Best Name Necklaces

Buying guide for best name necklaces

A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but your name is your own, and you may as well flaunt it. If you want a piece of jewelry to celebrate your identity, a name necklace is an excellent choice. Modern or traditional, bold or understated — whatever your style, there's bound to be a name necklace you love. Name necklaces also make great gifts for others if you want to give a loved one a token of your affection.

There's a lot to think about when buying a name necklace, from style and material to name choices and chain length. Notably, there are some necklace makers that provide only a finite number of name choices — if your name is not on the list, you’re out of luck. But there are other makers who will take custom orders, so even if you have an unusual name with an unusual spelling, you can get what you really want.

This guide aims to give you all the basic information you need to make your purchase.

If your child wears a name necklace, make sure they know not to go with a stranger, even if the person knows their name — they could have read it from their necklace.

Key considerations

Name choices

It goes without saying that you don't want a name necklace with any old name — it needs to feature your name (or the name of the person you're buying for). As mentioned, some manufacturers sell premade name necklaces only. They usually offer a good selection of names, but if you're after an unusual name or a non-standard spelling, you may be out of luck. In this case, look for a manufacturer that makes customized name necklaces featuring the name of your choice.

Necklace style

The most common name necklaces are script style models. These are molded or cut into the shape of the name in cursive. You can also find bar-style name necklaces. The pendant part of the necklace is a rectangular plate or bar with the name stamped or engraved into it. The bar can either sit horizontally or vertically. Bar style name necklaces generally have a more contemporary appearance.

Necklace material

Consider the material of both the pendant and the chain. Basic name pendants are made from stainless steel, copper, or other fairly inexpensive metals, often with a gold or silver plating. If you're looking for something a bit more special but not too expensive, a solid silver pendant is an excellent buy. You can also find solid yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, and platinum options, but they are pricey. If you buy an expensive name necklace made from silver or gold, it's likely to have a silver or gold chain, but basic name necklaces generally have chains made from plated brass or copper.

Features

Chain length

The majority of name necklaces have chains between 14 and 18 inches long. They may also be adjustable within one to two inches. Although this can vary slightly depending on the pendant style and the wearer's body, a name necklace with a 14-inch chain should sit a little above the collar bone, one with a 16-inch chain should sit around the collar bone, and one with an 18-inch chain should sit a little below the collar bone.

Pendant size

The pendant of a name necklace is the part with the name on it. Pendants can vary in size from one or two inches to four or five inches. Some people prefer a subtle, understated pendant, whereas others want a bold statement piece.

Name necklace prices

You can buy basic name necklaces for around $10 to $20 — these are usually made from thin pieces of copper or stainless steel with silver or gold plating.

Expect to pay $20 to $70 for solid silver name necklaces and between $100 and $300 for gold name necklaces, depending on their weight and karat rating.

Some name necklaces come in a gift box or pouch so they look more appealing when given as gifts.

FAQ

Q. Do name necklaces make good gifts?
A. Yes, as long as you know the person you're buying for likes jewelry. What's great is that name necklaces are versatile gifts for all occasions — birthdays, holidays, graduations, or any other celebration. They make excellent Secret Santa gifts for people you don't know that well, too, since all you need to know about somebody to buy them a name necklace is their name.

Q. Which metals are hypoallergenic?
A. It's fairly common for people to be allergic to metals, and nickel is a frequent culprit. Nickel is often added to inexpensive jewelry, which can cause issues. Sticking to pure metals such as gold and silver generally helps to avoid allergic reactions, but some people can still be allergic to these metals, so they're not considered completely hypoallergenic. Titanium is a good choice for people with sensitive skin who are allergic to most other metals.