This list measures popularity of the woman as measured by searches on the Net. It is not an assessment on how positive or negative her contributions to history may have been. It is also not scientifically constructed, though I have tried to be logical and fair, and the list is intended for entertainment purposes and general interest. I hope you'll enjoy reading through the list!
How I selected and sequenced the list:
First, I made my list of more than 300 notable women who might qualify. I included mostly women who've made a significant contribution to women's history. I've tried to include women who are on other "women of the century" or "women of the millennium" lists, as well as many who are popular on this site. It's nearly impossible to do a completely objective or consistent job of deciding whom to exclude: I've tried to go with long-term celebrity and major contributions -- but I admit that there were many decisions that were rather arbitrary. You'll find Madonna, Oprah Winfrey and Lucille Ball on the list; you won't find Britney Spears or Queen Latifah.
Then, I checked several sources on the Net that give information about how many times Net searchers use particular search terms. If a woman appeared with several different searches, I included her at the position of the most popular search term used. I've tested at various times periodically since 2001. (You may not find recently-popular searches, such as "Sarah Palin," because I've factored in those past years.)
How did I handle multiple spellings or search terms for the same person?
I've positioned each woman where the most popular search term for her name would be located in the list. This technique has several admitted drawbacks. One is that some women might have appeared higher in the list if her numbers had been combined. Princess Diana, for instance, appears as Diana of Spencer and as Diana of Wales. I used "Princess Diana" which was the most-used search term for her, in setting her placement; it turns out that for her, including the other counts would not have changed her position in the list. Other women, like Eva Peron (Evita, Evita Peron) or Sacagawea (Sacajawea), would likely have appeared higher in the list if I'd combined the counts.
For a few terms, a single name may have applied to several people. Queen Elizabeth, for instance, might represent either of two women who've ruled England using that name, or several other Queen Elizabeths in history. Which "Queen Isabella" were searchers looking for? "Madonna" may have usually referred to the superstar singer, but some searchers might have been looking for art images or information on Mary, mother of Jesus. "Evita" might have referred not to the individual called by that name (Eva Peron) but the play. There was no way to be certain, so I simply included these counts.
Did I leave someone off, or include someone you don't think should be there?
Of course! I'm not perfect, and there are many women about whom we might disagree whether she's more celebrity and hype or belongs on the list. Others are left off because their Net popularity isn't all that great, measured by the criteria I've used.
For example, I left out Mary, mother of Jesus, for a simple reason: a search for Mary might have meant so many different women.
Some women included here might not have figured so prominently in a list where achievement was a major selection factor. Jane Fonda, for instance, makes the list in part because the email campaign against her generates a tremendous number of Net searches: the same people who write emails asking me to "take her off the list, she doesn't deserve publicity" are the people who are creating or exaggerating her Net popularity!
Will I be updating this list?
I may update the list from time to time, so if you find a name you think should be on the list, then by all means write to me with the suggestion. You'd be surprised, though, how many women just don't make it into the top 100, even if you think she "should" be there! I'm not going to add someone on that basis, but will continue to rely on the data.
