Commander Lawrence’s first name in *The Handmaid’s Tale* television series is Joseph.
He is Commander Joseph Lawrence, portrayed by Bradley Whitford. Lawrence first becomes prominent in the second season as the intimidating head of the household to which June is assigned after leaving the Waterfords.
Within Gilead, Lawrence is known as the architect of the regime’s economy and the creator of the Colonies, a system of forced labor and punishment. His intellectual role helped build Gilead, but his later regret and covert cooperation with resistance efforts make him one of the series’ most morally conflicted figures.
The name can be confused with other commanders. George belongs to Commander Winslow, Matthew to Commander Calhoun, and Warren to Commander Putnam. “Joseph” also appears in June’s assigned name, Ofjoseph, reflecting Gilead’s practice of naming Handmaids after the men who control their households.