How I Met Your Mother: Other Characters / Characters

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How I Met Your Mother Main Character Index
Main Characters | Love Interests | The Main Characters' Families | Other Characters | Cameo Characters

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Friends & Acquaintances

Ranjit Singh

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himymranjit_6687.jpg

Played by: Marshall Manesh

"HELLOOOOO!"

The gang's favorite cab/limo/anything driver. Meets the main five for the first time in the pilot episode, and after driving them around a few times eventually becomes friends with them to the point of knowing many personal details about their lives.

As Long as It Sounds Foreign: A Bangladeshi man that speaks Farsi instead of Bengali. Writers clearly didn't care about the difference.
Beware the Nice Ones: "Ted, I don't want you to see me pissed!"
Bilingual Bonus: In the "Ducks vs. Rabbits" argument he has a short monologue in Farsi.
Catchphrase: "Hellooooooo!" and "To the [vehicle]!"
- He also repeats back any order given to him when driving, i.e. "Stopping the car."
Cool Car: He starts as a cab driver in the Pilot episode, and the next time we see him he upgrades to limousine driver.
Cool Old Guy: This presumably over 50 years old man is constantly seen hanging out with the Fun Personified main characters.
Fake Nationality: A Bangladeshi American man played by Iranian American Marshall Manesh
Funny Foreigner: He is a very doting yet hilarious Bangladeshi man.
Happily Married: In the Pilot, Barney asks if the Lebanese women are hot, and Ranjit shows a photo of his wife (Barney politely disagreed, but still). He was invited to Marshall and Lily's house with his wife for couple night.
Interchangeable Asian cultures: A West Asian/South Asian example. He claims to be Bangladeshi but instead having an Arabic/Iranian name (as most Bangladeshis are Muslim) his name is Punjabi (and more common among Indian Hindus and Sikh of Punjabi ethnicity). To top it off, instead of speaking Bengali (the main Language of Bangladesh), he speaks Farsi (mother tongue of Iran) which was last spoken in what is now Bangladesh during the Sultanate of Bengal period (way before British Colonisation)
Intergenerational Friendship: With the gang, who are in their mid twenties while he's over fifty years old.
Odd Friendship: He met the gang in the pilot, being the taxi driver who takes Ted to see Robin after he steals the Blue French Horn. He then seemingly becomes close enough with Barney for him to often call him when he needs a ride, and this leads him to become a reoccurring presence in the lives of the gang. He has pretty much nothing in common with any of them, but he becomes close enough to be at several important moments and even offers some of them advice from time to time. Future Ted reveals that they stayed in touch enough for Ted to know that Ranjit eventually became rich and the owner of the limousine company, meaning that his friendship with the gang continued all the way to 2030.
Older Sidekick: His job is mainly to assist/drive the entire or particular member(s) of the gang.
Recurring Character: He pops up from time to time, usually at least Once a Season starting with a surprisingly in-depth role in the pilot.
Self-Made Man: Future!Ted reveals in "Gary Blauman" that Ranjit finally became owner of a limousine company after working hard and earning money from the stock exchange.
Sixth Ranger/Tagalong Guy: To the gang, whenever he shows up.
Stronger Than They Look: He is once seen picking up a 100-pound keg of beer with one hand and lifting it over his shoulder.
Token Minority: The only South Asian (from Bangladesh) character in the show.

Carl MacLaren

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Played by: Joe Nieves

"I can trust you guys!"

The owner of the bar the core five frequently go to. He has known the gang at least since 2001 and seems to be relatively close to them.

The Bartender: Besides the fact that he owns MacLaren's, he also knows the gang for years and what drinks they usually get.
Deadpan Snarker: He mostly joins the gang in snarking at them or trolling Barney with a serious face.
Family Business: In the future, Carl would still be working in MacLaren's with his son.
Hot-Blooded: He banned a guy from the bar because he wouldn't attend Mark's funeral (a guy nobody knew who he was) to watch the Superbowl.
Emotional Bruiser: Pulled Lily into a hug, realizing she was pregnant in two seconds (she ordered a round plus and a non-alcoholic).
Everyone Has Standards: While he's not above joining in on the gangs antics there are limits.
- When Ted gets so drunk that he can't compose himself, Carl writes down his own phone number on Ted's arm so he can help Ted if he gets in too much trouble.
- When he finds out Lilly is pregnant, he congratulates her and is happy for her.
- He banned one customer for daring to say that he'd rather watch the Superbowl than attend Mark's funeral.
Fighting Irish: Implied, his surname is of Irish and Scottish origin and he's renouned as tough barkeeper with a fierce temper.
Large and in Charge: Everyone knows you don't piss off Carl if you want to keep going to MacLaren's
Limited Wardrobe: He always wears black in which Marshall thinks he's a vampire. Though, he wears a coat in "Three Days A Snow".
Local Hangout: He's the owner of MacLaren's, the main characters' go-to place to unwind.
No Full Name Given: Played with In-Universe: Carl dared Marshal that he would name a drink after him if Marshal said his last name.
You don't know my last name! You've been drinking here for years and you don't know my last name! I will name any drink in this bar after you, if you can tell me my last name.
Only Sane Man: in The Pineapple Incident, when Ted gets hilariously drunk, Carl has the common sense to write his number on Ted's arm just in case.
Troll: He happily participates when the gang are pranking each other.
- Barney once paid him to keep Marshall's nude painting in the bar. Marshall couldn't bribe him back, as Carl replied with a wide smile that Barney paid him a lot more.
- He happily participated in trolling Barney by calling him "Swarley" multiple times.
- Barney once paid him to turn on the heat so the wedding planner would take her coat off. Robin comments it's not the first time they have done it.
- Named "sneaking into the women's bathroom" a "Marshall Eriksen".
- Marshall's plan of intimidation for Barney's slap involved Carl accepting a bag of gold for a "broken jukebox".

Wendy

Played by: Charlene Amoia

"I-It's a tie..."

The most prominent waitress at MacLaren's Bar. Like Carl, she seems to be relatively close to the main five and even had a short fling with Barney.

Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: Although more of composed than straight-out aloof.
Amicable Exes: Is hurt but mature and civil when Barney discards her like all his other flings, while Barney is convinced she is Cute and Psycho ready to snap.
Ascended Extra: She was around as a background character for the most part, appearing in more episodes than she talks (much like Carl). On a few occasions she is given a small plotline, especially her send-off episode.
The Chew Toy: She seems to get hurt a lot at MacLaren's, often because of the gang.
Clingy Jealous Girl: Played with - Barney sees her as this during their short fling, because he's Barney. She simply thinks they're actually boyfriend and girlfriend, and acts accordingly.
Covert Pervert: She watches porn as revealed in season 3.
Crash-Into Hello: How she met her eventual husband.
Deadpan Snarker: On occasion. Hey, if you had to deal with the likes of Barney all day, you would be, too.
Enemy Mine: Reason why she and her husband initially connect (their mutual hatred of Marshall).
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": Everyone knows her by her first name, but she's always called "Wendy the Waitress". Taken up a notch during her fling with Barney when Lily muses that she'd be a good "Wendy the Waitress hyphen Stenson".
Happily Married: In Ted's 2021 flashback, she's married to an ex-coworker of Marshall's, and they run into Ted while on their second honeymoon in Hong Kong.
Nice Girl: Even after Barney broke up with her and eventually realized it was another of his one night stands, she still tried to give him a new tie and remain cordial.
No Full Name Given: They only call her "Wendy The Waitress".
Put on a Bus: A Flash Forward to 2021 showed that she last saw Ted and the gang in 2011 (season six) as she had gotten married and moved away since then (not knowing what happened between Ted and Zoey). As such while they haven't commented on her absence, season seven and beyond has shown a different waitress at MacLaren's.
Wide-Eyed Idealist: She genuinely thought she and Barney were in a serious relationship, even thought she knew about his womanizer tendencies for all their years as regular costumers.

Scooter

Played by: David Burtka

Scooter is Lily's ex-boyfriend. Their parents are friends and the two of them dated throughout their teenage years, but Lily broke things off when she went to college. To this day, he's still trying—and failing—to win her back.

Butt-Monkey: Most of the gags involving Scooter revolve around his unrequited love for Lily and his pathetic attempts to win her back. Although they broke up several years ago, he's still obsessed with her.
Determinator: Never gives up on Lily, no matter how many times she tells him she doesn't want anything to do with him.
Extreme Doormat: He is hopelessly in love with Lily, after she bullied him into being her boyfriend when they were teens. Much later, when he marries Stripper Lily, he is happy while she nags at him.
Henpecked Husband: After marrying Stripper Lily, they both still work at the Elementary School cafeteria and she is nagging and bossing him around.
High-School Sweethearts: Formerly with Lily. But it all changes when it is revealed that Lily Shanghaied him into being her boyfriend during her Former Teen Rebel days and their sweetheart moments are a result of Stockholm Syndrome.
Hopeless Suitor: He is still trying to get Lily back even after she dumped him at the prom because she was never that invested in the relationship and she's now Happily Married to Marshall.
Love Hurts: Lily broke up with him at the Prom and all those years, despite Lily being married to Marshall, he still tries to win her back.
Only Known by Their Nickname: No one ever calls him by his real name.
Puppy-Dog Eyes: Even Marshall can't resist.
Marshall: Hang on there, Scoots. I'm not going to live forever.
Series Continuity Error: His real name is given as Bill in his first appearance, but in a season 8 episode, it's given as Jeff.
Single-Target Sexuality: For years, Lily was the only woman in the world that Scooter was interested in. In the end, he gets married to her doppelgänger: Jasmine (a.k.a. Stripper Lily).
Stalker with a Crush: He went to Lily and Marshall's wedding, though he was invited by Lily's mom, and attempted to stop the procession before Brad chases him out. Later, he's working at Lily's school as a lunch "lady".
Stockholm Syndrome: Based on flashbacks, his feelings for Lily may stem from this. She Shanghaied him into being her boyfriend during her Former Teen Rebel days, and kept him in line through fear. Played for laughs.
Unknown Rival: To Marshall. Though Marshall gets jealous several times when he thought that Scooter took Lily's virginity before him and found out that he's wooing Lily at work. He also became worried that Scooter is at the wedding with the intent to sabotage it.

Brad Morris

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Played by: Joe Manganiello

Brad is one of Marshall's friends from law school. He's introduced in the second season and becomes friends with the rest of the gang.

Affably Evil: Incredibly friendly and outgoing, even when he's the enemy.
Cloud Cuckoo Lander: Frequently uses surfer slang and is oblivious to his own effeminate mannerisms.
Even the Guys Want Him: A male judge—with a wife—was completely and utterly Distracted by the Sexy.
Face–Heel Revolving Door: He once manipulated Marshall to get advantage on a legal case, of which he was employed by the competition. The following episode he apologizes, is Easily Forgiven and signs up with Marshalls firm.
Fratbro: A Genius Ditz version of this. He's first seen hosting a wild college party (though as law students, he made everyone sign a waiver before they could "FREAKING RAGE"), his later appearances that season included a bromance with Marshall, and disappearing during Marshall's bachelor party only to reappear at the end, naked and wandering the streets. He also speaks like a bro, almost to the point of a verbal tic.
Genius Bruiser / Genius Ditz: Even more of a ditz than Marshall. Still passed the bar on his first attempt.
Hello, Attorney!: Which he uses to his advantage in front of the female jury and a male judge. In a flashforward to 2020, it's shown that Brad, at his 40's, is still Mr. Fanservice, his photo side by side against a balding Marshall. Even the newscast fawns over him.
Manipulative Bastard: As for Season Eight. You wouldn't have guessed he had it in him.
Master of the Mixed Message: Marshall starts to think Brad is gay for him because in he pays the dinner, helps Marshall with his coat, and invites Marshall to go to a wedding in Vermont with him.
Mr. Fanservice: Many episodes take advantage of his physique and he also plays up to it when appropriate.
No-Sell: Takes a punch to the face from Barney, Barney hurt his hand and Brad didn't even blink.
Nice Guy: Incredibly friendly and loyal to Marshall, didn't take any offense to Barney punching him. The eighth season plays with it with him pulling off an underhanded legal trick on Marshall but he still proved to be affable in the end.
Real Men Wear Pink: Like Marshall, he also likes brunch, Alanis Morrisette concerts and Broadway plays.
Relationship Revolving Door: He has broken up with Kara at least two times. The first time made him have a Bromantic friendship with Marshall, while the second one pushed him into become a corporate lawyer who would spy Marshall's strategy for a case.
Sixth Ranger: To the gang whenever he shows up.
Sophisticated as Hell: Tends to combine legal jargon with surfer slang. "Your honor, this is redonk (ridiculous)!"
Tall, Dark, and Handsome: Almost as tall as Marshall, and very good looking.
Verbal Tic: Truncates words very frequently.

