How do you want to be remembered?

John or Jane Doe, John Q. Public, Joe Blow, or John Schmoe. Well that's what it would be in the Good Ol' US of A, if you were unfortunate to become deceased and unidentifiable.
How about winding up as Fred Nerk, John Citizen, Joe Blow or Joe Bloggs in Australia, under the same unfortunate circumstances.

New Zealand would have you known as Joe Bloggs, John Doe or Joe Blow, while in the United Kingdom you'd have to settle for Joe Bloggs, John Smith, A.N.Other, or R.Punter.
Canada despite its English influence also has tinges of French with G.Raymond (M/F), John Johns and Jos Bleau (Quebec, French adaptation of Joe Blow).
If you're coming to the Baltics from Malta and expect Joe Borg, or you're from Italy, and thought that under these conditions Mario Rossi or Pinco Pallino sounds fine, think again. Lose your Passport and Documents, and God forbid, something dire happens to you, expect a name change.

Here's your choice in the Baltics:
There are a large proportion of Russian speakers in the Baltics, especially in Latvia, and one could wind up with Ivanov Ivan Ivanovich, Petrov and Sidor or Vasya Pupkin. In Estonia the choice is basically Jaan Tamm (M), or Tadi Maali (Aunt Maali). A tad more choice in Lithuania with Vardenis Pavardenis (dimiuative form of given name and surname), and Petras Petraitis. Latvia is more direct and simple, one becomes a political conservative and joins the "John Birch Society", in other words Jānis Bērziņš! Jānis Bērziņš (John Birch) is one of the most common names in Latvia, if not the most common.

Take your pick. But, this is all in fun. But just incase, hang on to your papers, carry your passport or some form of identification everywhere with you.

By Peteris Medenis