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.

    • nparkinglot@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      1 year ago

      I can’t tell you how much I love that Denmark has hillbillys who drive hatchbacks and are called fuckin’ Brian as a slur.

    • WaterBottleOnAShelf@lemmy.nz
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      1 year ago

      Interesting. In the UK (at least when I was growing up, I haven’t lived there for some time) we called doing up shit cars as Barry-ing them. I know in other parts of the country they used the name Ned or Kev to refer to the people that drove those cars.

    • MartinXYZ@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      I think more generally people use " hr. og fru Jensen" for a more exact analog of “John/Jane Smith”

      But Peter Jensen was the most common name in Denmark for many years, so you’re not completely wrong.