john doe noun Usage: usually capitalized J&D Etymology: from the name John Doe 1.: a party to legal proceedings whose true name is unknown; especially: the first such party when two or more are unknown — compare john stiles, richard miles, richard roe 2.: an anonymous, undistinguished, or average man < brilliant educators and plain John Does — K.D.Wells > < the authors of those remarks are now so many John Does — Norman Cousins >