Adam "Punchy" Punciarello

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Played by: Chris Romanski

Ted's friend since high-school.

Chubby Chaser: He gets Happily Married with Kelly, who is very curvy.
The Friend Nobody Likes: Ted and the gang doesn't want him as a Sixth Ranger.
Gasshole: Robin says Punchy proposed to Kelly by belching his proposal through a karaoke machine at the bowling alley.
Hidden Depths: Is able to discern from one (very) brief phone call that Ted's been having a hard time and immediately flies out to New York to try and cheer him up.
Incoming Ham: "SCHMOSBEY!" *punches him in the arm*
Instant Humiliation: Just Add YouTube!: He is responsible for uploading Ted's meltdowns on Youtube, even taking the effort to edit a electro-remix of his speeches, which got very popular in Finland.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Punches Ted frequently and makes fun of him, but he truly cares for him, taking the first plane to New York because he thinks Ted is depressed.
No Indoor Voice: Whenever he's talking to Ted at least.
Only Known by Their Nickname: Almost always called "Punchy" rather than Adam.
Shotgun Wedding: Ted and Barney reminisce that Punchy's wedding is the worst wedding ever because Marshall accidentally outed it as this.
Vitriolic Best Buds: With Ted. He thinks they are cool friends, while Ted doesn't think the same way.

Stuart and Claudia

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Played by: Matt Boren (Stuart) and Virginia Williams (Claudia)

Friends of the gang. Introduced in season 1, appeared sporadically throughout and had a baby in season 6.

The Alcoholic: How Stuart copes.
Claudia: Maybe we should call her "Vodka", so you hold her tight and never let go.
Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: At Marshall's bachelor party, Stuart uses all the tired cliches of marriage being a ball and chain, the end of freedom, etc. and confirms it's because his own marriage isn't going so well. As the party goes from bad to worse, he states that he misses Claudia. This trope is then averted in Season 9, when we find out that Stuart is cheating on Claudia.
Awful Wedded Life: Even before the wedding, Stuart and Claudia couldn't stop bickering. After it, Stuart constantly delivered snarky remarks about his marriage.
Beta Couple: But a subversion to some degree, as while they love each other several points have been made that they are not uniformly stable like Marshall and Lily. Which may be considered foreshadowing, considering the finale for season 1.
Bridezilla: Since Claudia is a Control Freak and Hot-Blooded, she gets very hysterical at small issues from her wedding, like Ted wanting to bring a date after he marked "alone", Stuart making decisions behind her back or Ted calling her in the middle of her honeymoon. Later appearances show that Claudia was not just like this about her wedding- she's like that all the time.
Control Freak: Claudia
Deadpan Snarker: Stuart is very aware of how shrill and controlling Claudia is, and he frequently makes snarky comments about it.
Drowning My Sorrows/I Need a Freaking Drink: When Stuart calls off the wedding, Claudia goes to the bar and drink vodka cranberries, while venting all her sorrows to Barney. When Ted called her the day after to ask her for Victoria's info, Stuart got to calm her with some more vodka cranberries.
Large Ham: Claudia is frequently theatrical.
The Masochism Tango: They bicker constantly.
Recurring Character: They both show up when the show needs a wedded couple.
Took a Level in Jerkass: In their first appearance, Stuart is nice and a good friend, allowing Ted to bring Robin even when Claudia did not agree. Compared to his wife, he was the voice of reason, encouraging her to call Ted back when she hung up on him. After their wedding, Stuart starts to make bitter comments about marriage and bickering with his wife about everything. It gets worse by Season 9, where it's revealed he lied about Ted's wedding gift being his, he steals shampoo from the Farhampton hotel and is cheating on Claudia with another woman. While not much is shown of their marriage proper, Claudia's behavior during their wedding suggests her over-controlling personality might have contributed to this.
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Barney is caught up over this. To be fair, Claudia is a bit of a shrew.

William Zabka

Played by: William Zabka

Former Karate Kid actor and a good friend of Barney.

Actor/Role Confusion: He's constantly being confused for his film roles and subsequently booed by nearly every person he comes across.
Adam Westing/As Himself: Zabka portrayed himself hilariously, and at the same time, sympathetically.
Badass Biker: Former Villain from The Karate Kid and owns a motorcycle.
Because You Were Nice to Me: After 18 messages, Zabka finally accepted to help in Barney's Bachelor Party because Robin told him he was Barney's hero. Then at the wedding Barney briefly made him Best Man until he forgave Ted. Also it's because of this he started to respect Ted, as Ted covered what happened to the photo and gave Zabka the credit. He also likes Gary Blauman because he recognized him for his poetry.
Cultured Badass: An actor known for being part of a martial arts film and is revealed to actually be a poet.
Earn Your Happy Ending: After spending years being publicly booed for his role in The Karate Kid, Zabka became the youngest winner of the American Humanities medal for Literature, finally becoming known for something other than playing the bad guy.
Hidden Depths: He writes poetry, and is apparently good enough at it to become nationally recognized and awarded a medal by the President.
I Am Not Spock: In-Universe. He is booed and gets thrown popcorn for portraying a Jerk Jock on film, apparently by his own mother as well. When he references Karate Kid once again, Blauman asks if it's from another of his poems, which Zabka immediately thanks him.
Mean Character, Nice Actor: In-Universe. He even tells that the reason he likes to hang out with Barney is because he's the only person who treats him as a hero.
Produce Pelting: Well, popcorn. Zabka even lampshades this by asking why everyone has popcorn in hand.
Sixth Ranger: Hanged out with the gang for a while during the final season.

