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List of terms referring to an average person

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The following is a list of terms referring to an average person. Many are used as placeholder names.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Ungrouped

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By culture

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Arabic

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Fulān (male: ‏فلان‎), Fulāna (female: فلانة),[2] also (male with family name: Fulān al-Fulani)[3]

Argentina

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  • María Victoria Villareal[4] is used in the National Identity Cards (DNI) specimens, born in 60's. However, she was replaced with others.
  • Virgilio Portillo is a non-citizen, generally appear as Paraguayan nationality.
  • Manuela Martínez or Fernández (Depending on DNI version), is a girl that has "MANU", in her signature.[5]

Australia

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Austria

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  • Hans Meier / Maier / Mayer[6]
  • Herr und Frau Österreicher (Mr and Mrs Austrian)[7]

Belgium (Dutch)

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Colombia

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  • Pepito or Pepita Pérez (lit. "Little Joe Pérez" or "Little Josephine Pérez"), used due to its alliterative sound.[citation needed]

Czechia

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  • Jan Novák ("John/Jon Newman"), Jana Nováková ("Jane Newman"); the most common Czech name and surname[citation needed]
  • Otakar Všudybyl ("Ottokar Waseverywhere")[8] and Jana Zcestovalá ("Jane Welltraveled"),[9] used on travelcards or ID cards samples
  • BFU (Běžný Franta Uživatel, "Basic User Frank"), meaning "brain free user"[10]

Denmark

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Estonia

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Finland

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  • Matti Meikäläinen (male, literally "our Matti"), Maija Meikäläinen (female, literally "our Maija")[16]

France

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  • Usable as a common word: Pierre-Paul-Jacques (with the meaning of "Someone");[17]
  • Random people (similar to Average John/Jane): Monsieur/Madame Tout-le-monde[citation needed] (Mr/Mrs Everyone), Untel/Unetelle (Mr/Mrs NoName; literally, “a such” and thus similar to the English “so-and-so”),[18] Madame Michu (only female),[19] (M./Mme) Tartempion (familiar and a little satirical);[20]
  • Other:
    • (M./Mme) Machin/Machine (familiar terms, used when one does not wish take the trouble to think of a more specific term);[21]
    • (Un) Gazier originally, a man who worked in gas transport; nowadays, it is a familiar way to say "Someone" (mostly for a man; this term is rare for women, and in such case, the correct word is the feminine form "Gazière").[22]
    • (Un) Quidam: someone whose identity is unknown or cannot be disclosed.[23]

See also fr:wikt:Tartempion#Synonymes

Germany

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  • Max Mustermann (Max Sample Man, for men), Erika Mustermann (Erika Sample Man, for women), since 1978. More recently, other first names have also been used in specific context, such as Leon Mustermann (sample children's passport),[24] Cleopâtre Mustermann (sample travel document for foreigners),[25] or Manu Musterperson (Manu Sample Person, as a gender-neutral form).[26]
  • de:Otto Normalverbraucher for economics related purposes

Greater China

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Mainland China

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  • 劉一 (pinyin: Líu Yī), 陳二 (Chén Èr), 張三 (Zhāng Sān), 李四 (Lǐ Sì), 王五 (Wáng Wǔ), 趙六 (Zhào Lìu), 孫七 (Sūn Qī), 周八 (Zhōu Bā), 吳九 (Wǔ Jiǔ), 鄭十 (Zhèng Shí), all following the scheme of a common surname followed by a number
  • 冬冬 (Dōngdōng), 妞妞 (Niǔniǔ), 妮妮 (Níní) for children[28][29]

Hong Kong

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  • 陳大文 (Jyutping: can4 daai6 man4) (male) and 陳小美 (Jyutping: can4 siu2 mei5) (female)
  • 樂永晴 (Jyutping: lok6 wing5 cing4) or Lok Wing Ching, the name currently used on the sample identity card.[30]

Taiwan

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  • 志明 (pinyin: Zhìmíng, POJ: Chì-bêng) (male) and 春嬌 (pinyin: Chūnjiāo, POJ: Chhun-kiau) (female)

India (and Pakistan)

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Ireland

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  • Tadhg an mhargaidh[31] ("Tadhg of the market")

Israel

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  • Ploni Almoni[32]
  • Israel Israeli. used as a placeholder name in official documents, ID samples etc.

