# Jane Doe

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/jane-doe
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An unknown or anonymous female; the female equivalent of John Doe.

## Examples

- The police found a wallet belonging to Jane Doe.
- The hospital admitted an unconscious woman as Jane Doe until her family could identify her.
- In the old case files, the victim was listed simply as Jane Doe, her true name buried with her in an unmarked grave.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.