Joyce's real last name?

[Jsebold87]

Okay so we all know that Joyce is divorced from Hank Summers, so I'm wondering why they never mentioned her real last name? Usually when couples divorce the women go back to their maiden names (my mom's been divorced a couple of times and she always went back to her maiden name), why keep the last name of a man you are no longer in love with, or no longer married to.

I was thinking about that today when I was watching Restless. Xander refers to Joyce as "Buffy's mom" or Joyce, not Mrs. Summers, or maiden name. I then thought about it and tried to figure out an episode where they used Summers as a last name for her, and I thought of Gingerbread.

In "Gingerbread" the Mayor calls her Joyce Summers when he introduces her. Now it's been 3 years since she divorced, why does she still have the same last name?

The only reason I can think of why they kept Joyce's last name Summers was to avoid confusion, or that they just never really thought about it.

Jeez, I must be a total geek for noticing something like this....

Anybody else notice this?

-Jess

[CowboyGuy]

Damn what a fun trivia that would be. I wish we knew her maiden name!

Also, she may have kept 'Summers' so she could match Buffy and Dawn. I know a few Mom's that are like that. Keep the name to be more family-like.

[Jsebold87]

I think the only person who would know that for sure would be Joss (if he's thought about it). It would be a neat question to ask him.

[BennyTheKey]

Im not sure if im right but I think Willow called her mrs summers aswell ? or is it my imagination,

I've never really thought of that, it properlly is to avoid confusion,

[slayersarah]

my mom kept my dad's last name after they got divorced just because she likes last names that start with G and end in O. but now i'm curious what Joyce's maiden name was...

[buffyfan21]

Interesting question. I've never thought about that...Not all women change back to their maiden name when they get divorced though. My aunt is divorced and she kept her married name. I think for some it is just too much of a hassle to go through of getting it changed.

[pink_table_la]

hey maybe 'Summers' IS her maiden name? .... NOT.

well this is puzzlin.

[mattitudev2]

Yeah, I guess we'll probably never know her maiden name, unless Joss happens to get word of this discussion and then makes one up for her...like that time he made up last names for Faith and Kendra.

[matthewblake]

It's not uncommon at all to keep your married name after a divorce, my mom did.

[buffysmglover]

Do MOST women usually go back to their maiden name? My mom didn't, and neither did my aunt, and she has no children.

[Whedon Fan]

I don't know before my mum met my dad...complicated me and my sister have different dads byt the same mum. Anyway my mum was marrie to my sisters dad and then divorced and met my dad, nut she kept the married name becasue she was just so used to using it and it felt weird going back to maiden name after all that time...(my mum and dad are not married )

[jellymoff]

Maybe Hank Summers changed his name. It happens-sometimes. I think plenty of women keep their married name, especially if they have been married for a long time. Imagine having a name for like 20 years; everyone knows you as Mrs. Summers. All of your kids friends call you Mrs. Summers. Teachers, co-workers, everyone. You basically have to announce to everyone you know that you are now divorced. Doesn't sound easy.

[Emmie]

This topic is a funny fixation. It reminds me of the great Angel hair debate. Somehow I've managed to avoid getting pulled into this one, though.