Tim Gunn

Played by: Tim Gunn

Tim Gunn from Project Runway is, In-Universe, Barney's personal tailor. For more tropes regarding the real Tim Gunn, visit Project Runway's Character Page.

Adam Westing/As Himself: In this version, Tim is Barney's tailor and has many mannerisms that made him famous in Project Runway.
Ascended Extra: Originally was intended as a one-episode cameo for the 100th episode. For Season 9, he got 3 special appearances, which technically upgrades him to Recurring Character for the Season Finale.
Celebrity Paradox: Tim Gunn is included in The Smurfs movie which stars Neil Patrick Harris and is mentioned earlier in the show.
The Comically Serious: He can also retort with sassy comments with a completely deadpan face, without any trace of sarcasm.
Tim Gunn: Please don't cry on this. It's silk.
Catchphrase: His most popular catch phrase from Project Runway also gets a nod.
Tim Gunn: I'm sorry, Barney. I couldn't Make it work.
The Dandy: Obviously, as he is a suits tailor.
The Fashionista: Required, as he is Barney's tailor.
Sharp-Dressed Man: He's a guy who is always wearing suits, while making suits.

Employers & Colleagues

Hammond Druthers

Played by: Bryan Cranston

Ted's former boss at the architectural firm he used to work at.

Celebrity Paradox: In a Season 8 episode, Mickey Aldrin mentions his plans to watch Breaking Bad. Bryan Cranston plays the main character of said show. Additionally, Bob Odenkirk, who played Marshall's boss Arthur Hobbs, is also part of said show's main cast.
Disproportionate Retribution: At one time when Lily stole his baseball signed by Pete Rose, he claimed that he'll fire three persons per hour if said ball wasn't returned to him.
Does This Remind You of Anything?: He honestly didn't see anything wrong with the "Penis Tower" even after the client outright told him (and using the words "male organ of love" when referring to the penis word). Then he describes his wife as a "Mannish" person who gave him what he needs, which left Ted not knowing how to react.
Epic Fail: In Chicago, Druthers designed a crystal tower. The problem? It reflected so much light that melted near buildings and boiled the aquarium, killing thousands of fish. This actually happened in real life: The architect Rafael Vinloy designed not one but two buildings that focused sunlight to a point it melts plastic check The Other Wiki
Humiliation Conga: His wife sent him the divorce papers, had a second birthday party at the office and was having a heart attack. And Ted put the sprinkles by firing him.
- Speaking of dogs, he also learned his beloved dog had died the same day.
Jaded Washout: According to Ted, Druthers was a hit architect in the 80's, and he keeps getting hired because of this reputation, even when it's evident that his designs in current time are all awful, which is also a subconscious reason why he abuses his authority and bullies Ted in the office. Ted is ordered to fire him by his boss, who describes him as an "arrogant, washed up, pain in the ass."
Jerkass: He isn't a pleasing person and is a Mean Boss to boot. Even when Ted became his superior, Druthers still berated him and mocked his design ideas.
Mean Boss: His subordinates hate him.
Put on a Bus: After Ted fired him. He makes a brief appearance in season 9, where he offers Ted to work for his architectural firm in Chicago. Ted ultimately rejects it.
Ungrateful Bastard: Right after Ted invites him to crash on his couch, lends him clothes (and Robin's sneakers), and postpones firing him, Druthers claims that he can still insult Ted in the office and still be friends outside of it. This is the last straw for Ted to fire him on the spot, despite the Humiliation Conga ruining the timing.
This Is What the Building Will Look Like: We never see the model, but everyone (except for Druthers himself) could see the building was a giant penis (didn't help that it was pink and the garden was composed of brown trees).

Arthur Hobbs

Played by: Bob Odenkirk

Barney's current boss and formerly Marshall's as well.

Awful Wedded Life: Arthur often speaks this about his family: His wife is a Gold Digger, his kids are horrible and the only Hope Spot for him is his beloved dog Tugboat.
But for Me, It Was Tuesday: Arthur doesn't seem to remember that Marshall worked for him twice.
Celebrity Paradox: In a Season 8 episode, Mickey Aldrin mentions his plans to watch Breaking Bad. Bob Odenkirk is a main character in said show. Additionally, Bryan Cranston, who played Ted's former boss Hammond Druthers, is Breaking Bad's lead star.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: The only living creature he seems to love is his dog Tugboat.
Hidden Heart of Gold: Loves his dog and is friends with Barney. During the Autumn of Breakups he actually helps three of the couples involved resolve their issues by telling them that love wasn't about who had the most power, but trusting and caring about someone enough to tell them what's bothering you.
Jerkass Has a Point: His advice to Barney to get a pre-nup, following his own extremely messy divorce. Barney takes it way too far, and most of the characters think it's a bad move, but Barney really did have reasons not to trust Quinn given how they started dating, and Arthur knew very well how he could have everything taken from him in divorce court.
Kick the Dog: He is responsible for Marshall failing his job interviews, as he gives very bad references about Marshall's performance at work.
Mean Boss: Screams at everyone at work, to the point of making Marshall cry.
Pet the Dog: He's almost cartoonishly evil at times, but he genuinely loves his dog Tugboat and it shows. There's also how he told everyone in the gang to be open and honest in their relationships.

Garrison Cootes and Honeywell

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Garrison Cootes (left) and Honeywell (right)

Played by: Martin Short (Garrison) and Joe Lo Truglio (Honeywell)

Marshall's bosses and senior partners of Honeywell & Cootes, one of the biggest environmental law firms in America.

