Which world leaders do average Americans know the best (or at all?)

[morgieb]

A quick Google got me this:

2007, but only 36% could name Putin. Some other shocking numbers in there.

Yeah, here's an interesting chart from that release (again, this is from 2007):



Note that it matters how you frame it: "Who is the president of Russia?" might have a different success rate than if you ask "Who is Vladimir Putin?"

I'd imagine that the name recognition on Putin would be higher today though, since he's been around longer, and because he's been in the news so much recently.

Only 61% of people know who Barack Obama is???

That chart was from 2007.

[Mr. Morden]

A quick Google got me this:

2007, but only 36% could name Putin. Some other shocking numbers in there.

Yeah, here's an interesting chart from that release (again, this is from 2007):



Note that it matters how you frame it: "Who is the president of Russia?" might have a different success rate than if you ask "Who is Vladimir Putin?"

I'd imagine that the name recognition on Putin would be higher today though, since he's been around longer, and because he's been in the news so much recently.

Only 61% of people know who Barack Obama is???

I just bolded the part of my post that addresses your confusion.

[Blue3]

Well, Maliki probably went back on the radar of the average American, just in time for his exit.

Has anything else changed?

[Middle-aged Europe]

Knowledge of Vladimir Putin's existence has probably increased.

[Lurker]

The ones that a majority of Americans could identify:

Barack Obama
Vladimir Putin
Bashar al-Assad
Kim Jong-un
Francis

Really? I very much doubt that the majority of Americans (or Europeans, for that matter) would answer the question of "What is the name of the Syrian president" correctly.

[Lurker]

I doubt most know Harper or Cameron. Most would have known Blair, even Brown after so long, but Cameron hasn't really stuck out. Neither has Harper, despite being there forever. And I bet most Americans still think Fidel Castro is in charge. Or know Raul simply as "Fidel Castro's brother" instead of his actual name.

I think a lot of us overestimate the number of people that knows anything about the politics of foreign countries (an easy mistake to make if you hang around at a place like this). A 10 year old survey showed that only 6% of Americans knew the name of the Canadian PM. And even though this was when Blair was at the height of his fame (and particularly in the US), only 51% could identify the British Prime Minister. In 2000 only 22% knew about Blair - I would be surprised if Cameron's name recognition is any higher than that.

[Mr. Morden]

I doubt most know Harper or Cameron. Most would have known Blair, even Brown after so long, but Cameron hasn't really stuck out. Neither has Harper, despite being there forever. And I bet most Americans still think Fidel Castro is in charge. Or know Raul simply as "Fidel Castro's brother" instead of his actual name.

I think a lot of us overestimate the number of people that knows anything about the politics of foreign countries (an easy mistake to make if you hang around at a place like this). A 10 year old survey showed that only 6% of Americans knew the name of the Canadian PM. And even though this was when Blair was at the height of his fame (and particularly in the US), only 51% could identify the British Prime Minister. In 2000 only 22% knew about Blair - I would be surprised if Cameron's name recognition is any higher than that.

I think it partially depends on which around the question is asked.  "Who is Kim Jong-Un?" would probably get more correct answers than "Who is the head of state/government of North Korea?"

[Blue3]

How about now?

[Indy Texas]

I don't think your average American has ever known who any of the Canadian PMs are. Sorry, guys, but we really don't think about your country at all apart from stereotypes about hockey and "eh."

At best, we'll know who Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher were. Most Americans do not know who the current British PM is. They know who the Queen is and some probably assume she is the head of government.

The only Middle Eastern leader Americans have ever been vaguely familiar with is Saddam Hussein. And that was only after two military engagements with him.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Putin, Kim Jong-un and Castro are probably it. Assad and Merkel for the astute.

I'd imagine more know Tony Blair than David Cameron. And Hollande is not that notable. Berlusconi is probably better known than his successor. Nobody knows Abootman Harper.

[Hatman 🍁]

I don't think your average American has ever known who any of the Canadian PMs are. Sorry, guys, but we really don't think about your country at all apart from stereotypes about hockey and "eh."

I think Pierre Trudeau was somewhat well known in the US. But yeah, I wouldn't expect many Americans to know who Harper is. I think Obama probably has a bigger name recognition in Canada than Harper does.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I hope they know Müttchen, aka Mutti, aka Angie M.

She is the best dictator who never was.

[Lincoln Republican]

Not world leaders, but a decent percentage of Americans I suspect would know who Will and Kate are.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Not world leaders, but a decent percentage of Americans I suspect would know who Will and Kate are.

Who would be more well known in America: Cameron or the royal couple?

[Sol]

Probably just Putin, Castro, Kim Jong-un, Francis, Assad perhaps.

Better known than one would expect: Mugabe, Abbott

[Mr. Morden]

Better known than one would expect: Mugabe, Abbott

Why in the world would any appreciable %age of Americans know who Tony Abbott is?

[Famous Mortimer]

I don't think your average American has ever known who any of the Canadian PMs are. Sorry, guys, but we really don't think about your country at all apart from stereotypes about hockey and "eh."

I think Pierre Trudeau was somewhat well known in the US. But yeah, I wouldn't expect many Americans to know who Harper is. I think Obama probably has a bigger name recognition in Canada than Harper does.

Harper probably has less than 5% recognition.

[Blue3]

Any changes?

Putin, Merkel, Assad, Netanyahu, Kim
(I don't really see the Pope or the Queen as a political figure, and most don't know Raul Castro)

[Ebsy]

Merkel probably has decently high name recognition these days.

[Mr. Morden]

I guess Assad's name recognition would be higher now than it was a year ago, with all the talk about Syria.  Still probably not all that high though, to be honest.

Oh yeah, and while Hollande's name recognition is undoubtedly pretty low, it's got to be at least higher now than it was a year ago.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Any changes?

Putin, Merkel, Assad, Netanyahu, Kim
(I don't really see the Pope or the Queen as a political figure, and most don't know Raul Castro)

How are the Pope and Queen not explicitly political figures? Especially the former...

How about Xi Jinping? He's much less anonymous than Jianto was. I wouldn't be surprised if due to the Mexican diaspora many knew about Peña Nieto as well.

[Hatman 🍁]

I suppose more Americans know about Trudeau already than they had Harper at any time during his premiership.

[Blue3]

Any major changes here?

I'm sure the list is:

-Putin
-Merkel
-Kim Jong Un
-Netanyahu
-Pope Francis
-Justin Trudeau
-Raul Castro
-Erdogan
-Assad
-Theresa May
-mayyyyybeee Xi, Duterte, Sisi

[Phony Moderate]

Any major changes here?

I'm sure the list is:

-Putin
-Merkel
-Kim Jong Un
-Netanyahu
-Pope Francis
-Justin Trudeau
-Raul Castro
-Erdogan
-Assad
-Theresa May
-mayyyyybeee Xi, Duterte, Sisi

I'd put Francis second, even if many don't know his name.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

How about the Ayatollah? Even if many probably still think it's Khomeini. Perhaps Mugabe too.