John Doe - Definition and Overview

For the musician and actor, see John Doe (musician)

For the television series, see John Doe (Television series)

For the children's book by L. Frank Baum, see John Dough and the Cherub

In English-speaking common-law jurisdiction, the name John Doe is used for a defendant or victim in a legal example or for a person whose identity is unknown or is intended to be anonymous. Male corpses whose identity is unknown are also known by the name John Doe. A female who is not known is referred to as Jane Doe. A child whose identity is unknown is referred to as Johnny Doe. An anonymous plaintiff is known as Richard Roe.

The Oxford English Dictionary states that John Doe is "the name given to the fictitious lessee of the plaintiff, in the (now obsolete) mixed action of ejectment, the fictitious defendant being called Richard Roe".

An account of the reasons why a fictitious tenant and a fictitious defendant were named is found in Charles Rembar's book The Law of the Land.

By extension from the law usage, John Doe is often used in computer software needing a default or example first and last name for a form.

John Doe in other countries

See also

• Legal fiction
• Numerius Negidius
• A. N. Other
• Pseudonym
• John Smith
• John Q. Public

Jane Doe is also the name of:

• a song by hard rock band Mr. Big from their album Hey Man released in 1996.
• a 2001 album by extreme metal band Converge.
• a character in Galaxy Quest (not, obviously, her real name).