Benevolent Boss: Even thought Cootes is convinced the world is going to end, he tries his best to keep his workers happy and buy them cake.
Berserk Button: Never make fun of Honeywell's height.
Broken Bird: Cootes was said to be a fierce environmental attorney, until he became The Cynic at the prospect of "The End of the World", which made him accept small consolation prizes from big companies, enough to buy cake for everyone.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Cootes is very quirky, but is explicitly stated as a very well-known and credible lawyer.
Carpet of Virility: Honeywell is shown to have this when he starts wearing V-neck shirts.
Crazy Survivalist: Cootes firmly believes the world is going to end, and he even went hiding in a bunker in Colorado, abandoning the firm.
Last-Name Basis: Mr. Honeywell's first name is never mentioned.
Let's Get Dangerous!: After Marshall talks to him on why he hasn't give up on saving the planet, Cootes decides to declare war on Gruber Pharmaceuticals.
Man on Fire: Cootes gets this when he tries to attend the oven while wearing Mickey's bee-keeper suit. Cootes enjoyed the adrenaline rush.
Married to the Job: Cootes orders Marshall to return to the office right in the middle of his housewarming party. Right after an accident with Mickey's bee-keeper suit, Cootes recovers his lost excitement and gets over this phase.
The Napoleon: Honeywell barely reaches Marshall's shoulders, saying that the rest are "abnormally tall".
Put on a Bus: Marshall mentions Cootes went hiding in a bunker in Colorado after the Gruber Pharmaceuticals case. His name is even removed from the "Honeywell and Cootes" sign.
Pyrrhic Victory: They win the Gruber Pharmaceuticals case, but the judge only orders them to pay 25 thousand dollars, instead of the 25 million dollar claim. As a result the firm lost a lot of business, and most of the employees were laid off, leaving only Marshall and a guy named Bernard.
Stepford Smiler: Cootes tries to hide his pessimism about "The End of the World" by buying cake for his employees.

Patrice

Played by: Ellen D Williams

Robin's co-worker, whom she despises for no particular reason.

Abhorrent Admirer: Non-sexual example. Even though Robin can't stand Patrice, Patrice won't stop trying to be befriend her, even wanting to wear matching outfits.
Ascended Extra: Introduced as a background character in reaction shots. Gradually comes into more focus.
Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Robin's Veronica for Barney's Archie, subverted when it is revealed Barney isn't really dating her and that it is all part of his final play "The Robin".
Butt-Monkey: Robin treats Patrice with screaming hostility even though the latter does nothing to provoke it.
"NOBODY ASKED YOU, PATRICE!"
"DAMN IT PATRICE, STOP SMOTHERING ME!"
"PATRICE IRONS MY PANTS WRONG!"
Extreme Doormat: Patrice never confronts Robin about the constant verbal abuse. She once dislocated her shoulder wrestling Robin's purse away from a thief, and Robin still rewarded her with screaming for a small scratch on the leather.
Nice Girl: Probably the nicest person since Mister Rogers. She bakes cookies for Robin, irons her pants and is overall extremely kind to her (she even fought a thief to recover the purse Robin left by the vending machine). She offers a distraught Barney (whom she's never met) a cookie for Christ's sake!
No Full Name Given: Her last name is never mentioned.
Offscreen Inertia: Common fan-reaction to Robin abandoning her plans to live with Patrice were that she was just sitting there... waiting for Robin... who would never come...
The Pollyanna: She's always happy and wants to make the people around her happy, even when those people are quite mean to her.
Romantic False Lead: Invoked for Barney. It was a damn good gambit done by Barney and Patrice for Barney to ask Robin for her hand in marriage.
Shipper on Deck: For Barney and Nora, which may explain why Robin hates her so much. Later for Robin and Barney.
Sitcom Arch-Nemesis: Robin hates Patrice even though Patrice loves Robin.

Sandy Rivers

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Played by: Alexis Denisof

Robin's original co-anchor while she was with News Channel One. Departs after the first season finale, later becomes Robin's co-worker again.

The Bus Came Back: When Robin got a job with Worldwide News, Sandy's their lead anchor.
- Commuting on a Bus: Not exactly a main character after that, but shows up from time to time.
The Comically Serious: He's Barney, but as Ted Baxter.
Chewing the Scenery: Constantly loud and bombastic.
Full-Name Basis: Tells Robin to say his whole name, because he thinks people get a kick out of it.
Gender-Blender Name: "Sandy" is usually a girl's name.
Handsome Lech: He thinks himself this way, he is really just a pervert.
Pet the Dog: In the Season 1 finale, he recommended his boss to have Robin as his replacement for lead anchor when he's given an offer at CNN.
Put on a Bus: At the end of Season 1, he takes a job with CNN. He comes back later as Robin's boss at Weekly News Network. In-Universe, Future!Ted reveals a scandal finally forced him to move to Russia.
Sharp-Dressed Man: Befitting a news anchor.
Unknown Rival: Ted used to make fun of him whenever he reads the headlines of today's paper on air. Then, he hates him for being Robin's date at a local media award and asking her out on their camping trip.

Gary Blauman and Bilson

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bilson-blauman_7245.jpg

Bilson (left) and Blauman (right)

Played by: Taran Killam (Gary) and Bryan Callen (Bilson)

Two men who work with Barney and Marshall, initially at AltruCell and then at GNB. Blauman works with Marshall in the legal department in both companies, while Bilson has a more ambiguous profession akin to Barney's. Initially, Bilson wanted to hire Sven to design the new GNB HQ, and dislikes all of Ted's proposals.

