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What's the "Joe Shmoe" of different cultures? Or the "John/Jane Smith"? (lemm.ee)

submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

108 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Explanations/etymology also appreciated!

For Joe Shmoe, it means a very average or below average person. It's a derivation of the practice of using "shm-" to dismiss something (eg "Practice shmactice. We're already perfect").

And "John Smith" is meant to be the most average name or person imaginable, so they have the "most common" (citation needed) first and last name as well.

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[–] [email protected] 90 points 11 months ago (4 children)

In Germany there is "Max Mustermann", which basically translates to Max Template-man. It's the default German name used for templates of official documents like passports and such.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 11 months ago

Don't forget Otto Normalverbraucher. Nobody cares about Otto Normalverbraucher.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago (2 children)

In German there are also derogatory uses for the forenames "Kevin" and "Otto" for example. Often used to depict not well educated persons that have made extremely stupid decisions/choices.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 11 months ago

As someone with a brother named Kevin, I can confirm he’s doing his part to uphold that depiction.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

I think this one is pretty confined to my region (southwestern USA) but we use Otto as the moniker of a generic stupid person too, but probably for a different reason: Otto is Oblivious to the Obvious

[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Don't forget his wife, Erika Mustermann, geb. (née) Gabler. She's usually the one used for passports these days. I think there's a whole Mustermann family living in these templates.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Isn't it Erika Musterfrau?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

Sometimes, but I mostly see her name as Mustermann.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago

Or for historical context: “der Deutsche Michel” - “the German Michael “