John Doe

noun

ˈjän-ˈdō 

1

: a party to legal proceedings whose true name is unknown

2

: an average man

Synonyms of John Doe

• Joe Blow
• little man
• man in the street
• little guy
• Joe Six-Pack
• worker

Examples of John Doe in a Sentence

to John Doe the most important issues in any election are usually those that affect his wallet

Recent Examples on the Web

Anthony Mackie plays John Doe, a motormouth scavenger eking out a living in the wastelands of the former United States. — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2026

Joining Dylan on tour is three-time Grammy winner Lucinda Williams and her band, and John Doe Folk Trio. — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026

Peacock says to her knowledge, Pumphrey is the oldest John Doe ever identified with genetic genealogy. — Scott Neuman, NPR, 23 June 2026

Most of the tour’s SoCal appearances have had two opening acts, Lucinda Williams and the John Doe Folk Trio, and there are no skips in that triple-bill. — Chris Willman, Variety, 21 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for John Doe

• beau
• beaut
• beaux
• blow
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux
• faux

Kids Definition

John Doe

noun

ˈjän-ˈdō 

: a person in legal proceedings whose true name is unknown or withheld

Legal Definition

John Doe

noun

ˈjän-ˈdō 

: a party to legal proceedings (as a suspect) whose true name is unknown or withheld compare jane roe, richard roe