2257: ...Doe, ...Roe & Other Official Pseudonyms Feb 19, 2021

A recent post discussed the way in which generic aliases are used for legal protection or for uncertainty in identity, such as John Doe in many English speaking countries. Along with this are other variants like Jane Doe for women, Johnny Doe and Janie Doe for children, and Baby Doe for infants. Indeed, there are many variations to the -oe family, like Richard Roe and Jane Roe, though only the feminine version is common these days. In investigations with lots of press attention, other first names have been used, like Cali Doe (1979), Princess Doe (1982), and Precious Doe (2001). Likewise, these have been used in the titles for US legal cases, such as the infamous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, for Norma McCorvey and Sandra Cano respectively. This pattern of using Doe and Roe has been in place since the Middle Ages in England to varying official capacities.

2253: John Doe & Other Stand-In Names Feb 15, 2021

'John Doe' is the name given to men when there is not another name given for whatever reason for law enforcement in the US. More exist in the US for other purposes such as John Q. Public, and of course around the world similar names have been created. In Ancient Rome even the name was 'Numerius Negidius' for the defendant—a play on actual given names that comes to mean "I refuse to pay"—while 'Aulus Agerius', another pun-name from the verb 'agere' meaning 'to set in motion'. In some modern European countries another Latin one is used, but it isn't a pun; Nomen Nescio (n.n.) just means "I do not know the name". In religious Jewish contexts and sometimes secular Israeli ones, the name פלני אלמני (Ploni Almoni) is used as a stand-in, which is originally found in the Book of Ruth probably as a euphemism for Boaz. More on this at another point.