What is the name of Commander Waterford's wife?

Commander Waterford's wife is Serena Joy. In the television series, Serena Joy Waterford is Fred Waterford's wife and one of the architects of Gilead, the totalitarian regime that replaces the United States.

Before Gilead, Serena was a conservative cultural activist and author who promoted women's domestic submission. Her public arguments helped shape the ideology that later stripped women of their rights, although the new regime also silenced her and confined her to the household.

Serena's role is closely tied to the Handmaid system. Because she is treated as unable to bear children, June Osborne is assigned to the Waterford household as a Handmaid. Serena is therefore both a beneficiary of Gilead's hierarchy and one of its victims, a contradiction that drives much of her story.

A common mix-up is confusing Serena Joy with Moira, Rita, or Aunt Lydia. Moira is June's friend, Rita is a Martha in the Waterford home, and Lydia oversees Handmaid training. In the novel, Serena Joy is presented as a pseudonym; the television series generally uses Serena Joy Waterford as her name.