A Day in the Limelight: In "Gary Blauman", we get more characterization for him (regularly as a background character at Barney and Marshall's job), as we see he is rather polite and is genuinely excited about being at the wedding. Also we get to know how he got a previous interaction with the gang (plus James and Zabka).
Ambiguously Bi: Gary Blauman is seen making sexist jokes with his coworkers about hooking up with other women. In Season 9 it's revealed that he had an affair with James, which makes Ted think that Blauman was trying to hook up with Ted, instead of trying to steal a girl away from him. The others are quick to disagree with Ted.
Character Shilling: For Gary Blauman. Even though he is presented as another jerk co-worker in Marshall's division, the episode "Gary Blauman" in the final season shows many other good and sympathetic things he did for others: He stopped Lily from a Break-Up Embarrassing Tattoo, recognized Zabka as a poet writer and called out James' attitude of Never My Fault in his marriage.
Character Title: In Season 9, there's an episode named after Gary Blauman.
Catchphrase: Steak sauce!
Divergent Character Evolution: They start out as interchangeable office bullies before gaining their own separate traits. Bilson becomes a loudmouthed Mean Boss while Blauman is revealed to be more of a Jerk with a Heart of Gold in his own episode.
Jerkass: Both Blauman and Bilson are presented as meat-headed jerks in Marshall's first day at work, who often tease him for being lovey-dovey with his wife, made sexist jokes on regular basis and responded "Steak sauce" to anything. Bilson also enjoys firing people and Blauman makes fun of Marshall at work. It's subverted when we see Blauman is not that much of a jerk in the episode named after him.
Hypocrite: When Ted presented his design for the new GNB building which is naturalistic, Bilson hates it and wants the design to be more corporate where the employees will never be reminded of the outside world. After Ted got fired in the "Employee Transition Room" a.k.a. the room where people get fired, Bilson answers the phone saying "Hi, honey!" and then, Ted hits him with a chair.
Informed Ability: Both have been known to play early morning basketball with Marshall.
No Full Name Given: From the working environment they are only called by their surnames, but it's later subverted for Blauman whose name is revealed to be Gary. Interestingly, by "Gary Blauman" he seems to have graduated to Full-Name Basis.
Put on a Bus: Whereas Bilson becomes a recurring character, Blauman shows up far less frequently after Ted and Marshall quit working with them.
Series Continuity Error: Subverted: When Marshall was still working for Nicholson, Hewitt & West Barney tells him the "Lesson of Blauman" - Blauman was supposedly shouted at by Bilson, got angry and quit, then urinated on a conference table, quit, and eventually died. However, once Marshall starts work at GNB, Blauman is not only alive, but still working there. According to Word of God, Barney was lying to make a point, which is supported by late season 9 when it's revealed that he hates Blauman because he ate four of his fries and a curly.
Straight Gay: Turns out James cheated on Tom with Gary Blauman. After this revelation is known, Ted realizes Blauman was really trying to hit on Ted (although everyone else just let Ted believe that, since only Ted assumes this. It's never confirmed if he might be bisexual).
Those Two Guys: At first. Bilson later makes more appearances without Blauman. In Season 9, Blauman gets an episode named after him.
Troll: Blauman introduces Marshall to Jenkins by saying he is four-eyed and steals things.

Becky

Played by: Laura Bell Bundy

Robin's former co-host in Come On, Get Up New York! as Don's replacement, who later becomes the face of yacht commercials and Robin's unwitting rival. She briefly dated Ted twice.

Brainless Beauty: It's pretty clear she is only co-anchor because of her charisma on camera, rather than her abilities as a reporter.
Characterization Marches On: She was the childish, blonde bimbo from her introduction in Season Six. By the time Ted and the others see her again, she became classier and calmer after getting engaged with The Captain.
The Cutie: How everyone (except for Robin) sees her.
The Ditz: She is incapable as a news anchor, refusing to read "nasty" notes and is often talking about her social life on air.
Dumb Blonde: On full force during her scenes. Ted even got a text from her because she "got stuck in the revolving door".
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": The gang mostly refer to her as "Boats Boats Boats" after the commercial.
Genki Girl: Is always happy, perky and overemotional. Even in her commercial is strangely cheerful.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: She isn't mean at all. All throughout she is very naïve and childish, yet she is still good at heart.
Manchild: Genderflipped. Is an incredibly childish woman, reacting to events in life with the same enthusiasm of a five-year-old. This is initially how Ted started dating her, until he realized he practically was babysitting her.
Nice Girl: Even though she is a Woman Child, she still is a sweetheart to everyone (even to Robin). She bakes cookies and gets everyone on set in a good mood (except for Robin).
Obfuscating Stupidity: Possibly. In one conversation with Robin after the commercial, she says that she doesn't want to be taken seriously as a reporter because she wants people to think she's cute, and she seems much more composed when we see her in Season 9 when she is living with The Captain.
Screw the Rules, I'm Beautiful!: Downplayed. When Robin asks her if she doesn't care that being in a commercial will make people to not take her seriously as a professional journalist. Becky handwaves this with "No, I'm pretty".
Spotlight-Stealing Squad: In-Universe, she eclipses Robin as main host of Come On, Get Up New York!
Sucksessor: Invoked by Robin. She dislikes her as Becky is her polar opposite in personality, and more unprofessional than Don.
White Anglo-Saxon Protestant: BOATS! BOATS! BOATS! She loves boats so much she married The Captain.
Woman Scorned: In How I Met Your Father, she files for divorce on the Captain after she discovers his affair with another woman and wants to take all of his boats. She angrily admits to him that she hates boats.

Rivals and Enemies

Tony Grafanello

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himym-tony_7542.jpg

Played by: Jason Jones

Stella's ex-boyfriend and Lucy's father. Is jealous of Ted and Stella's relationship, as he never got over her, but is shown to feel guilty for getting back together with her on the same day she and Ted were supposed to get married.

Action Dad: Well, he has a daughter and is a martial artist.
Betty and Veronica: The Veronica to Ted's Betty for Stella's Archie in the episode "Shelter's Island".
Idle Rich: He makes it very clear... his family has a lot of money.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He feels so bad about Stella & Ted breaking up that he arranges for Ted to get his teaching job at Columbia.
Jerk Jock: He is a martial-artist.
Took a Level in Jerkass: Eventually becomes a Jerkass, after he writes The Wedding Bride where he is the hero and Ted a bad guy.
Very Loosely Based on a True Story: His first hit as a screenwriter is based on a parcialized point of view of Ted and Stella's relationship, in which Ted is a stereotypical Jerk disposable fiance and Tony is a Marty Stu.

George "The Captain" Van Smoot

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_captain_enlarged_257.png

Played by: Kyle MacLachlan

Zoey's extremely wealthy (later ex-) husband.

