Howard Wolowitz

Lore & Background

In the universe of The Big Bang Theory, Howard is an aerospace engineer at Caltech's Department of Applied Physics and an astronaut for NASA who, in the show, is often seen at the apartment of Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper. His birth year is never consistently specified on the show; the episode "The Staircase Implementation" does not give it, and his age is referenced inconsistently throughout the series. He grew up in Altadena, California, not Pasadena. Howard received his master's degree in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, though his undergraduate degree is from an unspecified institution. He lived with his mother for several seasons before eventually moving in with his wife Bernadette Rostenkowski. Until he returned from space in season six, his personal transportation was a Vespa motor scooter, which he eventually traded for a Mini Countryman. Howard is a polyglot. Besides English, Howard knows nine languages: French, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, Latin, Persian, Japanese, American Sign Language, and the constructed language Klingon from the Star Trek franchise. He also knows some words in Sindarin and understands the computer language Binary ASCII, but these are not counted among his nine spoken languages. The episode "The Hawking Excitation" reveals that he also understands the computer language Binary ASCII. As in "The Love Spell Potential" (Season 6, ep 23), Howard frequently does impersonations of Nicolas Cage, and is capable of impersonating Al Pacino and Christopher Walken. Until his marriage, Howard fancied himself as a "ladies' man" and he provided outrageous and often sexist pick-up lines whenever there was a woman present, resulting in humiliating rejections. Howard describes himself as a romantic, although he usually comes across as overtly sexual, and in the words of Penny, disgusting. However, Penny's dislike of Howard mellowed since Howard started dating Penny's colleague Bernadette, whom he later married. When Howard found an ALF doll and revealed that it filled a void for him when his father left, Penny felt sympathy for him and began to empathize more when she understood his behavior a little bit better. Like the rest of the group, Howard dislikes many of Sheldon's antics. He has grown accustomed to them, but he is the quickest to get frustrated with Sheldon. Once, Penny asked how Sheldon had ever gotten

In Their Own Story

The workshop hummed with the low vibration of a laser cutter as Howard adjusted the lens focus. He wiped grease from his forehead, glancing at the blueprint taped to the wall. It was late, but the prototype needed to be perfect for tomorrow's presentation. A knock on the door broke his concentration; it was Sheldon, holding a clipboard and looking disapprovingly at the mess. Howard sighed, knowing this would involve a debate about safety protocols, yet he smiled anyway. In this chaotic apartment lab, amidst scattered tools and comic books, he found his place.

Reader's Guide

Howard Wolowitz begins the series as a self-centered mechanical engineer living with his overbearing mother in Pasadena. His defining trait is a mix of technical brilliance and social awkwardness, often clashing with Sheldon Cooper while remaining loyal to Leonard Hofstadter. Over time, Howard matures significantly through his relationship with Bernadette Rostenkowski. Their romance transforms him from a womanizing bachelor into a devoted husband and father. He eventually fulfills his childhood dream of space travel, becoming an astronaut for NASA aboard the International Space Station. His skills include robotics design, mechanical engineering, and advanced piloting training. Key moments include marrying Bernadette in season 5 finale "The Countdown Reflection", having twin children named Halley and Neil Wolowitz, and finally leaving Earth orbit. This arc showcases a journey from insecurity to confidence grounded in family love.

Did You Know?

• Howard is the only starring character who has been to the International Space Station.
• Howard knows nine languages: French, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, Latin, Persian, Japanese, American Sign Language, and Klingon. While he also knows some Sindarin and Binary ASCII, these are not counted among the nine.
• In 'The Peanut Reaction,' Howard's anaphylactic reaction to peanuts was accidental—he unknowingly ate a granola bar containing peanuts, not a deliberate act.