‘Big Bang Theory’: Howard and Bernadette Name Their Baby ‘Neil Michael’

Howard (Simon Helberg) and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) welcomed their newborn son on Wednesday night’s episode and decided on a name: Neil Michael.

“Neil for Armstrong, Gaiman and Diamond, Michael because Bernie had to get six stitches,” Howard tells the Big Bang gang through a video call.

As Howard says, the name comes from astronaut Neil Armstrong, acclaimed author Neil Gaiman and beloved musician Neil Diamond.

As for Michael, it is the name of Bernadette’s father. She had decided on it and told Amy (Mayim Bialik), but not Howard. The two bickered about the decision throughout the episode, with Howard not wanting to name the baby after his father-in-law.

“I can’t believe her,” Howard tells Amy. “She knows I don’t want to name the baby after her dad. … We were gonna wait until we saw what he looked like.”

However, it seems like Bernadette will got her way in the end. It appears that not only did she get Michael into the boy’s name, they will also be calling by that name.

In the background of the call, Bernadette can be heard screaming at Howard. She tells him that they will be calling him Michael.

“I’m not gonna fight her,” Howard says. “That kid’s head was the size of a cantaloupe.”

As for the rest of the episode, the gang spent most of their time trying to get Bernadette to go into labor. It was her due date, and she was tired of pregnancy.

Penny (Kaley Cuoco) tries to show her yoga movies, Raj (Kunal Nayyar) gives her an ankle massage and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) helps her mentally prepare. Sheldon also comes over, but he just wants to play an extremely complicated board game with her.

All this builds to Bernadette’s off-camera delivery and the reveal of his name.

The Big Bang Theory airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

Photo Credit: CBS / Sonja Flemming