Joe Miller. A stale joke, corresponding to the modern “Chestnut.” Joe Miller was a witty comedian whose sayings were compiled by John Mottley in the reign of James II. Until about a hundred years ago this was the only book of jests extant, and everyone who wished to “set the table in a roar” freely drew upon it.
Joey. The popular nickname of Mr Joseph Chamberlain, of Fiscal Policy fame.
Johannis. From Johannisberg, near Wiesbaden. This name is literally “John’s Rock,” on which stands the famous castle.
John Audley. An old showman’s phrase, which still obtains in what is called a portable theatre. As soon as a sufficient crowd for another “house” has collected outside, the money-taker, or the showman himself, calls out at the door “John Audley!” (originally it was the question “Is John Audley here?”) as a hint to the performers to finish quickly and dismiss the audience. This, it is said, was the invention of Shorter, the comedian, while he was playing in booths at country fairs.
John Bull. The Representative Englishman, bluff, long-suffering, and open-hearted. This national nickname was derived from a satire of the same title published by Dr John Arbuthnot in 1721.
John Carpenter Street. After the founder of the City of London School, which occupies one side of this modern thoroughfare, having been removed hither from Bow Lane in 1882. John Carpenter was town clerk of the city of London in the reigns of Henry V. and VI.
John Chinaman. Ever since the outbreak of the gold fever in California a Chinaman in that part of the United States has been addressed as “John,” the Transatlantic generic name for a man-servant, corresponding to the old English Jack.
John Doe and Richard Roe. Fictitious names, which prior to 1852, when they were abolished, appeared in every legal process of ejectment in place of the names of the real parties.
John Dory. The name of this fish is a corruption of the French Jaune-dorée, yellow, golden, relative to the colour.
Johnnies. Overdressed, empty-pated scions of good families who spent their surplus cash upon burlesque actresses, and hung about for them at the stage door when the “sacred lamp of burlesque” burned brightly at the Gaiety Theatre. Since “Jack” was the generic name for a man or servant, so one distinguished for the possession of more money than brains was, and is still, dubbed a “Johnnie.”