In a recent episode of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City season 4 reunion, Monica Garcia addressed the confusion surrounding her multiple last names. The reality star clarified that her maiden name is Darnell, not Fowler as previously believed, with Fowler being her married name.
When pressed further about the name Delgado, Monica explained that it is her father's side of the family. Garcia, on the other hand, is her mother's side. Monica shared that her mother, Linda Darnell Susan Maria Garcia, faced teasing and discrimination for her Portuguese heritage while growing up in Boston. As a result, she removed the Garcia surname when she reached legal age and kept Linda Darnell as her name.
Monica, too, had been known as Linda Darnell but expressed that the name held no significance to her. After her divorce, she decided to adopt a 'family name' instead. Legally, she has only used three names throughout her life: the one she was born with, her married name, and her current name following her divorce.
During the reunion, Monica revealed that her mother had brought up her name changes as a way to criticize her. She confided in her mother about certain housewives mocking her for attempting to appear more Latina to secure a spot on the show.
Lisa Barlow, one of the housewives, asked Monica to clarify who exactly made these accusations, and Monica pointed the finger at Jen Shah. Lisa denied making any such claims and attributed them to Jen Shah, who allegedly suggested that Monica randomly selected a name from a book to manipulate her way onto the show.
Before Lisa could finish her sentence, Monica interrupted and questioned whether she was merely repeating Jen Shah's words. This sparked an intense argument, with Lisa resorting to name-calling and accusing Monica of being fake.
These revelations shed light on the complex personal history behind Monica Garcia's name changes and the difficulties she has faced due to her heritage. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City continues to provide viewers with insight into the lives and struggles of its diverse cast.
