# On Big Bang Theory, who MUST know Penny's last name? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 25, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849 "2015-08-25T17:11:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/41 "2015-08-26T17:40:11Z")
Pitstop. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/42 "2015-08-26T17:46:12Z")
At this point, we must assume that everybody in the world knows Penny’s last name except the people watching the show. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/43 "2015-08-26T18:05:31Z")
> [@Toxgoddess](#): > > My speculation is that it will turn out to be something like Penny Bohr or Penny Hubble. She will turn out to be the grand-niece of a famous scientist, but she never knew it because the families weren’t close and she has no idea who Neils Bohr and Edwin Hubble were anyway. The guys will have never made the connection for whatever reason…but when they find out, they go nuts. And she will still have no idea what the big deal is. > [@Chronos](#): > > I was going with the “perfectly ordinary unremarkable name” hypothesis, but I like **Toxgoddess** ’ idea that she’s related to some famous scientist. Good idea, but in the context of the show, the most likely scientist is Steven Hawking. It’s plausible that the guys all know it, but have simply never made the connection. Another good candidate would be “Tyson”. Penny visits Leonard at work - probably for another bout of kinky laboratory sex - and runs into Neil. “Neil! I didn’t know you were in town! Guys, this is my cousin Neil from New York!” Cue awkward moment of racist embarrassment when guys are surprised that Penny’s family is bi-racial. Cue awkward moment of intellectual embarrassment when Penny is surprised that her dopey cousin Neil who she used to beat up is a famous astrophysicist. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/44 "2015-08-26T18:27:18Z")
Harkening back to an earlier episode, my suggestion is Blossom. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/45 "2015-08-26T18:43:14Z")
Also harkening back to an earlier Mayim Bialik role. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/46 "2015-08-26T18:55:55Z")
Whoa! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/47 "2015-08-26T19:08:03Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Good idea, but in the context of the show, the most likely scientist is Steven Hawking. It’s plausible that the guys all know it, but have simply never made the connection. > > Another good candidate would be “Tyson”. Penny visits Leonard at work - probably for another bout of kinky laboratory sex - and runs into Neil. “Neil! I didn’t know you were in town! Guys, this is my cousin Neil from New York!” Cue awkward moment of racist embarrassment when guys are surprised that Penny’s family is bi-racial. Cue awkward moment of intellectual embarrassment when Penny is surprised that her dopey cousin Neil who she used to beat up is a famous astrophysicist. No, she never beat up her cousin Neal. [He was always a badass.](http://dangerandplaycom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Neil-deGrasse-Tyson-wrestling.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/48 "2015-08-26T20:02:38Z")
Oh, and I also don’t think that the writers originally intended for her last name to be a deliberate mystery. My guess is that they just never thought of one because it never had reason to come up in an episode, and that it wasn’t a big deal until some fans noticed that it wasn’t known and started speculating. Now, of course, the writers are taking that and running with it, so if they ever reveal it now, it’ll be a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/49 "2015-08-26T20:34:12Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > While not common, the name Penelope is not limited to those who know Greek mythology. Nooooooo kidding! Duh! I sure feel like a real dummy! :smack: ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/50 "2015-08-26T20:36:26Z")
Howard searched online for Penny’s _Serial Ape-ist_ scene on the day he met her. Although this wasn’t revealed until the start of season 7. He then showed it to the others. So Howard knew her name first, of the guys (probably), followed by the others. Assuming Sheldon was paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/51 "2015-08-26T20:43:34Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Are you suggesting that a family of Nebraska farmers were cognizant of Greek mythology? :dubious: > [@Colibri](#): > > While not common, the name Penelope is not limited to those who know Greek mythology. > [@terentii](#): > > Nooooooo kidding! Duh! I sure feel like a real dummy! :smack: ☹ If you didn’t actually think that, why did you say it in your earlier post? ---
**Author:** ![Reluctant\_A](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@Reluctant\_A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reluctant_A)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/52 "2015-08-26T21:58:53Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Pretty sure her full name is Penny Penny Penny. Too bad there’s no rank of ‘Penny’ in the US military. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/53 "2015-08-26T22:48:10Z")
Penny R. Caide ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/54 "2015-08-26T22:57:12Z")
Penny Pasta. (That’s the Nebraska spelling.) ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/55 "2015-08-26T23:44:33Z")
Thematically, the only possible last name would be Bershad. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/56 "2015-08-27T03:52:59Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Penny R. Caide Post 2. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/57 "2015-08-27T04:00:47Z")
Her name is Penny Schrödinger. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/58 "2015-08-27T04:03:59Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Post 2. Bugger. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/59 "2015-08-27T04:57:25Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Are you suggesting that a family of Nebraska farmers were cognizant of Greek mythology? :dubious: What makes you think that’s strange? Farmers can read Greek mythology, and classical names were very common in parts of the USA at one time. Oh, that’s been covered. Well, I like the Everett idea; that’s clever. ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2015, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849/60 "2015-08-27T13:16:32Z")
Well, Sheldon was with Penny in an ER. He didn’t ask for her insurance card or her license. He could have just written Penny and left last name blank. He could have written “Penny WiFiStealer”. Possibly, he was told along the way somewhere that he was beyond the point where social convention dictates you cannot ask a friend their last name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-big-bang-theory-who-must-know-pennys-last-name/728849.md?page=4)