Italy

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  • Mario Rossi,[33] a very common name
  • Pinco Pallino,[34] a made up name
  • Tal dei Tali,[35] a made up name with the meaning of “so-and-so of all the so-and-sos”, i.e., a particular so-and-so)
  • Signor Nessuno[36] ("Mr. Nobody")
  • "Tizio,[37] Caio[38] e Sempronio[39]" equivalent to "Tom, Dick and Harry". Originated from Tiberius, Gaius and Sempronius Gracchus.

Japan

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Malaysia

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México

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Fulano,[43] mengano,[44] zutano[45] y perengano,[46] are words that are used to refer to someone when their name is not known or is not wanted to be said.

Netherlands

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Nigeria

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  • Lagbaja, literally ‘someone’ in the Yoruba language.

Norway

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  • Ola Nordmann (male), Kari Nordmann (female), common Norwegian first names and a surname that literally translates to "Norwegian"

Persian-speaking countries (e.g. Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan)

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  • فلانی (Folānī): Loan word from Arabic, which is used in Persian for both male and female subjects.[47]
  • یارو (Yarū): Mainly derogatory, and associated strongly with the Tehrani dialect. Is used to mean "that person over there".[48]

Philippines

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Poland

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  • Jan Kowalski (male), Anna Kowalska (female), the second most common Polish surname.
  • For a broader representation of average Poles "Kowalski" may be grouped with some other common surnames, such as Nowak (the most common Polish surname), Malinowski, or Wiśniewski: "Imagine our neighbors, the Kowalskis or Nowaks, who earn PLN 100 less per month than we do".[49]
  • Iksiński a surname formed in accordance with the rules of creating Polish surnames with the common suffix -ski/-ska, but the basis for its creation was the letter X (pronounced "iks" in Polish), which is used to denote unknowns (e.g. in mathematical operations). It is used especially in situations where one wants to emphasise that the person one is talking about is not anyone in particular or that the identity of that person cannot be given.[50][51] When talking about another such person in a single utterance, one can use the surname Igrekowski,[52] which is derived from the letter Y (pronounced in Polish as "igrek"). Both surnames also have female forms, Iksińska and Igrekowska respectively. No living Polish citizen bears these surnames (as of 2024).[53][54][55][56]

Portugal/Brazil

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  • Fulano (from Arabic), Sicrano (unknown etymology), Beltrano (from given name Beltrão)[57] "Fulano, Sicrano e Beltrano" equivalent to "Tom, Dick and Harry"
  • Zé Ninguém (literally Joe Nobody), equivalent to “Mister Nobody”

Romania

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  • Cutărescu, general term used in order to avoid a specific surname; a no-name[58]

Russia

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Common placeholder first names in Russia are Ivan and Pyotr, due to their ubiquity. Their placeholder function may be seen in old Russian textbooks: in arithmetical problems or sentences to illustrate grammar.[59]

The name "Vasya Pupkin" (Russian: Вася Пупкин) may be used to denote an average random or unknown person in the colloquial speech.[60][61]

For a group of average persons or to stress the randomness of a selection, a triple common Russian surnames are used together in the same context: "Ivanov, Petrov, or Sidorov". This is a relatively new phenomenon that was unknown in the early 20th century. Ivanov, being derived from the most common first name, is a placeholder for an arbitrary person. In its plural form, "Ivanovs", it may be used as a placeholder for a group of people.[59] There is a military joke: The sergeant asks the rookies: "Your surnames!" - "Ivanov!", "Petrov!", "Sidorov!" - "Are you brothers?" - "No, we are namesakes, sir!"[62]

Serbia

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Petar Petrović is the most often used name in examples of how to fill out documents, payment slips etc, alongside the street name Petra Petrovića and the town of Petrovac.[63][64] Other names: Jovan Jovanović, Marko Marković, Lazar Lazarević, Ivan Ivanović.[63]

Spain

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  • Fulano, from Arabic, Mengano, Zutano. "Fulano, Mengano y Zutano" equivalent to "Tom, Dick and Harry"

Sweden

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Thailand

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  • Somchai (common name for male – literally meaning "appropriate for a man"), Somsri (common, if somewhat dated, name for female), Sommai (common names of either gender), nai-gor (นาย ก equivalent to 'Mr. A')[67]

United Kingdom

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Scotland

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United States and Canada

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Social Security card featuring John Q. Public

