I think that the reach of a language need to be considered, as influential and lovable those language might be most of the effect they had was by influencing other languages.

There's nothing wrong with that. Algol heavily influenced the design of scheme, but I've never seen an Algol program in the wild. That doesn't mean it wasn't influential.

Einstein got the Nobel for the photoelectric effect, which we take advantage of continuously every day. I'd say that was influential.