Age-Gap Romance: He is considerably older than Zoey (at least 15 to 20 years older than her) and is aware of the fact that it causes them some problems. Later gets together with Becky, who's even younger. Then in How I Met Your Father, he cheats on her with another younger woman.
Awesome McCoolname: Named himself The Captain because he believes a real man can do that.
In that case, I'm Galactic President Superstar McAwesomeville.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Is obsessed with boats, and is also a smart businessman, Olympic fencing expert and many other talents mentioned in the series.
The Bus Came Back: In Season 8 to give Lily an exciting new job.
The Captain: A full-case example. He named himself "The Captain" and loves sailing.
Creepy Good: A genuinely nice and friendly but really weird guy.
Cloud Cuckoo Lander: He relates everything to boats and often speaks in navy code (for example, he only answers to Lily if she uses "Permission to aboard" or "Ahoy!").
The Comically Serious: When Ted calls himself "Galactic President Superstar McAwesomeville", he doesn't blink, just runs with it. Ted is delighted at how stereotypical The Captain is, because he's married to Soapbox Sadie Zoey, but The Captain accepts all of it, and he and Ted strike up a genuine friendship.
The Captain: I like you, Galactic President Superstar McAwesomeville.
Everyone Loves Blondes: He was married with Zoey, who was blonde. And later gets engaged to Becky.
Large Ham: Part of the reason he has difficulty making friends is because of his overly hammy and dramatic tones.
Nice Guy: Once you get past the aura of creepy. He is willing to be friends with Ted (even after discovering Zoey left him for Ted), and contacted Lily to give her the Dream Job.
Nightmare Face: His smile creeps people out. Marshall figures out why by dividing a still of his face in half. The bottom half is genuinely cheerful, the top half wants to murder you.
Nightmare Fuel Station Attendant: Plays up his creepiness because he's shy.
Odd Couple: He's an Old Money White Anglo-Saxon Protestant Wealthy Philanthropist who wears sailing attire everywhere and calls himself The Captain, Zoey is a Soapbox Sadie whose activism he dismisses as silly stunts that keep her out of trouble.
Odd Friendship: He strikes up a nice friendship with Ted when they meet, and even hangs out with the gang a few times. Later, he becomes Lily's boss (she finds art for him to buy) and they have a very friendly personal and professional relationship.
Old Money: His family provided the forum for Marshall's and Zoey's wedding, The Van Smoot House.
Recurring Character: He appears again after Zoey gets Put on a Bus as Lily's new boss.
Silver Fox: Played by Kyle MacLachlan, what do you expect? How else do you think he keeps scoring hot blondes half his age? I mean, the millions of dollars don't hurt, of course...
Sophisticated as Hell:
George: I daresay Scylla and Charybdis could not have torn us asunder: we had great big boners for each other.''
Upper-Class Twit: Rather self-involved but otherwise a nice guy. He can make Marshall's boss Arthur feel stupid so that is a plus.
Vanity License Plate: In "Daisy", the plate on his car is "AHOY!!"
Wealthy Philanthropist: We meet him at a benefit he's throwing for the Natural History Museum.
Wealthy Yacht Owner: He is filthy rich and loves boats.
When She Smiles: Subverted; his smile is creepy as hell, because it doesn't reach his eyes.
White Anglo-Saxon Protestant: In case the wealth and love for boats didn't tip you off.

Daphne

Played by: Sherri Shepherd

Marshall's road trip companion, after Marshall made them both miss their flight.

Deadpan Snarker: Mainly towards Marshall.
Marshall: [about his cellphone in the plane] Oh! This. It's a toy, we call it "Phony".
Daphne: I call you phony.
Foil: To Marshall. She's an outspoken Sassy Black Woman who works for an Oil Company.
Jerkass Has a Point: Calls Marshall out for accepting a job that could put his and Lily's plans in jeopardy without even discussing it with Lily first. "What the damn hell?!" indeed.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She's a rude, abrasive Deadpan Snarker with a vengeful streak... who begins to mellow out towards Marshall, chats happily with Lily, and really wants to make it to her daughter's speech on time. Even when she tells Lily that Marshall accepted the judge job without consulting her first, she seems sorry after the fact, and for the most part had her heart in the right place.
Married to the Job: Reason why she missed many of her daughter's moments.
N-Word Privileges: Played with during Marshall and Daphne's road trip.
Daphne: You are NOT allowed to use that word! Only WE'RE allowed to use that word!!
Marshall: I am so sorry. I'll never call you or anyone else a ''Trekkie'' again.
Sassy Black Woman: Very boisterous and loud, she's happy to sass at Marshall the entire trip.
"Well Done, Dad!" Guy: A female version; she claims she wants to make it on time for her daughter's presentation because she misses a lot of her plays.
What the Hell, Hero?: Gives this to Marshall when she hears Marshall accepted a judge job without telling Lily.

Greg Fisher

Played by: Mark Derwin

The guy Shannon started dating while she was dating Barney.

Best Served Cold: At the receiving end of this courtesy of Barney.
But for Me, It Was Tuesday: Fisher didn't recognize Barney as the hippie he stole Shannon when he hired him, even when Barney let some flower child lingo slip. This proved to be his ultimate undoing.
Chekhov's Gunman: Thought he's a One-Shot Character? Wrong! He is one of Barney's bosses whom he worked for only to humiliate for stealing his first girlfriend.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: Is a higher-up at AltruCell Corp., an implied to be very corrupt MegaCorp
Evil Counterpart: Represents everything that is evil in Barney and implies to be even worse.
Jerkass: Knows Shannon is dating Barney and stole her from him anyway. He even mocked poor Barney's heartbreak.
Kavorka Man: This not so good-looking man gets girls easily because of his money and the fact that most of said girls are Gold Diggers.
Karma Houdini: Averted, though it took Barney 15 years to get him back for what he did to him.
Kick the Dog: If stealing Barney's girlfriend isn't bad enough, he accompanied Shannon to get her last paycheck from the coffee shop just to mock Barney.
Sharp-Dressed Man: Whom Barney emulated in order to "beat him at his own game". He succeeded.
Small Role, Big Impact: Only appeared in two episodes (not counting flashbacks), but he is the Big Bad of Barney's story arc.
Smug Snake: He didn't care about any of the guys he hired as scapegoats, barely reacting when the last one prior to Barney got arrested.

The Gang's Doppelgangers

Lesbian Robin

Played by: Cobie Smulders

Robin's doppelgänger. Although she is the first of the gang's doppelgängers introduced to the audience, she is only the second doppelgänger the gang met chronologically.

