The names John Doe and Jane Doe are commonly used in law as generic names to be filled in at a later date with real names.
I believe the names were chosen as they were common names, yet I don’t believe I have ever met a single person with the last name of DOE, let alone a John or Jane Doe.
Not yet met one, not sure to believe that they exist, but our phone book shows a John as well as a John, Jr., with a Dick to boot. (Hmmmm?)
No addresses shown, just numbers, so maybe bogus.
Yes, I work with a girl called Jane Doe (although here in the UK, I don’t think ‘doe’ is used in the same way as a generic replacement for an unknown name) - Doe is not her maiden name.
A quick look through google came up with the John and Mary Doe Family endowment in Marin Community and a Doe Family Trust in Massachusetts.
There seem to be a few Doe family members around New Hampshire started by John W. Doe back in the late 17-hundreds.
So it should be possible to know a John or Jane Doe.
I ain’t one of 'em.
However, legal tradition holds that Doe is the plaintiff and Roe is the Defendant (as in Roe vs. Wade) and I HAVE know a few of the Roe family, including a Jane (okay, Janet).
Not just in law. Confused or psychotic patients w/no ID (& who don’t give their name) who end up in hospitals, are part of the Doe family. I met Preacher Ror, ex-Dodger ,& Tommy Roe, 1st bubble gum singer. Never met a Doe, though.
Why the names were chosen.
Should be Jane Smith. I went out with one for years.
I always thought roe meant fish eggs.
No doe/roes, but I went to HS with a John Smith.
My step-uncle is John Doe. Works/worked at West Point as a professor.
My brother had a friend in high school named Anthony Doe. He was … Filipino, I think. His brother’s name was John. Apparently they were born either before their parents immigrated, or too soon afterwards for the parents to know the significance of the name.
This John Doe was a bit of a small time hood - my brother said that Anthony said that John said (!) he felt obligated by his name to lead a life of crime. For whatever that’s worth.
I have known people with the surname Doe, although our ‘unknown guy’ is usually called Joe Bloggs
Not a John/Jane Doe, but a man with the same name as the previously-mentioned Richard Roe (see don’t ask’s post above) lived in the community where I grew up.
Never met the man, but he must have tried out the wallet I bought a few weeks ago, and left his information in it. Anybody have any idea where “Anytown” happens to be?
The only one I know is our own Jane D’Oh! (snort) Still cracks me up!