Name Tag

A name tag or name badge is a badge or sticker worn on the outermost clothing as a means of displaying the wearer's name for others to view. It was first invented in 1955, by restaurant owner Bram Combrink.

Name tags may be temporary, such as a sticker with the iconic image being the "Hello! My Name Is ________"; or it may be more durable. Temporary ones typically can be handwritten with the wearer's name, or printed. Permanent name tags are usually made of lightweight metal or plastic and may be known as name badges.

Name tags may be attached to garments with adhesive or worn with the assistance of a magnet, pin or velcro. Plastic or metal name tags can be attached to various backings used to attach to the clothing of the wearer. There are many types of name tag backings, including magnetic backings, pins and clips. Magnetic backings, which do not puncture clothing with pins, are a popular solution for name tags. Some name tags are worn around the neck using a lanyard or necklace.

Name tags with magnetic backings may be harmful to people who have pacemakers, as the magnet may interfere with the implant's normal function. It is suggested that people who have pacemakers use pinback backings with their name tags.

Name tags are used by some customer service companies, such as fast food restaurants, so that customers may identify employees by name. Professional employees or representatives of public-facing organizations such as universities, banks, or other companies where employees do not wear uniforms, may wear name tags as a way of distinguishing or identifying the bearer, while allowing the employee to wear daily business wear.

There is an emoji for the japanese name tags (📛) available with the Unicode U+1F4DB.

Military

Military personnel commonly wear name badges on their uniforms, generally on the right chest. In American and European militaries, the tag often display only the family (or last) name. Other armed forces use different conventions based on the local culture(s), as the last name alone may not be sufficiently distinct. For example, in the Singapore Armed Forces, Indian last names are generally initialised and the first name spelt in full. Some uniforms also include the name of the branch of service, generally on the left chest.

File:陸軍二級上將鍾樹明2023.jpg, Republic of China Army (ROCA) General Chung Shu-ming, wearing a dress uniform with a metal name pin showing his full name in Chinese
File:05.25_總統視導漢光33號演習_(34882508215).jpg, A second lieutenant of the ROCA, with cloth tapes showing rank (blue), name (given name blurred out), and branch of service, all in Chinese
File:Navy_(ROKN)_Captain_Yang_Yong-mo_해군대령_양용모_(Northrop_F-5A_Dedication_(8183034756)).jpg, Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) Captain Yang Yong-mo, wearing a plastic name tag showing his full name in Korean and last name in English
File:2012_해군_여군_고속정_정장_임명_(7559205702).jpg, Three ROKN lieutenants wearing servicec uniforms with cloth name tag showing full name in Korean and last name in English
File:IAF_Uniform.png, Indian Air Force uniforms, showing plastic bilingual name tags on ceremonial uniforms and an English cloth name tape on the flight suit
File:Eiji_Kimizuka_cropped_1_Shu_Watanabe_Eiji_Kimizuka_and_Eita_Kawakatsu_20120902.jpg, Former Chief of Staff of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Eiji Kimizuka. Cloth rank-surname tape in Japanese on left chest, cloth surname tape on right chest in English.

The use of name tags probably originated with laundry tags, used to identify clothing belonging to particular individuals. During World War II, the United States military began making use of external name tags, in particular on flight clothing and combat uniforms. The use of cloth name tapes became common by the Korean War and its use spread to other armies. The Canadian Army began using cloth name tapes on combat uniforms in the 1960s. During this period, the use of name tags extended to dress uniforms, and tags made of engraved plastic rather than cloth.

Other professionals

Police officers usually often wear name tags on their uniforms that are separate from the badges that identify their official capacity as a law enforcement officer.

So that nametags have a degree of privacy, nametags may be attached with velcro which can be easily changed.

Conventions

Associations of people gathering for conventions, and other events where socialization is encouraged, often wear name tags.

"Hello my name is" stickers

"Hello my name is" stickers, first introduced by C-Line Products in 1959, became hugely popular and they have been widely used in both graffiti and sticker art.

Name labels

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, iron-on or sticker name tags may be used for children's clothing, to help return items if lost. Cash's (J. & J. Cash Ltd) of Coventry, England, is a prominent manufacturer of woven name tapes.

See also

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References

External links

*{{Commonscat-inline, Name badges

Badges
Identification
Stickers
Office equipment