A new YouGov survey finds that the historical figures Americans are most likely to say should be honored by the U.S. government with a place or property named after them — from among 30 figures asked about — are several former presidents and civil rights activists.
Which historical figures should the U.S. government name public places or government properties in honor of? The largest shares of Americans say the government should honor three presidents — Abraham Lincoln (81%), George Washington (79%), and John F. Kennedy (75%) — and civil-rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. (78%).
The public figures Americans are most likely to say the U.S. government should not name places after are President Donald Trump (53%) and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (39%).
Some figures asked about were unfamiliar to many Americans. Only 15% of Americans support naming government places or properties for transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson — less than Trump (31%) and Thomas (22%). 51% of Americans do not know who Johnson is — including 37% of adults under 30, 55% of older Americans, 39% of Americans who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or other, and 53% of heterosexual or straight Americans.
Adults under 30 are less likely than older Americans to say the U.S. government should name places after President Ronald Reagan (38% vs. 59%), President Andrew Jackson (25% vs. 46%), and women's rights activist Susan B. Anthony (44% vs. 62%).
Adults under 30 are more likely than older Americans to say the government should name establishments after Johnson (22% vs. 13%).
Among the biggest gaps between Democrats and Republicans: 77% of Democrats and 21% of Republicans say the U.S. government should name public places or government properties after former Democratic President Barack Obama. Other figures Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say the government should name places after include Harvey Milk, the first gay man to be elected to public office in California (50% vs. 8%), civil rights activist Malcolm X (60% vs. 24%), and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, named to the court by Democratic President Bill Clinton (59% vs. 25%).
Public figures Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say the government should name places after include Republican President Donald Trump (61% vs. 10%), explorer Christopher Columbus (66% vs. 29%), Republican President Ronald Reagan (75% vs. 42%), and Confederate General Robert E. Lee (54% vs. 21%).
Two-thirds (64%) of Americans say the actions of historical figures should be judged by the standards of their time; 17% say they should be judged by the standards of today. Adults 30 and under are less likely than older Americans to say actions of historical figures should be judged by the standards of their time (49% vs. 68%).
Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say historical figures should be judged by the standards of their time (79% vs. 55%).
A 2024 YouGov poll found that most Americans have favorable views of several of the presidents asked about in this survey. 84% have very or somewhat favorable views of Lincoln, 78% have a favorable view of Washington, 75% have favorable views of John F. Kennedy. A 2021 poll found that 89% of Americans have a positive view of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Related:
- Eight in 10 Democrats and Republicans would be likely to vote for Abraham Lincoln if he could run today
- How Americans evaluate JFK, RFK Jr., their relatives — and other unrelated Kennedys
- Who should be memorialized with a statue in America?
- What do Americans want in a president?
- How Americans describe the presidents they like
- Who would Americans like to see on their money?
See the results for this YouGov survey
— Carl Bialik and Taylor Orth contributed to this article
Methodology: This article includes results from an online survey conducted June 4 - 8, 2025 among 1,150 U.S. adult citizens. Respondents were selected from YouGov’s opt-in panel to be representative of adult U.S. citizens. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, 2024 presidential vote, 2020 election turnout and presidential vote, baseline party identification, and current voter registration status. 2024 presidential vote, at time of weighting, was estimated to be 48% Harris and 50% Trump. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2019 American Community Survey. Baseline party identification is the respondent’s most recent answer given around November 8, 2024, and is weighted to the estimated distribution at that time (31% Democratic, 32% Republican). The margin of error for the overall sample is approximately 4%.
Image: Getty (Mario Tama / Staff)
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