Bifauxnen: Justified since she's a Butch Lesbian.
Butch Lesbian: She appeared very masculine in every way, hence the nickname.
Identical Stranger: She is Robin's doppelgänger.
Only Known by Their Nickname: The gang never found out her name as she was just a stranger on the street.
Statuesque Stunner: Like Robin, she's 5'8.

Mustache Marshall

Played by: Jason Segel

Marshall's doppelgänger. Although he is the second of the gang's doppelgängers introduced to the audience, he is actually the first doppelgänger the gang met chronologically.

Dashing Hispanic: Very little is known of him, but he was pretty successfully chatting up a chick in the bar in Spanish.
Identical Stranger: He is Marshall's official doppelgänger. ^note
Only Known by Their Nickname: The gang only refers to him as Mustache Marshall as they never learned his name.
Sharp-Dressed Man: Is wearing a classic suit when they met him.

Stripper Lily

Played by: Alyson Hannigan

Lily's doppelgänger and is the third of the gang's doppelgängers to be introduced. A stripper at the Lusty Leopard, she goes by Jasmine.

Distinguishing Mark: The mole in her right cheek is the only way to visually distinguish her from Lily.
Con Artist: Though her boyfriend did most of the heavy lifting. Along with Ted's stupidity.
Commuting on a Bus: She is the doppelgänger who frequently appears (that's still only three appearances, but every other doppelgänger was a One-Shot Character save for stock footage).
Evil Redhead: Has no problem robbing the gang from their money and lure them to a Russian gang hideout.
Fiery Redhead: She is bossy and ruthless, and also frequents Russian gangs.
Floral Theme Naming: If Jasmine is indeed her real name, then she and Lily falls to this.
Funny Foreigner: She tries to appeal to the gang by saying a party is a mishmash of American-seeming concepts, and her accent is played for laughs.
Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Has a Russian boyfriend who is as tall as Marshall. Barney even points out that they've got a girl who looks like Lily dating a giant, just like their group. It is later revealed that they didn't end up together as she eventually married Scooter.
Identical Stranger: She is Lily's doppelgänger.
Ms. Fanservice: Well, she is a stripper...
Replacement Goldfish: In "Gary Blauman", Future!Ted tells she will be this for Scooter, as he finally moves on from Lily by marrying her.
Second Love: Scooter ends up with her after he finally gets over Lily.
Sensual Slavs: She's a stripper who speaks with a thick Russian(-ish) accent.
Smoking Is Cool: Is constantly smoking in her appearances.
The Unreveal: Whether Jasmine is her real name or not can only be confirmed by Word of God.
What the Hell Is That Accent?: She has some sort of weird Franco-Russian accent.

Mexican Wrestler Ted

Played by: Josh Radnor

Ted's doppelgänger and is the fourth of the gang's doppelgängers to be introduced.

Badass Boast: He uttered a Pre Ass Kicking One Liner in Spanish.
Mexican Wrestler Ted: (in Spanish) I am the conqueror of machines!
Badass Cape: Part of his wrestling attire.
Dashing Hispanic: He is a good-looking Mexican.
Funny Foreigner: He is a Mexican wrestler who personify the Testosterone Poisoning trope.
Identical Stranger: He is Ted's doppelgänger.
Masked Luchador: He starts his fight in a mask, but it gets ripped off. This leads to The Reveal of the Identical Stranger beneath.
My Name Is Inigo Montoya: He becomes virtually unstoppable after losing his mask. His anger is actually Truth in Television as luchadors losing their mask is considered a big deal in Mexican wrestling.
Only Known by Their Nickname: Ted never mentions his name, just calling him "Mexican Wrestler Me."
Professional Wrestling: Hence the nickname.
Screaming Warrior: He was constantly screaming during his match.
Tall, Dark, and Handsome: Like Ted, he's 6 feet tall.
Testosterone Poisoning: He is a walking parody of manliness.
Walking Shirtless Scene: Justified since wrestlers are commonly topless.
Wild Hair: He sports a long, untamed curly hair.

Dr. John Stangel

Played by: Neil Patrick Harris

Barney's doppelgänger and is the last of the gang's doppelgänger to appear in the series. He also happens to be Marshall and Lily's fertility doctor.

Brainy Brunette: To contrast Barney's Dumb Blonde persona.
Hospital Hottie: He is a Tall, Dark, and Handsome fertility doctor.
Identical Stranger: He is Barney's real doppelgänger.
Tall, Dark, and Handsome: Neil Patrick Harris stands 5'11.

Unsorted

The Farhampton Staff

The Farhampton Staff (Curtis, Linus, and Hamish)

Played by: Roger Bart (Curtis), Robert Belushi (Linus), Rhys Darby (Hamish)

The workers of the Farhampton Hotel present for Barney and Robin's Wedding weekend.

The Bartender: Linus spends all of Season 9 serving drinks and listening to the patrons, like listening to The Mother practicing how she's going to confront Darren, or helping Lily with her Kennedy Package. And he even keeps the secret of her pregnancy by serving her non-alcoholic cocktails.
The Comically Serious: Linus, delivering the punchlines of the scenes, usually responds plainly without a trace of sarcasm.
Lily: You're slipping, Linus.
Linus: We're running out of glasses.
Consummate Liar: Hamish, the night shift front desk clerk, attributed every flaw of Lily's room to the Ghost of Captain Dirdoof. When Lily tried to complain about room service, he blamed her for those issues instead.
Innocently Insensitive: Curtis, even though he meant well, was constantly pitying Ted being single at the romantic inn.
One-Shot Character: Unlike Curtis, Linus and the bellhop, Hamish is the only employee to appear only in one episode.
Phrase Catcher: "Thank you, Linus"
Secret-Keeper: It's later revealed that Linus was the only person during the weekend that knew about Lily's pregnancy, since she requested her "Kennedy Package" non-alcoholic.
Shipper on Deck: Just by talking briefly to The Mother, Curtis gave her the room next to Ted's. Years later, Curtis still remembers them and greets them every time they're at the hotel.
You Didn't Ask: Linus. After the gang smashed 3 bottles of Glenn MacKenna scotch, he serves them to the gang.
Barney: This whole time you had Glenn MacKenna 35? Why didn't you say something?
Linus: You didn't ask for the 35.

Characters / How I Met Your Mother: Other Characters

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