Penny Had a Last Name? Big Bang Theory Secret Everyone Missed

The Big Bang Theory has had an endearing mystery since it first aired. Penny, one of the central characters, does not seem to have a last name until she marries Leonard and takes his.

But before she became Penny Hofstadter, surely, she had a full name.

The mystery

All the other main characters have surnames. Even the less prominent one, Stuart, owner of the comic book store, has his surname revealed as Bloom. Yet fans have noticed that Penny’s full name has been noticeably absent, which has infuriated and delighted them in equal measure.

In later seasons, we meet Penny’s father and eventually almost her whole immediate family, except for her sister, Lisa. Hopeful fans were waiting for her surname to be revealed when her family appeared on the show. Or at least during one of her two weddings to Leonard. But it was not to be.

Just a mistake?

Would you believe us if we told you that Penny’s last name had actually already been revealed, way back in season 2? Cast your mind back to those early days when Penny had the idea of creating jewelled hair barrettes as a business. And pay particular note when Sheldon hands her a package, that she states likely contains rhinestones she had ordered. Now zoom in…

That’s right, fans. That package contains a full name. And that full name is Penny Teller.

Why is this the only mention of her full name, you wonder? Well, it seems this was a blunder. A full placeholder name was needed for the package label, but that name was not supposed to be seen on camera.

Producers have confirmed multiple times that Penny was never intended to have a last name. Initially, they wanted to create some mystery around her character. But as the popularity of the show grew, they realized that it would be difficult to give her a surname that would meet fan expectations. So, they elected not to bother, until she became Penny Hofstadter.

Source of inspiration

As for where the inspiration for Teller came from, it was none other than magicians Penn and Teller. And fans will notice Teller ends up playing Amy’s father in later episodes. Prophecy or just an amazing coincidence? We will leave that for the fans to decide.