Why do Amercans call unidentified dead bodies John Doh and Jane Doh?

Question

And what does the Doh stand for?

why jane and john?

Answer 1

Think 'Homer'

Answer 2

well...you know how homer says "Doh!"

the american mortician was once very confused about the identity of half a dozen unidentified bodies lying in front of him. He was also an avid Simpsons fan. When he could no longer take the frustrating situation he said " by god this guy here is John, ok? DOH!!"

the jane doh would have to be a similar situation i suppose.

Answer 3

doe not Doh ... that is what Homer Simpson says ....
to be honest i really dont know ... ill look it up r/q ...


We found the answer to your question at The Word Detective, a treasure trove of etymological explanations written by syndicated columnist Evan Morris. Morris, in turn, says he discovered the origin of "John Doe" in a book called What's in a Name?, by Paul Dickson.
The phrase is older than you might think. "John Doe" dates from the reign of England's King Edward III (1312-1377). A famous legal document from this period labels a hypothetical landowner "John Doe," who leases land to a "Richard Roe," who then claims the land as his own and kicks out poor John.

The names don't have any particular relevance, other than the fact that a doe is a female deer, while a roe is a smaller species of deer. But the land dispute in question became a famous legal debate, and the names survived their circumstances.

The online legal dictionary FindLaw defines John Doe as a "party to legal proceedings (as a suspect) whose true name is unknown or withheld." The female equivalent is Jane Doe or Mary Major. A second male suspect is dubbed Richard Roe, and subsequent ones are referred to as John Stiles and Richard Miles.


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Emily
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Answer 4

The "John Doe" custom dates back to the reign of England's King Edward III, during the legal debate over something called the Acts of Ejectment. This debate involved a hypothetical landowner, referred to as "John Doe," who leased land to another man, the equally fictitious "Richard Roe," who then took the land as his own and "ejected," or evicted, poor "John Doe."

These names -- John Doe and Richard Roe -- had no particular significance, aside from "Doe" (a female deer) and "Roe" (a small species of deer found in Europe) being commonly known nouns at the time. But the debate became a hallmark of legal theory, and the name "John Doe" in particular gained wide currency in both the legal world and general usage as a generic stand-in for any unnamed person. "John Doe" and "Richard Roe" are, to this day, mandated in legal procedure as the first and second names given to unknown defendants in a case (followed, if necessary, by "John Stiles" and "Richard Miles"). The name "Jane Doe," a logical female equivalent, is used in many state jurisdictions, but if the case is federal, the unnamed defendant is dubbed "Mary Major."

Answer 5

John and Jane Doe are standard names used when their real name isn't known.

Better then dead body #1

Answer 6

Americans like Doh-nuts. Which is why most Americans take up 2 airline seats. It's from that.

Answer 7

cause fred and ethel merman were taken.

its actually doe, The "John Doe" custom dates back to the reign of England's King Edward III, during the legal debate over something called the Acts of Ejectment. This debate involved a hypothetical landowner, referred to as "John Doe," who leased land to another man, the equally fictitious "Richard Roe," who then took the land as his own and "ejected," or evicted, poor "John Doe."

Answer 8

It is John Doe...and Jane Doe....just a name they made up when they didn't know who the person was...until they identified the body.

Answer 9

there became this occasion talked approximately as the loo/joan case whilst a healthful toddler boy had a blotch circumcision had a intercourse replaced. the mothers and fathers went to a physician who have faith nurture continually and not in any respect nature so he stated it became the terrific component of do. the studied failed and on the age of 15 the boy who became rasied as a woman grew to become a boy back. this baby bacially had no actual gender starting to be up. it became unidentifiable for him because of the fact he didnt greater healthful with any gender team. this became such truama that he killed himself in his 30's. i think of thats why unidentified bodies are talked approximately as that. if no longer, this became the terrific guess for me

Answer 10

We don't. We call them John Doe and Jane Doe. :-) Doe is just a generic name somebody came up with, it has no meaning.

D'Oh! is what Homer Simpson says.

Answer 11

Is it not like us calling randoms Joe Bloggs?