The exact phrase “great minds think alike” is not clearly attributed to a single famous individual, but its idea and wording can be traced in stages through history.

Quick Scoop

Short direct answer

  • The modern wording “great minds think alike” first appears in print in 1816 in Carl Theodor von Unlanski’s biography The Woful History of the Unfortunate Eudoxia , where he writes: “great minds think alike, you know.”
  • The underlying idea is older and can be seen in a 1618 work by Dabridgcourt Belchier, who wrote “good wits doe jumpe,” meaning clever minds “jump” or coincide in thought.

Who actually “said” it?

  • Because it evolved over time, there is no single famous “author” like Shakespeare or Einstein who can reliably be credited with coining “great minds think alike.”
  • Most language historians treat it as a proverb whose earliest clearly recorded use in the familiar form comes from Unlanski in 1816, built on earlier English sayings about “good wits” or “great wits” agreeing.

A fun twist on the quote

  • A longer, more ironic version also circulates in English: “Great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ,” which pokes fun at the idea that simply agreeing does not always prove someone is brilliant.
  • This extended form changes the tone from compliment to gentle warning against groupthink, and it is now common in casual conversation and online forums when people notice they have the same opinion.

Origin timeline (mini overview)

  • 1618: Dabridgcourt Belchier uses “good wits doe jumpe,” an early version of the idea that clever people often reach the same conclusion.
  • 1761: Laurence Sterne writes “great wits jump” in The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman , reinforcing the same concept with slightly different wording.
  • 1816: Carl Theodor von Unlanski uses the recognizable form “great minds think alike” in The Woful History of the Unfortunate Eudoxia , the earliest known print example of the proverb as we now say it.

Today’s usage and forum flavor

  • In modern discussions and forums, people often drop “great minds think alike” when they discover they share the same idea, choice, or joke—especially in light, social, or trending contexts.
  • At the same time, some writers and thinkers criticize the phrase, arguing that truly original minds don’t necessarily “think alike,” echoing earlier skeptical takes on the slogan.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.