When How I Met Your Father debuted on Hulu in January 2022, the series got mixed reviews but quickly became a hit among fans and those nostalgic for more of How I Met Your Mother. Part of the charm of the new series was the well-formed characters that had personalities different from those on HIMYM, making it clear that even though the general plot was the same, HIMYF was an entirely different series.
Enneagram types help define why people (and characters) act the way they do and how they handle relationships and conflicts. Each character on How I Met Your Father represents a different enneagram type, ranging from Charlie's enthusiastic zest for life to Sophie's nurturing, caregiver energy that she applied to her friends and family.
Type 1 - Drew - The Perfectionist
Drew was Sophie's first serious relationship on How I Met Your Father. Mature and respectable, Drew was a grown up 30-year-old in contrast to Sophie's more floundering, unsure self. He was grounded and responsible, choosing practicality over spontaneity.
Type 1s are perfectionists. They have high standards for themselves and everyone around them. The type 1 in Drew really came to the forefront of the end of his and Sophie's relationship. He had a desire for his life to be cookie-cutter perfection, while Sophie was still figuring out what she wanted out of life.
Type 2 - Sophie - The Helper
Sophie, HIMYF's main character, made it clear in the first season that she has a big heart and wants to be loved the way that she loves. Sophie did everything in her power to make her friends feel supported, and even helped Jesse with his dating profile and career ventures despite meeting him fairly recently.
Type 2s are helpers. Sophie's giving energy became very apparent when her mother came to visit, with Sophie's new friends learning that Sophie would do anything to protect her mom's heart. Sometimes Sophie's desire to help others would get in the way of her own happiness, but that's just how enneagram 2s operate. They make sure everyone else is fine before checking in on themselves.
Type 3 - Hannah - The Achiever
The same night that Hannah and Sid got engaged in the pilot episode, Hannah got on a plane back to L.A. to continue her surgeon fellowship. Hannah embodied that of an achiever, putting her relationship slightly on the back-burner in pursuit of her career dreams.
Type 3s are achievers, just like Hannah. They want to be the best at what they do, and sometimes sacrifice their relationships in order to accomplish their goals. Much of season one saw Hannah and Sid grappling with long distance and managing Hannah's type 3 personality while planning a wedding, with all of their problems coming to a head in the season finale where they eloped. After this surprise elopement, HIMYF fans were left questioning the future status of their relationship.
Type 4 - Meredith - The Individualist
Jesse's ex-almost-fiancee Meredith showed up in the last few episodes of season 1, confessing that she had thought about their relationship and wanted to try again now that she had time to fully be herself. It was only after exploring her individuality that Meredith knew what she wanted, a common character trait in type 4s.
Type 4s are individualists. They are creative and ambitious, just like Meredith was with her music. They thrive in an individual, isolated setting and are very sensitive and in tune with their emotions. Meredith coming back for Jesse once she processed her emotions was typical type 4 behavior, and the status of their relationship is burning questions fans have for HIMYF's season 2.
Type 5 - Sid - The Observer
Sid spent a lot of season 1 helping others in tough situations. He used his analytical, observational skills to give out advice and guide others through their problems, rarely asking for help for himself. Owning his own bar allowed him to overhear everyone's problems all the time, and made him a great consult.
Type 5s are observers. They take in their surroundings and form their opinions based on all the information that has been given to them. Sid was a critical thinker, trying to make logical decisions to help his friends and himself. When it came to his relationship to Hannah, he wanted to make sure they both got what they wanted, but was sometimes so analytical and rational that he forgot to factor in her wants and needs.
Type 6 - Jesse - The Loyalist
Jesse heavily relied on his newfound friend group to keep him grounded and secure. He was reeling from a rejected proposal gone viral, and needed all the support and love he could get from the people around him.
Type 6s are loyalists. They desire comfort and security, and stand by the ones they love because they give them those things. 6s typically avoid decisions that are risky or could hurt them, which is exactly why Jesse was so unsure about reuniting with Meredith and possibly going on tour with her.
Type 7 - Charlie - The Enthusiast
The likable How I Met Your Father character Charlie was the definition of spontaneous. He met Valentina and followed her back to New York City right after connecting with her, choosing to upend his life in the name of love.
Type 7s are enthusiasts. They want their lives to be fun and easy, and aren't scared of the harmful implications or consequences of their actions. Charlie decided to start his life over in order to find true happiness, and was able to do so easily because he wasn't thinking about the risks of his choices, he just knew that they felt right.
Type 8 - Valentina - The Challenger
Valentina is one of the most level-headed characters on HIMYF. She knew that Charlie couldn't move in with her and Sophie right away, and that she needed her space in order to make the relationship work. When it was revealed that she and Charlie had different visions of their futures, she made the difficult decision to end their relationship, even though it broke her heart.
Type 8s are challengers. They are strong-willed and assertive. They make decisions and stick by them, even if it hurts in the moments or afterward. Valentina never strayed from the choices she made, and was a great friend to Sophie by providing honest and straight-forward advice.
Type 9 - Ellen - The Peacemaker
Ellen is the type of How I Met Your Father character to live life with her heart on her sleeve. When moving to New York, she wanted to be liked by everyone, and sought out a rekindled connection with her older brother, Jesse.
Type 9's are peacemakers. They want peace and agreement, finding comfort in everyone getting along. 9's tend to avoid conflict, much like how Ellen avoided being honest with Charlie about not wanting him to be her roommate, or her harboring resentment against Jesse for many years. Ellen had to work through her tendency to shy away from tough conversations, and was happier once she found peace in having those discussions.