Yiddish

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Cambridge Dictionary - Normie". Cambridge Dictionary.
  2. ^ "نذكرها كثيراً في أحاديثنا.. ما هو "فلان" أو "فلانة"؟". العربية. March 17, 2018.
  3. ^ "معنى فلان الفلاني في قواميس ومعاجم اللغة العربية". www.arabdict.com. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  4. ^ "CARACTERÍSTICAS DEL DOCUMENTO NACIONAL DE IDENTIDAD" (PDF).
  5. ^ "CARACTERÍSTICAS DEL DOCUMENTO NACIONAL DE IDENTIDAD" (PDF).
  6. ^ "Max Mustermann - es gibt ihn wirklich" [Max Mustermann - he actually exists]. 23 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Ernährungsfehler von Herrn und Frau Österreicher" [Unhealthy Food Habits Of Mr and Mrs Austrian]. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
  8. ^ "Od 1. 6. 2020 je možné vydat LP na doklad pacienta | Elektronické preskripce". www.epreskripce.cz. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  9. ^ "In Karta - Dospělý 26 let a starší | České dráhy". www.cd.cz.
  10. ^ Petr Krčmář. "Po stopách BFU". www.root.cz. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  11. ^ "hr. og fru Danmark". Den Danske Ordbog (in Danish). Det Danske Sprog- og Litteraturselskab. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  12. ^ "Tøser, autister og hr. og fru Hakkebøf". Politiken (in Danish). Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  13. ^ "Monika Salumaa: tõeliselt igav, kui kõik oleksid ühe näo ja teoga". Tervise Arengu Instituut. 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  14. ^ "Roosi tn näituse "Silmside" avamine". Eesti Rahva Muuseum (in Estonian). 2018-06-15. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  15. ^ "Sakala 11 juuli 2020". DIGAR Eesti artiklid (in Estonian). 2020-07-11. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  16. ^ Milburn, Trudy (2015). Communicating User Experience: Applying Local Strategies Research to Digital Media Design. Lexington Books. p. 144. ISBN 978-1-4985-0614-4.
  17. ^ "Pierre, Paul ou Jacques en français & son équivalent anglais | Yolaine Bodin". Yolaine Bodin. 16 February 2017.
  18. ^ "Untel : Définition simple et facile du dictionnaire". www.linternaute.fr. 4 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Madame Michu (Définition)".
  20. ^ "Tartempion (Définition)".
  21. ^ "MACHIN : Définition de MACHIN".
  22. ^ "Définitions : Gazier - Dictionnaire de français Larousse".
  23. ^ "QUIDAM - Définition de QUIDAM".
  24. ^ "BGBl. 2007 I S. 2386, 2411" (PDF). www.bgbl.de.
  25. ^ "Zweite Verordnung zur Änderung der Passverordnung sowie zur Änderung der Aufenthaltsverordnung vom 15. Februar 2017, Anlage 1 (zu Artikel 1), BGBl. I S. 162, Anlagen D4c, D7a, D8a" (PDF). www.bgbl.de.
  26. ^ "Gender-Regeln: Berliner Beamte sollen ihre Pronomen angeben". Berliner Zeitung. February 5, 2023.
  27. ^ "小明". 24 March 2024.
  28. ^ Zhang, Dongmei (2009). "《明确意义再计算》". 数学小灵通：小学3-4年级版 (in Simplified Chinese) (6). Shenyang: 辽宁北方教育报刊出版有限公司: 5–6, 16. ISSN 1009-0320. 晚上，李老师来到咚咚家，耐心地给他辅导今天所讲的内容。有一块蛋糕，妮妮吃了3/8，妞妞吃了4/8[……]
  29. ^ Hou, Wenjun (2020). "《打破父母对孩子的"完美幻想"》". 婚姻与家庭：家庭教育版 (in Simplified Chinese) (2). 北京市: 中国婚姻家庭研究会、中国妇女杂志社: 41. ISSN 1003-2991.
  30. ^ 智能身份證, 24 March 2024
  31. ^ Niall Ó Dónaill, ed. (1977). Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla (Ó Dónaill): Tadhg (in Irish). Baile Átha Cliath: An Gúm. ISBN 978-1857910384. Retrieved 2024-07-03. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  32. ^ "Boaz and Ploni Almoni | Yeshivat Har Etzion". etzion.org.il. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
