# Generic names outside the US/UK **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 5, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-names-outside-the-us-uk/665405 "2013-08-05T15:41:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-names-outside-the-us-uk/665405/21 "2013-08-06T10:52:59Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Ah OK, if I think of that as “Sample” it makes more sense in that kind of context. (Like if you get a wallet with a cardboard sample ID stuck in one of the pockets as an example, with fake information on it.) Yes, sample was actually the word I was looking for. You’ve got it precisely right. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-names-outside-the-us-uk/665405/22 "2013-08-06T13:57:44Z")
According to this list, it is called a placeholder name. (Someone on another thread just recently commented on how many lists Wiki comes up with): [List of placeholder names by language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_placeholder_names_by_language) Don’t you hate it when you find a last that takes out all the fun of making a list in a thread? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-names-outside-the-us-uk/665405/23 "2013-08-06T14:02:48Z")
Just saw this, in Wiki, on [placeholder names in general and specifically in English, and in other “languages” or context,](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placeholder_name) such as “foo” in Unix programming. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-names-outside-the-us-uk/665405/24 "2013-08-06T14:31:37Z")
I actually saw one name on that list in the phone book once, which seems unlikely to be an actual name: Joe Baggadonuts. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-names-outside-the-us-uk/665405/25 "2013-08-06T16:12:19Z")
I knew someone who was listed under Adrian IV, Pope. Tinkled him pink when he was looked up as Pope Adrian. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-names-outside-the-us-uk/665405/26 "2013-08-06T16:34:13Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > According to this list, it is called a placeholder name. (Someone on another thread just recently commented on how many lists Wiki comes up with): > > [List of placeholder names by language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_placeholder_names_by_language) > > Don’t you hate it when you find a last that takes out all the fun of making a list in a thread? No, not at all! I’m thrilled! I never would have expected someone wrote a whole (two whole!) wiki articles on the topic. Great find. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-names-outside-the-us-uk/665405.md?page=1)