History Main / MrSmith

* One episode of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' has Leonard rhetorically ask Sheldon whom he met at lunch. After a moment, Sheldon guesses "Mohammad Li," on the basis that Mohammad is the most common first name in the world, and Li the most common surname. [[SarcasmMode Surprisingly, it wasn't even close]].

* In one episode of ''Series/HogansHeroes'', Colonel Klink is buried under paperwork and the heroes need him free for one of their zany schemes. Hogan gives him the idea that while buried under paperwork at [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pentagon the Pentagon]], he marked all of his work "ATTN: Colonel John Smith", as there had to be dozens of officers with that name. Since Klink can't use an obviously English name, Hogan tells him to use the literal German translation which would be Colonel Johann Schmidt.

* In the UNACO novels (from film scripts by Creator/AlistairMaclean and later adapted by other authors) there's a criminal mastermind called Mr. Smith. Until he's captured at the end of ''The Hostage Tower'' no-one knows who he is or [[MasterOfDisguise what he looks like]], so it's obviously an alias.

* In the UNACO novels by Creator/AlistairMaclean there's a criminal mastermind called Mr. Smith. Until he's captured at the end of ''Hostage Tower'' no-one knows who he is or what he looks like, so it's obviously an alias.

* RobinHood was apparently a generic name used by criminals in medieval times, making it difficult for modern-day historians to trace the origins of the legend.

* During ''Film/{{Houseguest}}'', the loansharks after our hero Sinbad try to follow him into the exclusive golf course he's playing at. When asked at the front desk what name their reservation is under, one blurts out "Smith" at the same time the other does "Miller". Luckily for them, a family named the Miller-Smiths happens to have a reservation and so they are admitted without further delay.

* The SCV portrait from the original ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' is named Jim Smith.

The stereotypical anonymous name, usually "John Smith" (or "Jane Smith" for women). Other examples include "John Doe/Jane Doe/Richard Roe" (used in legal documents about a person whose name is unknown, or is being concealed, and in American hospitals for unknown dead people or comatose patients) or common names like "Johnson" or "Jones". The equivalent in Japanese works is "Tarō Yamada" for men and "Hanako Yamada" for women.

The success of this trope is supposed to work due to just how ''common'' it is. If you take a name like "[[ComicBook/XMen Xavier]]", people will recognize you. "John Smith" is just so average that you're forgettable, and even if they do recall you, it will be nearly impossible to track down. Subversions can occur with people either recognizing that it's ''way'' too common, or a person might try the alias in a time or place where it isn't actually common.

* In ''Fanfic/InquisitorCarrowChronicles'' The God-Emperor Of Mankind is disguised as a particle physicist at CERN, complete with the alias Jon Schmidt.

* ''Film/{{Asylum}}'': When Creator/PeterCushing's character places his order for the strange suit in "The Weird Tailor", Bruno asks for his name. After a moment's hesitation, he replies "Smith". Thereafter, the character is only referred to as "Mr. Smith".

* The BigBad of ''Anime/{{Monster}}'' is known by the other characters as "Johan," the German equivalent to John, and he takes the last name of "Liebert" from the family that adopted him. His birth name is unknown.

* Mikado Ryugamine in ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'' uses the very generic "Taro Tanaka" as his screen name online out of distaste for his real name. The reason is that his real name roughly translates as "Emperor of The Dragon Fang Peak", and many people he meets feel compelled to comment on what an over-the-top name it is.

* Kyon from ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' used John Smith as an alias. He is a Japanese person in Japan, so it was never intended to be taken seriously. Possibly a reference to ''Series/DoctorWho'', since Kyon was time travelling at the time. [[spoiler:The name has since become a TrustPassword between him and Haruhi. If Kyon reveals that he was John Smith, Haruhi will believe anything he tells her, even in an alternate timeline where they never met in high school.]]

* In ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnlineAlternativeGunGaleOnline'', the novelist who sponsored the first and third Squad Jams sends an email announcing a Test Play tournament, which he says was the idea of an acquaintance from Zaskar (GGO's developer), and refers to that person as "Mr. Smith" in the email.

* A season 3 episode of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' focused around a severely injured Alien with amnesia being cared for on the Enterprise. With no name for him, Doctor Crusher dubs him John Doe.

* ''Film/MenInBlack'': The movie got a lot of mileage out of [[http://www.impawards.com/1997/posters/men_in_black.jpg advertising]] and promotional materials featuring [[Creator/TommyLeeJones Mr. Jones]] and [[Creator/WillSmith Mr. Smith]]. Within the film itself, they go by the interchangeable names "White" and "Black". For clarification, [[IronicNickname Jones is "Black" and Smith is "White".]]

* In ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'', [[spoiler:Sora]] comes from a neighboring country and had a HeelFaceTurn after his introductory arc, and afterwards he is assigned to work under Larna Smith in [[TheMagocracy Sorcier]]'s Magical Ministry. He has OnlyOneName, but Larna gives him the last name "Smith" which he only accepted because it would make the paperwork for getting employed at Ministry of Magic easier. Catarina notes that it's especially lazy because it's the same last name Larna uses, which Catarina also suspects is fake.[[note]]And [[IdiotHero Catarina]] is ''right'' for once. Larna is actually Suzanna Randall, the fiancée of Jeffrey, the eldest prince.[[/note]]

** The Doctor regularly takes on the alias "John Smith" whenever necessary. The pseudonym first appeared in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS5E7TheWheelInSpace "The Wheel in Space"]], when Jamie [[LineOfSightName saw the manufacturer's name on a piece of medical equipment.]] He would next use the name in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS6E7TheWarGames "The War Games"]], but it wouldn't become his go-to alias until his exile on Earth, when he starts working for UNIT and gives it at the end of [[Recap/DoctorWhoS7E1SpearheadFromSpace "Spearhead from Space"]] for use in their files. The new series has {{retcon}}ned the First Doctor as using it as well (on his library card).

** Played for laughs when Martha goes undercover in ''Series/{{Torchwood}}''. Ianto gives her the name "Samantha" as part of her cover, followed by, "I thought the 'Jones' would be safe." ([[DontExplainTheJoke Ianto's last name is also "Jones".]])

-->'''Young Haruhi''': What's your name anyway?\\
'''Kyon''': John Smith.\\
'''Young Haruhi''': ...do you think I'm an idiot?\\
'''Kyon''': Oh, just let me use it as an alias.

* In ''VideoGame/BatmanTheTelltaleSeries'', one of the characters in Season 1, Episode 4 simply goes by the name of John Doe. [[spoiler: However, thanks to his white skin and green hair, the player would immediately know [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker who he]] ''[[Characters/BatmanTheJoker really]]'' [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker is]]. Justified, as he's living in a mental asylum and refuses to give, or doesn't remember, his birth name.]]

[[folder: Radio]]

* Lampshaded in ''Film/TheGrayMan2022'' when Sierra Six goes to have a fake passport made, though as he wants an Ecuadorian the forger suggest that Pablo would be more appropriate than Smith.