Fact-Checking Kris Jenner's Real Name: Houghton, Kardashian, or Jenner?
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
In the late 1970s, Kristen Houghton met Robert Kardashian, a Beverly Hills business executive and attorney. Their courtship pulled the 22-year-old flight attendant into affluent circles across Southern California. When the couple married on July 8, 1978, she legally dropped Houghton and became Kris Kardashian.
The name change went beyond domestic paperwork. It represented her integration into a close-knit, prominent Armenian-American family. During their thirteen-year marriage, Kris had four children: Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Robert Jr. By the time her marriage to Robert Kardashian dissolved in March 1991, the surname had become deeply attached to her personal reputation and social identity in Los Angeles.
Yet, as the divorce finalized, the family stood on the cusp of an intense media spotlight. Robert Kardashian's role on the defense team during the 1995 O.J. Simpson trial catapulted the surname into a household word. By that time, however, Kris had already signed another marriage certificate and changed her passport once again.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
