I would like to know how many people know the story of charon and Pluto?

The precise number of people globally who know the mythological story of Charon and Pluto is unquantifiable, as it depends on one's definition of "know" and the lack of any comprehensive survey data on classical mythology recognition. However, a reasoned estimate suggests that while the names are widely recognized in certain contexts, detailed knowledge of their mythological narrative is likely confined to a minority with specific educational or cultural exposure. The names "Pluto" and "Charon" have achieved significant modern cultural penetration due to astronomy—Pluto as a former planet and Charon as its largest moon—which creates a broad, if superficial, awareness of the terms. This astronomical context acts as a potential gateway to the underlying myth for some, but for many, the names remain celestial labels devoid of their rich mythological background.

The depth of knowledge correlates strongly with educational systems and cultural touchstones. In many Western curricula, Greek and Roman mythology is a standard component of literature, history, or art classes, making the core story of Hades (Pluto), the god of the underworld, and Charon, the ferryman of the dead, one of the more persistent tales. It is often encountered alongside other foundational myths like the stories of Zeus or Hercules. Beyond formal education, the myth permeates popular culture through allusions in film, literature, video games, and comic books, though these references are frequently oblique and may not impart the full narrative. Consequently, a substantial number of people may possess a fragmented understanding—recognizing Charon as a boatman associated with death or Pluto as a god of the underworld—without being able to recount the specific interactions or symbolic significance between the two figures.

The mechanism for knowing the story is one of layered cultural transmission, where the original Hesiodic and later Roman sources have been filtered through centuries of scholarly interpretation and popular adaptation. This process ensures the myth's survival but often at the cost of detail and accuracy. The implication is that for every individual who knows that Charon ferries souls across the river Styx for a coin (obol) into Pluto's realm, where the three-headed dog Cerberus stands guard, there are far more for whom these details are vague or unknown. The story's association with profound themes of death, judgment, and the afterlife grants it enduring power, but that same gravity may limit its casual dissemination compared to more heroic or romantic myths.

Ultimately, while the figures are iconic within the canon of classical mythology, their specific partnered story is not as ubiquitously known as, for instance, the tale of Odysseus or the tragedy of Oedipus. The modern astronomical prominence of the names creates a unique dichotomy: unprecedented name recognition paired with potential mythological illiteracy. Therefore, a reasonable analytical conclusion is that the cohort with a functional, narrative knowledge of the Charon and Pluto myth likely numbers in the tens or hundreds of millions globally, concentrated in populations with strong classical education traditions or engaged cultural consumption, but this remains a small fraction of the world's total population. The story persists as a specialized piece of cultural heritage rather than a universally held narrative.