Joe Shmoe (also spelled Joe Schmoe and Joe Schmo; for which Joe Blow is sometimes substituted), meaning “Joe Anybody”, or no one in particular, is a commonly used fictional name in American English. Adding a “Shm” to the beginning of a word is meant to diminish, negate, or dismiss an argument (for instance, “Rain, shmain, we’ve got a game to play”). It can also indicate that the speaker is being ironic or sarcastic.
This process was adapted in English from the use of the “schm” prefix in Yiddish to dismiss something; as in, “sale, schmale” (thus denying that the sale is worthwhile).
While “schmo” (“schmoo”, “schmoe”) is thought by some linguists to be a clipping of Yiddish שמאָק “schmuck”,[25] that derivation is disputed.[26] The earliest known use of the phrase is the 1940s.[27]
That’s interesting. I wonder if that’s related to the term “Joe Shmoe” in the US. The term is used for an average person.
According to Wikipedia (may it live forever!):