Jane Doe
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of Jane Doe
First recorded in 1935–40; feminine of John Doe
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The woman, listed as Jane Doe in a civil claim filed this week, said she arrived at Station 96 in Temecula just after 10 one evening last November to visit a man she’d met online.
From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026
The lawsuit, brought on behalf of a "Jane Doe", cites a record of "incredibly alarming and erratic banking behavior" in her own Bank of America accounts, which were used by Epstein's team.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
“Of the civil lawsuits filed by Wigdor, one has been dismissed, the other withdrawn and the Jane Doe case is currently facing motion for case terminating sanctions.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026
Now let’s meet a hypothetical couple, John and Jane Doe; they’re both 30 and want to buy a house.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 27, 2026
During 1948 the novelty of UFO's had worn off for the press and every John and Jane Doe who saw one didn't make the front pages as in 1947.
From The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects by Ruppelt, Edward J.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
