate (1899), Tom Kapinos (1969), Stephen Chbosky (1970), and John Crowe Ransom (1888). After him are Lawrence Wright (1947), Katherine Schwarzenegger (1989), Jennifer Egan (1962), Nicole Krauss (1974), Greg Daniels (1963), and Justin Knapp (1982).
Michael Arndt
1970 - Present
HPI: 47.67
Rank: 1,018
Terrence McNally
1938 - 2020
HPI: 47.63
Rank: 1,019
Allen Tate
1899 - 1979
HPI: 47.62
Rank: 1,020
Tom Kapinos
1969 - Present
HPI: 47.62
Rank: 1,021
Stephen Chbosky
1970 - Present
HPI: 47.61
Rank: 1,022
John Crowe Ransom
1888 - 1974
HPI: 47.60
Rank: 1,023
William Safire
1929 - 2009
HPI: 47.59
Rank: 1,024
Lawrence Wright
1947 - Present
HPI: 47.58
Rank: 1,025
Katherine Schwarzenegger
1989 - Present
HPI: 47.53
Rank: 1,026
Jennifer Egan
1962 - Present
HPI: 47.49
Rank: 1,027
Nicole Krauss
1974 - Present
HPI: 47.47
Rank: 1,028
Greg Daniels
1963 - Present
HPI: 47.45
Rank: 1,029
Justin Knapp
1982 - Present
HPI: 47.43
Rank: 1,030
























































