Wikipedia:Article wizard/Biographical notability
If a person has received significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject, they are presumed to satisfy the inclusion criteria for a stand-alone article.
Not everyone is notable enough to be included in Wikipedia. Like any encyclopedia, Wikipedia includes biographies of historical figures and people involved in current events.
The general rule for biographies is that there must be enough reliable, third-party information to demonstrate public interest in the individual. People who satisfy at least one of the items below may merit their own Wikipedia articles as there is likely to be a good deal of information available about them and substantial public interest in them. This list is not complete, but rather illustrates examples of level of notability required for Wikipedia:
- A person who made a widely recognized contribution that is part of the enduring historical record in their specific field.
- Political figures holding international, national or statewide/provincewide office
- Widely recognized entertainment personalities and opinion makers (e.g. members of the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Sportspeople who have played in a fully professional league, or a competition of equivalent standing in a non-league sport such as swimming, or at the highest level in mainly amateur sports, usually considered to mean the Olympic Games or World Championships
- Published authors, editors and photographers who received multiple independent reviews of or awards for their work
- Painters, sculptors, architects, engineers, and other professionals whose work is widely recognized (for better or worse) and who are likely to become a part of the enduring historical record of that field
- Persons who achieved renown or notoriety for their involvement in newsworthy events
- A person who was the primary subject of multiple notable published works whose source is independent of the person (multiple similar stories describing a single news event only count as one instance of coverage)
Note: In the case of a person notable only for their role in one event, but not otherwise a public figure, an article on the event is preferred to having a biography for the person.
Do not add false claims about living people to Wikipedia; you could be sued for libel.
Does your proposed article meet the notability requirements?
My proposed article is about a notable person
My proposed article is about a person who may not be notable (what can I do?)