“John Doe” is a name used for unidentified or anonymous persons since 13th century England. It is also used to protect identities in legal proceedings and as a placeholder name. Its counterparts are Jane and BaDoe.
The use of “John Doe” as a name for anonymous or unidentified persons dates back to 13th century England, when the name was first used in legal documents to protect the identity of witnesses. The concept of false aliases in legal documents is actually quite ancient; the Romans, for example, had their own version of “John Doe” for use in legal proceedings. This name was probably originally chosen because it is unremarkable; every nation in the world has its own regional variation on “John Doe,” ranging from Mou Mou in Chinese to Fulan ibn Fulan al-Fulani in Arabic.
There are a number of reasons for using aliases. In the former case, “John Doe” is used for someone who cannot be identified, such as a murder victim or a witness to a crime who has not come forward. Typically, personally identifiable information will be released in the hope that someone can identify them, allowing law enforcement to drop the “John Doe” and use the person’s real name. Using a poor name allows people to focus on the victim’s actual identifying characteristics, while an alias like “Jacob McNamara” could be confusing and potentially distracting.
This alias is also used in legal proceedings to protect someone who does not want to be identified. Such aliases are often used in criminal trials where someone is concerned about reprisals, for example, and jurors are sometimes referred to as John Does in criminal trial discussions so they cannot be identified and pressured. This name is also used when someone’s name is not relevant to a case. Newspapers also use John Doe to describe people who cannot be legally identified, such as rape victims.
People also use John Doe as a placeholder name, to refer to someone who doesn’t actually exist. For example, an attorney might cite a hypothetical situation involving a John Doe to explain why his case should be argued in court or to strengthen an argument in the eyes of a jury. Some might even say that a movie might appeal to a John Doe, in the sense that it would suit the tastes of a normal or average person.
John’s counterpart is Jane, an unidentified woman or young woman. BaDoe is an infant or very young unidentified person, and the names Roe, Smith, Jones and Noakes are sometimes used in conjunction with names such as John, Joe and Jane to mix things up a bit. Some people also use the alias “John Citizen” or “Joe Blow” to describe an average or ordinary individual; political rhetoric often features a mythical John Citizen, for example.
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