A recent social post by a map enthusiast named Topi Tjukanov drew attention to a playful question about fame. It observed that Freddie Mercury hailed from Zanzibar and Barack Obama from Honolulu, and it invited followers to consider who is the most famous person in their own city. A new map project, shared with a broader audience, extended that idea by assembling profiles of notable figures from around the world and placing them on a global map.
The project partners with data provided by Morgane Laouenan, a researcher affiliated with the Sorbonne Center for Economics, and features a map that users can move, zoom, and explore from any device. The central goal is to link each prominent person with their birthplace, creating a geographic tapestry of achievement. The underlying database contains information about thousands of individuals spanning from ancient times to contemporary days, covering events and people up to the year 2018 as a historical cut off.
Upon magnifying the map, a surprising detail emerges on the island of Ibiza. Names appear with striking clarity, prompting followers to ask who stands out there. The name that captures attention is Sergio Ramos, a professional footballer who is widely known beyond Spain. Although his birthplace is listed as Camas in Seville, his prominent position on the Ibizan landscape stands out for viewers. Other well-known figures appear in smaller type around the island, including Abel Matutes, Bartomeu Marí Ribas, Antoni Arabí Serra, Marcos García Barreno, Josep Costa i Rosselló, Toni Costa Costa, and Francesc Torres Torres, who led the Polytechnic University of Catalonia as rector in recent years.
On the map for Formentera, a single name stands out: Patrick Roscoe, a Canadian novelist whose parents have roots in multiple places and who was born on the island in 1967. Notably, the representation on both islands shows no women among the highlighted figures, a critique often voiced by followers of the project on social media.
The teams behind the database explain that their data come from publicly accessible resources such as Wikipedia and Wikidata. They describe the base as a large, open repository containing information on tens of thousands of individuals. Scholars have long pointed to the enduring interest in public figures, citing classic biographical compilations and long-standing biographical narratives as evidence. The list reflects more than a simple tally; it mirrors the cultural weight assigned to figures and the way communities tell their histories.
In Mallorca, the map highlights fifty notable names, among them five women: Catalina Tomàs, a nun from the 16th century; actress Llum Barrera; Francina Armengol, a political leader; Olympic cyclist Marga Fullana; and footballer Virginia Torrecita. The largest figures on the island include tennis star Rafael Nadal, who remains central in the visual edition, while other prominent names such as the painter Miquel Barceló and Catalan writer Ramon Llull appear without overshadowing Nadal.
Among the seven important personalities listed for Menorca are scientist Mateu Orfila, basketball player Jan Orfila, and scientist Maria Angels Cardona Florit, illustrating a blend of science and sport on the island. The data presentation emphasizes how science, culture, and athletic achievement are intertwined in regional narratives and how visibility shifts across different locales.