  33. ^ Waldman, Katy (2015-03-20). "Are You a John Q. Public or a Joe Blow?". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  34. ^ "pinco¹ in Vocabolario - Treccani". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  35. ^ "tale in Vocabolario - Treccani". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  36. ^ "nessuno, signor nessuno - Dizionario italiano-francese | WordReference.com". www.wordreference.com (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  37. ^ "Tìzio in Vocabolario - Treccani". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  38. ^ "Càio in Vocabolario - Treccani". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  39. ^ "Semprònio in Vocabolario - Treccani". www.treccani.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  40. ^ Times, New Straits (2020-03-27). "'Makcik Kiah' is famous now but who is she? | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
  41. ^ "Mak Cik Kiah peniaga pisang goreng dah boleh senyum sikit..." Sinarharian (in Malay). 2020-03-27. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
  42. ^ Chung, Esther (28 March 2020). "We Are All Makcik Kiah, And Her Family Is Our Family | TRP". www.therakyatpost.com/. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
  43. ^ https://dle.rae.es/fulano
  44. ^ https://dle.rae.es/menganl
  45. ^ https://dle.rae.es/zutano
  46. ^ https://dle.rae.es/perengano
  47. ^ "معنی فلانی | لغت‌نامه دهخدا | واژه‌یاب". واژه یاب (in Persian). Retrieved 2024-12-07.
  48. ^ "یارو - معنی در دیکشنری آبادیس". abadis.ir. Retrieved 2024-12-07.
  49. ^ Mariusz Rutkowski [pl], "PRZECIĘTNY KOWALSKI. UWAGI O KONOTACJACH I MEDIALNYCH WYSTĄPIENIACH JEDNOSTKI ONIMICZNEJ", Zeszyty Naukowe KUL, vol 58, no. 3 (231), 2015, pp. 3-9.
  50. ^ Wielki Słownik Języka Polskiego PAN. "Iksiński - Wielki słownik języka polskiego PAN". wsjp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  51. ^ "Iksiński – Słownik języka polskiego PWN". sjp.pwn.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  52. ^ "Igrekowski – Dobry słownik języka polskiego i poradnia językowa". DobrySłownik.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  53. ^ "Otwarte Dane". dane.gov.pl. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  54. ^ "Otwarte Dane". dane.gov.pl. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  55. ^ "Otwarte Dane". dane.gov.pl. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  56. ^ "Otwarte Dane". dane.gov.pl. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  57. ^ "De onde vêm os termos Fulano, Beltrano e Sicrano?". September 27, 2016.
  58. ^ "Cutărescu - definiție și paradigmă". March 26, 2024.
  59. ^ a b "Иванов, Петров, Сидоров..." "Чужое имя", Kanun Almanac [Альманах Канун]. St.Petersburg. 2001. pp. 273–293. Archived from the original on 2012-12-25.
  60. ^ "Cловарь современной лексики, жаргона и сленга". Academic.ru. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  61. ^ Евгения Пищикова (2005-12-26). "Ху из мистер Вася Пупкин". Новая газета. Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  62. ^ Akhmadeev, Alim (July 3, 2020). "ИВАНОВ, ПЕТРОВ, СИДОРОВ". Istoki.
  63. ^ a b "Petar Petrović može da odahne - njegovo ime više ne stoji na uplatnicama i formularima". 2018-02-10. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  64. ^ "Petar Petrović ne želi više da ga koriste kao primer za popunjavanje uplatnica". 2012-01-16. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
  65. ^ Ehn, Billy; Frykman, Jonas; Löfgren, Orvar (1995). Försvenskningen av Sverige: det nationellas förvandlingar (2. tryckn ed.). Stockholm: Natur och Kultur. p. 70. ISBN 978-91-27-03285-9.
  66. ^ "svensson | SAOB" (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  67. ^ "นาย ก". thai-language. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
  68. ^ "Smart Meters Bill (Third sitting) - Hansard - UK Parliament".
  69. ^ "Outraged of Tunbridge Wells, Edited by Nigel Cawthorne - Review". The Independent. 2013-12-08. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  70. ^ Roberts, Sam (2023-08-28). "Samuel Wurzelbacher, Celebrated as 'Joe the Plumber,' Dies at 49". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  71. ^ "Who was the real Pvt. Joe Snuffy?". DVIDS.
  72. ^ Rosten, Leo (2001). The New Joys of Yiddish. Crown Publishers. p. 61. ISBN 978-0609806920.
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