Marilyn Monroe

About Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962) remains one of history’s most indelible cultural icons, reflected in her high Historical Popularity Index (HPI) rank of #172 among nearly 15,000 influential figures. As an actor, her enduring global impact is rooted in her status as a quintessential Hollywood star of the mid-20th century, embodying a specific era of American culture, cinema, and celebrity. Her persona transcended film, influencing fashion, media, and the very concept of modern stardom.

Despite this deep historical anchoring, Monroe's modern internet attention presents a notable imbalance. In 2025, she accrued an annualized 4.3 million Wikipedia views, resulting in an attention gap calculated at +8x, indicating she receives eight times the digital attention her historical importance rank would suggest. To contextualize this, her close contemporary, Bob Dylan, ranks significantly lower in historical importance but still garners 12.7 million views, while figures of immense historical weight, such as Henry VIII (#26), receive only 687K views.

While her current attention is high, it is also demonstrably cooling. Her 2025 view count represents a significant year-over-year decline of 43.4%. However, a slight positive momentum of +3% between Q1 and Q3 suggests a potential, albeit small, resurgence in contemporary interest.