Why do we use the name 'Joe Bloggs' to mean 'an average man'?

Answer 1

"JOE BLOGGS '- The average British man. His American equivalent is Joe Blow or Joe Six-Pack.' From "Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable" revised by Adrian Room (HarperCollinsPublishers, New York, 1999, Sixteenth Edition). "Mr. What's-his-name; anybody who isn't anybody; Tom Dick, or Harry. (American equivalent) Joe Doakes." From "British English: A to Zed" by Norman W. Schur (Harper Perennial, New York, 1987)."

Joe Bloggs is not generally used in the US, as far as I know (I have never heard it). Along with equivalents such as John Q. Public, I'm afraid I can't find anything definite about the origin. The Jeans are clearly not the name's origin - it would make little sense to name jeans after some random unknown name, whereas it makes much more sense that the jeans would be named after something people already recognize. It's certainly been in use for many years, as the hacker dictionary (below) and its otherwise wide usage attests.

Answer 2

The term 'Joe Bloggs' pre-dates the blue jeans brand by that name but it does mean 'an average man.' It is used as a placeholder name. "Placeholder names are words that refer to objects or people whose names are either irrelevant or unknown in the context which it is being discussed." see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placeholder_name

Good Luck!!!

Answer 3

in the early 90's jog blogg was a popular brand and its just stuck as an average saying.

Answer 4

the decision ought to ought to mirror an same format as your surname so as that he can actually understand the position and why his call were given the following about - consequently decide on for Jones-Bloggs form. i ought to have an same problem if I were given remarried yet ought to definately do resembling I in hardship-free words defined.