WRITER
O. Henry
1862 - 1910

O. Henry
William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American writer known primarily for his short stories, though he also wrote poetry and non-fiction. His works include "The Gift of the Magi", "The Duplicity of Hargraves", and "The Ransom of Red Chief", as well as the novel Cabbages and Kings. Porter's stories are known for their naturalist observations, witty narration, and surprise endings. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Porter worked at his uncle's pharmacy after finishing school and became a licensed pharmacist at age 19. Read more on Wikipedia
Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of O. Henry has received more than 4,116,436 page views. His biography is available in 69 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 67 in 2019). O. Henry is the 397th most popular writer (down from 342nd in 2019), the 380th most popular biography from United States (down from 324th in 2019) and the 34th most popular American Writer.
O. Henry is most famous for his short stories.
Memorability Metrics
4.1M
Page Views (PV)
72.94
Historical Popularity Index (HPI)
69
Languages Editions (L)
5.87
Effective Languages (L*)
4.72
Coefficient of Variation (CV)
Among WRITERS
Among writers, O. Henry ranks 397 out of 7,302. Before him are Aulus Cornelius Celsus, Sándor Márai, Ali-Shir Nava'i, Ghalib, Sándor Petőfi, and Erich von Däniken. After him are Jacques Prévert, Raymond Chandler, Pietro Aretino, Ismail Kadare, Ágota Kristóf, and Edmondo De Amicis.
Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsAulus Cornelius Celsus
25 BC - 50
HPI: 73.04
Rank: 391
Sándor Márai
1900 - 1989
HPI: 73.03
Rank: 392
Ali-Shir Nava'i
1441 - 1501
HPI: 73.02
Rank: 393
Ghalib
1797 - 1869
HPI: 73.00
Rank: 394
Sándor Petőfi
1823 - 1849
HPI: 72.99
Rank: 395
Erich von Däniken
1935 - Present
HPI: 72.98
Rank: 396
O. Henry
1862 - 1910
HPI: 72.94
Rank: 397
Jacques Prévert
1900 - 1977
HPI: 72.93
Rank: 398
Raymond Chandler
1888 - 1959
HPI: 72.93
Rank: 399
Pietro Aretino
1492 - 1556
HPI: 72.93
Rank: 400
Ismail Kadare
1936 - 2024
HPI: 72.92
Rank: 401
Ágota Kristóf
1935 - 2011
HPI: 72.92
Rank: 402
Edmondo De Amicis
1846 - 1908
HPI: 72.92
Rank: 403
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1862, O. Henry ranks 9. Before him are Maurice Maeterlinck, David Hilbert, Philipp Lenard, Gerhart Hauptmann, Allvar Gullstrand, and Arthur Schnitzler. After him are Aristide Briand, Hilma af Klint, Niko Pirosmani, Victoria of Baden, William Henry Bragg, and Pyotr Stolypin. Among people deceased in 1910, O. Henry ranks 12. Before him are Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, William James, Henri Rousseau, Edward VII, Nadar, and Chulalongkorn. After him are Mily Balakirev, Marius Petipa, Johann Gottfried Galle, Luigi Lucheni, Léon Walras, and Huo Yuanjia.
Others Born in 1862
Go to all RankingsMaurice Maeterlinck
WRITER
1862 - 1949
HPI: 80.28
Rank: 3
David Hilbert
MATHEMATICIAN
1862 - 1943
HPI: 80.17
Rank: 4
Philipp Lenard
PHYSICIST
1862 - 1947
HPI: 77.36
Rank: 5
Gerhart Hauptmann
WRITER
1862 - 1946
HPI: 74.83
Rank: 6
Allvar Gullstrand
PHYSICIAN
1862 - 1930
HPI: 74.12
Rank: 7
Arthur Schnitzler
WRITER
1862 - 1931
HPI: 73.80
Rank: 8
O. Henry
WRITER
1862 - 1910
HPI: 72.94
Rank: 9
Aristide Briand
POLITICIAN
1862 - 1932
HPI: 72.61
Rank: 10
