How many Americans do you think could name each supreme court justice?

[Stranger in a strange land]

Inspired by downwithdaleft's thread. Here's my guess:

John Roberts: 15%
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: 10%
Antonin Scalia: 25%
Clarence Thomas: 30%
John Paul Stevens: 10%
Stephen Bryer: >1%
Samuel Alito: 5%
Anthony Kennedy >1%
David Souter >1%

[Snowguy716]

6

[Meeker]

The 9 of them.

[Emsworth]

Here are the results of a poll that was conducted after Samuel Alito was nominated, but before he was confirmed:

http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=2933

27% Sandra Day O’Connor
21% Clarence Thomas
16% John Roberts
13% Antonin Scalia
12% Ruth Bader Ginsburg
7% Anthony Kennedy
5% David Souter
3% Stephen Breyer
3% John Paul Stevens

[MODU]

I'm not too surprised by the low numbers.  You rarely hear about the individual judges themselves, so people only know "the court."  I know I forget a name once in a while myself, so I'm sure others do too.

[Χahar]

I can hardly remember all 9.

[Stranger in a strange land]

I can hardly remember all 9.

same here. I forgot about Bryer and had to consult wiki lol

[Ebowed]

100% of Supreme Court Justices
100% of failed and withdrawn Supreme Court nominees
75% of Atlas Forum regulars
40% of the United States Senate
14% of all federal employees

[Joe Republic]

100% of Supreme Court Justices

I'd say 88.9% actually.  I imagine John Paul Stevens would have difficulty.

[TheresNoMoney]

About 2% or 3% of the American population.

[Judäischen Volksfront]

They can all fit into a football stadium.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Best question is percentage of people who think people who know stuff like this are weird, I'd assume that number is much higher

[Boris]

I got 8/9 from the top of my head. Forgot Souter.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Under 5% of Americans.

[Boris]

http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=2933

The percentage of Americans who can name all nine current Supreme Court justices, statistically speaking, is zero.

The percentage of Americans who can name eight or more of the nine current Supreme Court justices also statistically rounds to zero.

hah

[Tik]

Best question is percentage of people who think people who know stuff like this are weird, I'd assume that number is much higher

That's probably true. The Supreme Court isn't an institution that gets a great deal of public exposure and scrutiny on a regular basis, and especially not on an individual justice by justice level. It's worth more than its parts. Knowing all of them by name doesn't help much in everyday discussions of politics, it just shows that you either have a very good memory or live a very lonely life.

[angus]

I saw the title of the thread and will try:

souter, ginsberg, kennedy, thomas, scalia, alito, roberts, breyer, stevens.

Not bad, eh?  I admit that I got to thomas before I paused long.  and eventually it took me about a couple of minutes before I got to nine, but I did it without looking up the court.  And I've had nearly a whole bottle of Canyon Ridge Cabernet. 

Now, how many Stanley Kubrik movies can you name?

I can name, well, let's see...   Paths of Glory, Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, um...  jeez, this is harder than the Supreme Court, Vertigo maybe?, nah, that's not a Kubrik movie, how about Lolita?  That's one.  I'm up to four.  There must be more than four.  This is embarrassing.  Oh, yeah, The Shining.  That's five...  Well, anyway five ain't bad.  How many can you name?

[Boris]

I can name, well, let's see...   Paths of Glory, Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, um...  jeez, this is harder than the Supreme Court, Vertigo maybe?, nah, that's not a Kubrik movie, how about Lolita?  That's one.  I'm up to four.  There must be more than four.  This is embarrassing.  Oh, yeah, The Shining.  That's five...  Well, anyway five ain't bad.  How many can you name?

You're forgetting his most famous film. But surely you can concur that it's cool to be able to rattle off such knowledge from the top of one's head? It's even cooler when a hot girl does it (speaking in hypothetical terms, of course. Never actually seen one do it).

[angus]

ah, sheet.  Of course.  Okay, I looked it up after posting, and slapped my head.  But yeah, I'd play along with that in a barstool conversation with a hot chick who could name not only all nine sitting supreme court justices but talk intelligently about the films of America's great directors.  That happens once in a lifetime.  If it happens to you, marry her immediately.

[Bluegrass Cruiser 420]

I saw the title of the thread and will try:

souter, ginsberg, kennedy, thomas, scalia, alito, roberts, breyer, stevens.

Not bad, eh?  I admit that I got to thomas before I paused long.  and eventually it took me about a couple of minutes before I got to nine, but I did it without looking up the court.  And I've had nearly a whole bottle of Canyon Ridge Cabernet. 

Now, how many Stanley Kubrik movies can you name?

I can name, well, let's see...   Paths of Glory, Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, um...  jeez, this is harder than the Supreme Court, Vertigo maybe?, nah, that's not a Kubrik movie, how about Lolita?  That's one.  I'm up to four.  There must be more than four.  This is embarrassing.  Oh, yeah, The Shining.  That's five...  Well, anyway five ain't bad.  How many can you name?

Don't forget 2001: A Space Odyssey and Eyes Wide Shut.