Hilma af Klint
PAINTER
1862 - 1944
HPI: 72.23
Rank: 11
Niko Pirosmani
PAINTER
1862 - 1918
HPI: 72.14
Rank: 12
Victoria of Baden
POLITICIAN
1862 - 1930
HPI: 71.76
Rank: 13
William Henry Bragg
PHYSICIST
1862 - 1942
HPI: 71.70
Rank: 14
Pyotr Stolypin
POLITICIAN
1862 - 1911
HPI: 71.53
Rank: 15
Others Deceased in 1910
Go to all RankingsBjørnstjerne Bjørnson
WRITER
1832 - 1910
HPI: 79.33
Rank: 6
William James
PSYCHOLOGIST
1842 - 1910
HPI: 78.03
Rank: 7
Henri Rousseau
PAINTER
1844 - 1910
HPI: 77.90
Rank: 8
Edward VII
NOBLEMAN
1841 - 1910
HPI: 77.04
Rank: 9
Nadar
PHOTOGRAPHER
1820 - 1910
HPI: 74.62
Rank: 10
Chulalongkorn
POLITICIAN
1853 - 1910
HPI: 73.77
Rank: 11
O. Henry
WRITER
1862 - 1910
HPI: 72.94
Rank: 12
Mily Balakirev
COMPOSER
1837 - 1910
HPI: 72.60
Rank: 13
Marius Petipa
DANCER
1818 - 1910
HPI: 72.21
Rank: 14
Johann Gottfried Galle
ASTRONOMER
1812 - 1910
HPI: 71.77
Rank: 15
Luigi Lucheni
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1873 - 1910
HPI: 71.71
Rank: 16
Léon Walras
ECONOMIST
1834 - 1910
HPI: 71.10
Rank: 17
Huo Yuanjia
MARTIAL ARTS
1868 - 1910
HPI: 70.79
Rank: 18
In United States
Among people born in United States, O. Henry ranks 380 out of 20,380. Before him are Virginia Apgar (1909), Paulette Goddard (1910), Charles Greeley Abbot (1872), Michael Clarke Duncan (1957), Rock Hudson (1925), and Mickey Rourke (1952). After him are Raymond Chandler (1888), Chester W. Nimitz (1885), Henry James (1843), Angela Davis (1944), Ryan O'Neal (1941), and Dan Brown (1964).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsVirginia Apgar
PHYSICIAN
1909 - 1974
HPI: 73.02
Rank: 374
Paulette Goddard
ACTOR
1910 - 1990
HPI: 73.02
Rank: 375
Charles Greeley Abbot
ASTRONOMER
1872 - 1973
HPI: 73.01
Rank: 376
Michael Clarke Duncan
ACTOR
1957 - 2012
HPI: 72.98
Rank: 377
Rock Hudson
ACTOR
1925 - 1985
HPI: 72.96
Rank: 378
Mickey Rourke
ACTOR
1952 - Present
HPI: 72.95
Rank: 379
O. Henry
WRITER
1862 - 1910
HPI: 72.94
Rank: 380
Raymond Chandler
WRITER
1888 - 1959
HPI: 72.93
Rank: 381
Chester W. Nimitz
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1885 - 1966
HPI: 72.93
Rank: 382
Henry James
WRITER
1843 - 1916
HPI: 72.90
Rank: 383
Angela Davis
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1944 - Present
HPI: 72.89
Rank: 384
Ryan O'Neal
ACTOR
1941 - 2023
HPI: 72.89
Rank: 385
Dan Brown
WRITER
1964 - Present
HPI: 72.88
Rank: 386
Among WRITERS In United States
Among writers born in United States, O. Henry ranks 34. Before him are Ezra Pound (1885), Louise Glück (1943), James Fenimore Cooper (1789), Margaret Mitchell (1900), Mario Puzo (1920), and Paul Auster (1947). After him are Raymond Chandler (1888), Henry James (1843), Dan Brown (1964), Sylvia Plath (1932), Philip Roth (1933), and Frank Herbert (1920).
Ezra Pound
1885 - 1972
HPI: 73.74
Rank: 28
Louise Glück
1943 - 2023
HPI: 73.66
Rank: 29
James Fenimore Cooper
1789 - 1851
HPI: 73.57
Rank: 30
Margaret Mitchell
1900 - 1949
HPI: 73.52
Rank: 31
Mario Puzo
1920 - 1999
HPI: 73.47
Rank: 32
Paul Auster
1947 - 2024
HPI: 73.42
Rank: 33
O. Henry
1862 - 1910
HPI: 72.94
Rank: 34
Raymond Chandler
1888 - 1959
HPI: 72.93
Rank: 35
Henry James
1843 - 1916
HPI: 72.90
Rank: 36
Dan Brown
1964 - Present
HPI: 72.88
Rank: 37
Sylvia Plath
1932 - 1963
HPI: 72.84
Rank: 38
Philip Roth
1933 - 2018
HPI: 72.61
Rank: 39
Frank Herbert
1920 - 1986
HPI: 72.57
Rank: 40